Lets do the time lapse again!

June 30, 2011 5:29 PM

Hope me find a point-and-shoot digital camera that fits in your pocket, uses SD cards, can operate not only on battery power but with an and AC or DC adapter and most importantly has an automatic time-lapse feature.

Press the button once and it will keep taking shots indefinitely until I tell it to stop.

I am going on an around-the-country roadtrip (7700 miles) and I want to set it up in my back window to take a shot every mile or so.

I know the technology is out there because I have a 10year old HP digital camera that does this, but it's HUGE and only takes compact flash cards, and is only 1.3mp. yuk.


Thanks in advance!

posted by sandra_s to Media & Arts (5 answers total)

Many Canon Powershots have AC adaptors, and CHDK will make the best intervalometer ever.
posted by scruss at 5:35 PM on June 30, 2011 [1 favorite]

I came to say what scruss said above. Check out this link to see the (huge) list of cameras that will work with CHDK. "Families" of Cameras, (e.g. Axxx) usually share a target market, so find the one that has the right dimensions, etc, and then get the specific supported model that fits your price and resolution needs.

Then, buy a huge, and I mean HUGE, SD card. :)
posted by TheNewWazoo at 5:55 PM on June 30, 2011

iPhone.

Really.
posted by Murray M at 7:02 PM on June 30, 2011

An iPhone may be overkill, but a 64gb iPod touch will do a good job at this for not all that much money, and will also be useful for a great many other things. The camera on the back isn't great in terms of resolution, but it will be enough for 720p HD video assuming that you're going to turn all of the stills into a timelapse video.

Then you just need a timelapse app like Timelapse Pro and a tripod contraption to keep it positioned in the rear window of your car. A mini tripod or a gorillapod should do the trick, and there are a few ipod mounts around too.

If you go with an iPhone, try the Glif iphone 4G mount and a mini tripod. The Glif is wonderful.
posted by pkingdesign at 9:48 PM on June 30, 2011

Not a point-and-shoot still camera per se, but the GoPro HD Hero camera does brilliant time lapse, it can be powered continuously through the USB port with the appropriate power adapter while recording. Here's an example I found on YT.
posted by kaudio at 6:53 AM on July 1, 2011