Canon T1i Timelapse help

So once you get your DSLR, shooting timelapse is an essential skill you've got to master. One reason is because the frame size is twice to four times the size of regular HD.

1) first thing you need to get is an intervalometer. This is the remote timer that takes the pictures. Canon should just incorporate it into the design of the cameras but they don't so we have to buy lots of extras. Here's a link to check out - http://http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=t1i+timelapse#q=t1i+intervalometer&hl=en&prmd=ivns&source=univ&tbm=shop&tbo=u&sa=X&ei=vmWaTcCQDYyosAPi-O3-Aw&ved=0CCsQrQQ&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=22215d45eec09849

2) Make sure when you start shooting that you shoot fully manual. If you don't, small changes in light occur between each picture and when the camera is on any sort of automatic controls, it will attempt to adjust for it. This results in a nasty flicker in your timelapses when you export them to video. Just look at the light and try to guess how you think the light will change from the beginning to the end of your timelapse. Say you were shooting a sunset, I would begin the shot overexposed because by the time you hit the golden hour then you'll be losing light and you're exposure should be at neutral.

2.5) if you're interested check out something called a bramper. Not only is it an intervalometer, but you can program aperture, iso, and shutter speed changes into the timelapse without having flicker.

another link for the bramper - http://http://www.photosbykev.com/wordpress/2010/07/11/the-birth-of-a-little-bramper/

3) Lastly you need to turn your string of photos into video. If I were you I would shoot JPEG instead of RAW photos because it saves you another conversion step. If you shoot RAW, convert them to JPEGS. Then open up quicktime player, go to file, open image sequence, and select the first photo. It automatically knows to use the string of photos and turns them into a quicktime movie. From there you must export and you have two options to choose from and I would recommend both. export a small compressed version for editing and also export a full res file. I do this because no computer can run a full 5k timelapse so you'll be spending lots and lots of time watching the render bar. Instead use the small compressed files for editing and substitute the full uncompressed ones when you're ready to export.

There's tons of sites out there for this stuff. Check out http://timescapes.org. they have really good forums. let me know if you have any questions and hopefully that helps. have fun shooting!

just google "t1i intervalometer". You'll see it and its very nice that its under 50 bucks.

also check out the bramper, its a really useful tool if you really want to get into shooting some brilliant timelapses, but all you really need is the intervalometer.

if you don't want to buy that, then you can still shot it manually by pressing the shutter with your finger. You'll produce a slight shake in the timelapse but a lot of the time I'll use a motion stabilization program in either Motion from final cut pro or After effects and it'll smooth her out.......BUT.....if you want good looking timelapses you need to get an intervalometer, shoot fully manual camera settings, shoot on a rock solid tripod, and when you start it just get away from the camera to prevent any movement.