Why isn't 1 photo/second an option on high-end consumer cameras?

April 22, 2009 8:51 AM

What's the cheapest way to take a long, automated series of photos (time-lapse photography) on my Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50? Difficulty: ultra-cheap!

Sure, I could slave a computer to the task, but that is hardly a cheap solution - nor portable. I think the ability to set up a camera, focused on the dance floor of a wedding, would make a cool stop-motion film. Or just use it to test shoot a bunch of self-portraits, once I get focus & lighting where I want it. Gawds, a zillion fun uses come to mind...

posted by IAmBroom to sports, hobbies, & recreation (3 comments total)

The FZ50 has a 1/8" plug on it, under the door where the USB jack is, for remote trigger of the shutter. All you need is something that can connect to that and snap a picture every n seconds. Apparently this is called an intervalometer, and you can make one pretty cheaply. You can even use a TI-83 graphing calculator to do it. I'm sure if you search around a bit more, you could find plans for a simple circuit that would do the same thing, if you're handy with a soldering iron.
posted by autojack at 9:11 AM on April 22

I've made many intervalometers from almost nothing. Follow Autojack's advice but use this instructable to actually make the circuit.
posted by fake at 9:15 AM on April 22

Looks like you want something like this. The keyword you should be searching for is "intervalometer." This video suggests that you could build one out of a TI-82, and I imagine you could find the instructions to do so somewhere out there.

Alternatively, you could pick up a cheap Canon P&S on ebay and use CHDK instead.
posted by Partial Law at 9:15 AM on April 22