We are looking at recording some of our construction projects for marketing purposes and this was discussed as a good option, so I have been tasked (as the head of all things technical) with researching something suitable.

I was wondering if people here have had experience of any.

I have found this one:

http://www.ukinspectioncamera.co.uk/acatalog/Project_Time-lapse_Camera.html?utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=feedmanager&gclid=CJLMzLHkkbwCFcNl2wodv2cAug

In terms of budget: When it was mentioned, off the top of my head I asked if £200 would be OK, and it seemed to be acceptable by the powers that be.

My dad put an old android phone (ebay for £20) with a giffgaff data sim (£5 per month) in a waterproof box, up a mast, and used a timelapse app to upload a picture every hour to dropbox.

would that meet your needs?

How about a GoPro?

Well, thanks a lot.

That’s yet another thing that my stupid brain tells me I can’t live without!

Edit: At Alfabus

Not really. We don’t have a mast nearby. It would have to be tripod mounted. There is a room on site that overlooks the works and we would be looking at setting it up in there.

Do GoPro cameras do timelapse?

yes.

I never knew.

However, £200 is at the upper limit of the budget, so if there are cheaper alternatives, then it would be worth exploring those first.

The cheap Hitachi cam from Argos does timelapse – no idea of the still-image quality though.

If you have an old PC knocking around, simply attach a webcam and use a free app that does timelapse.

Most cheap Canon digi cameras can do timelapse with CHDK firmware.

Done with a hero 2

Oh and don’t try to add too many pictures at a time to whatever editor you use, unless you have a very powerful computer. I found the best way was to make a number of clips and then join later.

Can GoPro cameras be run off a power supply?

mikey74 – Member
Can GoPro cameras be run off a power supply?

POSTED 1 MINUTE AGO # REPORT-POST

Yes. You need to put the camera into the frame case so you can connect the charger up but still utilise the tripod mount or whichever one you’re using.

If your using a gopro you will have to keep the usb attached to a computer to power it, the battery will only last a couple of hours.

This was my first effort
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOn3t_s-85s?[/video]

Raspberry pi with a Pi camera module. Total spend less than £50 – add another £7.00 and you can get a usb wifi dongle so it can be accessed over the network or upload images to cloud storage or web site.

Simple timelapse camera using Raspberry Pi and a coffee tin. Made this using these instructions. Total cost under 50 quid.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Simple-timelapse-camera-using-Raspberry-Pi-and-a-c/

Raspberry pi with a Pi camera module. Total spend less than £50 – add another £7.00 and you can get a usb wifi dongle so it can be accessed over the network or upload images to cloud storage or web site.

Judging by the lack of technical knowledge in the rest of the office, I will stay away from that option. Something simple to use, self-contained and mains powered is the criteria.

Isn’t the GoPro somwhat limited in TimeLapse options. Thought the maximum interval was 60 seconds, which, I’d imagine, is far too short for the OPs requirement.

The bit of kit that mikey74 posted looks good for the enviroment he’s going to be in too – self contained & waterproof

Judging by the lack of technical knowledge in the rest of the office, I will stay away from that option.

People seem to think that because it’s linux it’s difficult to set up, but it should be remembered that the original idea was to get kids involved … so here’s a three year old to show you how to get going
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMBOLQF-H2Y[/video]

and here’s a few ideas for a time-lapse setup.
Time-Lapse Solutions

It’s not just the ease of use, it needs to be pretty robust, and maybe weatherproof, as it will be left on building sites to record the progress.

Edit: At Alfabus

Not really. We don’t have a mast nearby. It would have to be tripod mounted. There is a room on site that overlooks the works and we would be looking at setting it up in there.

When I said ‘mast’, I just meant he stuck it on a pole… not anything special.

You could just as easily plug the phone into the wall, tape it to the window and let it do its thing.

Dave

yorkshire89 – How many frames per hour where you taking on your timelaspe video?

I have a go-pro an have been meaning to do this for ages.

jon1973 – I just set it to take a photo every 30 seconds, there were about 250 photo’s altogether.

I think it would have been fine on 1 photo per minute though, at the speed in the video.

I used a free download program called ‘timelapse animator’ which gives you a few options so you can change the frames per second and level of detail.

That was just my first attempt, best just to have a play with it and see how it turns out. I’m going to stick my gopro to the top of an egg timer and try make a panning timelapse next time round 🙂

As part of our corporate membership to our chartered body I get sent loads of e-mails advertising various services. No idea who these people are or how much they cost but I often get sent links to these people http://www.timelapsemovie.co.uk/index.html

High fives sharkbait

checks remainder of thread

high fives sharkbait again 😀

As foot cheese says, that kit probably isn’t suitable for the environment it is likely to be used. Plus, as the company will be paying for it, they will want something of an asset for their money.

An iPhone 4/4S in an Otterbox, or Lifeproof box, with an app called Photolapse would do the trick, if you could pick one up cheap.
There are various mounts that could be used to tripod mount it, or attach it to a rigid support.

Gopro timelapse video of me and a student making an outdoor bench for Coombe Park in Coventry.

[video]http://vimeo.com/69080549[/video]

We have got a couple of these. Use them as wild life camera as well as time lapse

http://www.trail-camera.co.uk/Ltl-Acorn.htm

Good value and you can padlock them.

We had this great time lapse video done by a friend who’s a film maker
(Yes that is a 2 metre long sausage roll)

He used a go pro controlled through his iPhone. All seemed pretty simple!

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyeMhEC549Y&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/video]

just get any android phone and install “Lapse it PRO” app on it. It’s amazing.

My project last year. Shot on htc sensation xe with the lapse it pro app. 🙂

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Krni6wA3mFE[/video]

I was looking at the same thing recently for a similar purpose. I think I’ll get one of these.
Abus camera

Yes, it costs more than a phone in a biscuit tin, but I want something self contained, robust and reliable.

Wit hthe PIR, it will also double as a security device to leave in the shed when not in use elsewhere

Oooo that looks just the ticket.

The Abus thing looks good, your options are less limited as whatever you use will be on a tripod rather than bouncing down a hillside so quality will be better. You can buy one of those usb battery packs to power a gopro although that may mean modding the gopro case somewhat. You might consider hiring one instead? Also the resale value of the gopro should be good if you buy one.

Another example…
http://vimeo.com/64010303

and http://vimeo.com/78284425

It’s not just the ease of use, it needs to be pretty robust, and maybe weatherproof, as it will be left on building sites to record the progress.

Will also need to be mighty heavy then so it isn’t readily lifted by chancers looking to pinch something…

I think I’ve settled on a compact camera, connected to a laptop (we have a spare one in the office) that is loaded with GBTimelapse software. I’m looking at a SH Canon G10, which you can get a mains adapter for.

It’s going to be indoors, looking down from a window opposite the site so the weather ingress isn’t a problem. Plus, the camera can be used as a general site photo camera when not being used for the timelapse.

As the site will be quiet during the weekends, the software will allow me to programme it to only operate at certain times and on certain days.