Timelapse Creationc

June 2, 2010 11:19 AM

I need to be ready to start shooting a timelapse video tomorrow morning. It'll last approx 5 days. I have problems making my camera talk to my laptop.

Objective:
Create a 5 day timelapse video.

Equiptment:
iBook G4 + Sony HDR FX1000E + Gawker

Problem:
Gawker doesnt see the HDR FX1000 when it's connected. Am I missing something or is it simply not compatible with Mac/Gawker?

I had Gawker working once with an old DV Camcorder, but I really want to shoot this in HD.

posted by lemonfridge to Computers & Internet (5 answers total)

How committed to Gawker are you? I ask because an alternative you could consider is Boinx iStopMotion, the demo is good for 5 days, and it does time lapse nicely. I haven't used it specifically with an HD camera, but its support seems pretty universal, so I can't see a reason it wouldn't work.

At the very least, it might give you an option.
posted by quin at 12:38 PM on June 2, 2010

I think the issue lies with the camera/computer, not Gawker. I know Apple previously used a specialized library for importing HDV video with Final Cut Pro that was not available to other applications.
posted by tip120 at 12:43 PM on June 2, 2010

Response by poster: I'm inclined to agree with tip120 - There isn't a glimmer of recognition from the iBook that the camera has been connected.

:(

Gawker = Free
Boinx iStopMotion = Not Free
posted by lemonfridge at 1:02 PM on June 2, 2010

For my timelapse video needs I used a point-and-shoot digital still camera and a free open-source program called gphoto2. As it was a still camera, I had no problem getting a high resolution.

I used it on Linux, but the website implies it has Mac OS X support.
posted by Mike1024 at 3:18 PM on June 2, 2010

An alternative that I have used in the past, in a similar vein to Mike1024, is with a Canon point and shoot with the CHDK firmware. The limiting factor for me was battery life, but over the course of 5 days you would probably have to figure out a storage solution as well.
posted by tip120 at 3:31 PM on June 2, 2010