How Long Is a 30-Minute Time-Lapse?
It depends on the interval (time between photos) and the playback frame rate. Clip length = (shooting seconds ÷ interval) ÷ fps. The photo count is the nearest whole number of intervals in the shoot.
30 minutes of shooting (1,800 s)
| Interval | Frames | Clip at 24 fps | Clip at 30 fps |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 s | 1800 | 75 s | 60 s |
| 2 s | 900 | 37.5 s | 30 s |
| 3 s | 600 | 25 s | 20 s |
| 5 s | 360 | 15 s | 12 s |
| 10 s | 180 | 7.5 s | 6 s |
| 15 s | 120 | 5 s | 4 s |
| 30 s | 60 | 2.5 s | 2 s |
Phones with automatic time-lapse
Some phone camera apps choose the capture rate automatically and change it as recording gets longer, so the final length is not a fixed number. Record a short test with your own phone to see the result. With a manual interval (a camera, GoPro, or a manual-interval app), the table above applies.
Other durations
Use the same formula. 1 hour at a 2 s interval is 1,800 frames, which is 60 s at 30 fps. 1 hour at a 5 s interval is 720 frames, which is 24 s at 30 fps. Or enter any numbers in the time lapse photography calculator.
Want a specific clip length? Work backwards with the interval calculator.
Related tools and guides
Frequently asked questions
How long is a 1 hour time-lapse?
With a 2-second interval at 30 fps it is 60 seconds. With a 5-second interval it is 24 seconds.