Plan a timelapse: how many frames, which interval
A 30-second sunset clip at 30 fps takes 900 frames. To squeeze two hours into it, the camera must fire every 8 seconds.
Tools used in this guide
The job
Timelapse planning is three linked numbers: clip length × frame rate = frames; event length ÷ frames = interval. Get the interval wrong and you either run out of event or drown in unused frames.
Frames first, then interval
Enter the clip you want and the playback frame rate to get the frame count — 30 s at 30 fps needs 900 frames. Then enter how long the real event runs; the tool divides it into per-frame intervals.
Worked example
A two-hour sunset into a 30 s / 30 fps clip: 900 frames across 7,200 s means one frame every 8 s. The same 900 frames at 24 fps gives a 37.5 s clip; at a 5 s interval the covered event shrinks to 4,500 s (75 minutes).
Scope
Clips 1–3600 s at 12–120 fps; events 60 s–48 h; interval 0.1–3600 s; plans capped at 200,000 frames. The interval assumes zero dead time — if the camera writes slowly or the interval is under ~2 s, leave headroom for file writing and battery.