Timelapse of a car journey

[AlanBeard]

Ok, So I'm not really sure on which forum this should go in, so please feel free to move it if I've got it wrong.

I'm off to Canada soon and I intend taking the GoPro/suction mount and sticking it on the outside of the car to timelapse some of the drive. I've done some experimentation and I can't decide whether I like it or not. The video below was shot at 1s intervals and then output at 25fps, so each second is approximately 25s of actual time. Firstly, it does seem rather quick (especially when you get on the motorway towards the end), but if I were to slow down either the framerate or the capture rate, would it not look too jerky? I've seen people saying output at 15fps, but that seems too slow to my mind. What do people reckon?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd5AvQfT7t8 (excuse the music, just put what I was listening to at the time on it!)

 

[Jimmy_Lemon]

It looks nice and smooth, and certainly wouldn't say it is too fast on the motorways (they tend to be insanely dull anyway, so don't think wizzing through that part is a problem).

The only downside to 1 second intervals is that is is going to make the timelaps VERY long. Especially the long distances of travel in Canada.

The only little play I have done with timelapsing a journey is this
[YOUTUBE]jlUamEvDUj0[/YOUTUBE]


which I did using an ixus at 5 second intervals. To me this is too jumpy and could have done with being smoother, but it got the long journey covered in a watchable amount of time, so it is all swings and roundabouts.

I would say maybe 2 to 3 second intervals with careful editing to cut out any really boring parts

 

[4wd]

In your final video from the trip you could use it in in short bursts.
Soon would get annoying if used repeatedly!
Technically it has worked quite well.

 

[AlanBeard]

It looks nice and smooth, and certainly wouldn't say it is too fast on the motorways (they tend to be insanely dull anyway, so don't think wizzing through that part is a problem).

This is very true, although the sections of the journey I intended timelapsing are the very scenic parts, like the Sea to Sky Highway - http://spikeymom.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/sea_to_sky.jpg. At this point the 'highway' is more like our dual carriageways anyway.

which I did using an ixus at 5 second intervals. To me this is too jumpy and could have done with being smoother, but it got the long journey covered in a watchable amount of time, so it is all swings and roundabouts.

I would say maybe 2 to 3 second intervals with careful editing to cut out any really boring parts

That was more or less my plan, I want to keep it short enough, but not make it too jumpy by leaving the intervals too large.

In your final video from the trip you could use it in in short bursts.
Soon would get annoying if used repeatedly!
Technically it has worked quite well.

Thanks! I was unsure about it to be honest, but having watch a load on Youtube this afternoon I think I've got my interval/fps roughly correct.

 

[Tim Nott]

I think you got the settings about right for this...it's a long video though, have you tried playing it back at a faster rate?

If you get the chance then I would try some night time big city footage. I am not sure what the GoPRo is like for it but this sort of timelapse with longer exposures and city lights is very cool...