What is a shooting interval in time-lapse photography?

The shooting interval is the gap in seconds between consecutive photos. A 5-second interval means the camera fires once every 5 seconds. Divide the total event duration by the number of photos needed to get the interval.

How many photos do I need for a time-lapse?

Multiply your desired clip length (in seconds) by your output frame rate. For a 30-second clip at 24 fps you need 720 photos. For 60 fps you need 1,440 photos for the same clip length.

Why does the calculator warn me if the interval is under 1 second?

Most DSLR and mirrorless cameras need at least 1–2 seconds between shots to write the file and reset. Intervals below 1 second may cause missed frames. Use a dedicated video camera or high-speed mode if you need sub-second intervals.

What frame rate should I use for my time-lapse?

24 fps gives a cinematic look. 30 fps matches standard broadcast video. 60 fps produces smoother motion but requires twice as many photos as 30 fps. Most time-lapses are exported at 24 or 30 fps.

How do I estimate storage for a time-lapse shoot?

Enter the average file size of your RAW or JPEG images. The calculator multiplies that by the total photo count and converts it to gigabytes. Add 10–20% headroom for card overhead and safety.

What is reverse mode for?

Reverse mode lets you enter a fixed interval (e.g., 10 seconds) and see how long the resulting clip will be. Useful when your intervalometer only supports specific step values.

Time-Lapse Interval Calculator

Name: Time-Lapse Interval Calculator
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

Calculate the shooting interval for a time-lapse given event duration, desired clip length, and frame rate — plus storage estimate and reverse mode.

Settings

Event Duration

hours

minutes

Desired Clip Length

seconds

Output Frame Rate

fps

Photo File Size (optional)

MB per photo

Results will appear here after you calculate.

Common Time-Lapse Scenarios

Subject	Event Duration	Target Clip	fps	Interval	Photos

Summary

Calculate the shooting interval for a time-lapse given event duration, desired clip length, and frame rate — plus storage estimate and reverse mode.

How it works

Enter the total duration of the event you want to capture (hours and minutes).
Set the desired clip length in seconds and the output frame rate (fps).
The calculator multiplies clip length by fps to get the required number of photos.
Shooting interval = event duration ÷ number of photos (shown in seconds).
Optionally enter your average photo file size to see the total storage needed.
Use reverse mode to start from a known interval and find out how long your clip will be.

Use cases

Plan how often to trigger the shutter for a sunset or sunrise time-lapse.
Estimate the number of memory cards needed before a long construction shoot.
Find the right interval for flower blooming or cloud movement sequences.
Check whether a chosen interval will produce a smooth clip at your target frame rate.
Reverse-calculate clip length when your camera only supports fixed interval steps.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-07-22 · Reviewed by Nham Vu