Time-Lapse Interval Calculator
A time-lapse turns a long shoot into a short clip by playing widely spaced still frames at video speed. The three numbers that matter are how often you take a frame (the interval), how long you shoot for, and the playback frame rate. This calculator takes the shooting duration, interval, and playback frame rate and returns the number of frames you will capture and the length of the finished clip. Use it before a shoot to confirm you will gather enough frames for the clip you want, and to budget cards and batteries.
Time-lapse formula
Shooting seconds = duration minutes * 60
Frames = shooting seconds / interval
Clip length (seconds) = frames / playback fps
Speed-up factor = interval * playback fps
Each captured frame becomes one frame of video, so the clip plays back faster than real time by the interval times the frame rate.
Time-lapse planning context
- The interval must be longer than your exposure plus the camera's file write time.
- Faster scenes need shorter intervals; slow scenes can use minutes between frames.
- 24 fps looks cinematic; 25 or 30 fps suit broadcast standards.
- More frames per clip second means a longer shoot or a shorter interval.
- Use the frame count to estimate card space and the duration to estimate batteries.
Time-lapse: frequently asked questions
How do I calculate time-lapse clip length?
The finished clip length equals the number of frames divided by the playback frame rate. Frames equal the real shooting duration divided by the interval between shots. So clip length = (shooting seconds / interval) / fps. Shoot 2 hours at a 5 second interval and play back at 24 fps gives 1,440 frames, a 60 second clip.
How long do I need to shoot for a target clip length?
Multiply the target clip seconds by the playback fps to get the frame count, then multiply by the interval to get the real shooting time. For a 30 second clip at 24 fps with a 3 second interval you need 720 frames over 2,160 seconds, which is 36 minutes.
What interval should I use for a time-lapse?
It depends on how fast the scene changes. Fast clouds or traffic suit 1 to 3 seconds, sunsets 3 to 8 seconds, stars 20 to 30 seconds, and slow construction minutes apart. The interval must be longer than your exposure plus the camera's write time, so this calculator leaves it as your input.
What playback frame rate should I choose?
24 fps gives a cinematic look, 25 fps suits PAL video, and 30 fps suits NTSC and smoother motion. Higher rates need more frames for the same clip length, so they require either a longer shoot or a shorter interval. The frame rate is a user input here.
How much card space and battery will a time-lapse use?
Multiply the frame count by the average file size for card space, and divide the shooting time by your battery's life for the number of batteries. This calculator gives you the frame count and shooting duration, which are the two numbers those estimates depend on.
Official sources
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 17 June 2026. See our methodology.