# Time lapse photography with the 7D???



## LaFoto (Feb 26, 2013)

Is it possible to somehow set the 7D so it does time lapse photography for me? Or do I have to sit with it and press the button every 20 seconds or so? Or how often would I need to take a photo in order to get some good time lapse "footage".


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## 412 Burgh (Feb 26, 2013)

I'm not completely sure on the canon side. I know my Nikon D7000 has a program where it does it automatically. If I recall you must get something like this from a camera store Amazon.com: Canon TC80N3 Timer Remote Control for EOS D30, D60, D10, 1D, 1V & 20D SLR Cameras: Camera & Photo I'm sure there are a dozen of them out there for a lot cheaper.

I also did a good 15 or 10 second interval before and it came out great! here is one example that I have done.


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## LaFoto (Feb 26, 2013)

Thank you for the reply ... I found the necessary item and ordered it.


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## weepete (Feb 26, 2013)

Think you can also do it with magic lantern....


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## LaFoto (Feb 26, 2013)

Magic lantern? 

And sorry, Burgh, in Germany I cannot view your video as it contains some music that must no longer be played in my country without paying fees for listening to it (sigh!), so it simply got blocked. As happens with soooooo many videos here these days.


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## weepete (Feb 26, 2013)

Magic lantern appears to be a firmware hack that gives you some extra features. Heard a few references to it but not yet tried it myself.


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## ryanwaff (Feb 26, 2013)

LaFoto said:


> Magic lantern?



Here you go: 




 - How to use it
Magic Lantern Firmware Wiki - An explanation of what it is.
MagicLantern.fm - Download - The download site.

I wish they had something like this for Nikon...


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## TCampbell (Feb 26, 2013)

Magic Lantern is an alternate boot firmware (open-source) and is available for quite a number of Canon bodies.  

The firmware isn't flashed into the camera... it actually boots and runs out of the camera memory card.  It's possible to flag a memory card as "bootable" on a Canon.  The camera has to do this.  You use your computer to copy the Magic Lantern firmware to your memory card.  You put the card into the camera and go into the camera's firmware update menu and behave as if you want to flash the firmware.  What this REALLY does is run's some code which marks the memory card as bootable.  

If the card is in the camera when it's powered on, then it'll run Magic Lantern (from the card).  If a different card is in the camera when it's powered on then it'll run the normal Canon firmware.

VERY IMPORTANT:  Magic Lantern isn't "complete" firmware.  It alters menus and adds quite a bit of functionality.  But for most things that it does, it invokes code that really is inside the camera in Canon's firmware.  This means that the real Canon firmware must be in your camera and must be the EXACT version of Canon firmware that Magic Lantern expects to find.  Magic Lantern (to my knowledge) does not "test" the in-camera firmware to make sure you have the right version.  So read the documentation at the Magic Lantern website CAREFULLY.  

The 7D port of Magic Lantern is currently considered "alpha" code (meaning you should expect bugs).  If your camera hangs you must EJECT THE BATTERY from the camera to fix it.  Do not merely power off the camera.  The power switch does not physically cut power to the camera.  It merely tells the computer that you'd like to power off.  The initiates a power off cycle (e.g. tells the lens to "park" the IS elements, tells the sensor to do a "dust" cleaning cycle, etc.) and then finally puts the camera into a powered off state where it's monitoring the power switch for a command to wake everything back up.  But if the firmware has "hung" the computer, it wont respond to a power-off command.  That's why you have to eject the battery (that does cut power.)

The 7D version of Magic Lantern says that it wants you to have Canon firmware version 2.0.3 installed in the camera.  If you do not have 2.0.3 (and it MUST be that EXACT version... not 2.0.2... not 2.0.4... it must be 2.0.3 (why do I feel like this sounds like Monte Python and the Holy Grail in the scene with the Holy Hand Grenade?) 
And the Lord spake, saying, 'First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin.  Then, shalt thou count to three, no more, no less.  Three shalt be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three.  Four shalt thou not count, nor either count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three.  Five is right out.  Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who, being naughty in my sight, shall snuff it.'​
Anyway, you get the idea.  You're running alpha code.  It has bugs.  It can hang your camera.  The firmware version must be precisely what they want.

The functionality you want is called an "intervalometer".  It can be programmed to repeatedly take photos at any specific interval for any specific number of shots or duration.  Canon has a remote release that has an intervalometer on it.  Magic Lantern has a built-in intervalometer that runs in the firmware.


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## FitzTML (Feb 26, 2013)

I used an intervalomoter remote for mine:
Timer Shutters - Camera Accessories

This was the result:





Most TV's operate around 30FPS and most movies are shot about 24FPS. I've read that a minimum you would want for a time lapse (before it looks too jerky) is about 12FPS.


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## LightMatters (Feb 26, 2013)

412 Burgh said:


> I'm not completely sure on the canon side. I know my Nikon D7000 has a program where it does it automatically. If I recall you must get something like this from a camera store Amazon.com: Canon TC80N3 Timer Remote Control for EOS D30, D60, D10, 1D, 1V & 20D SLR Cameras: Camera & Photo I'm sure there are a dozen of them out there for a lot cheaper.
> 
> I also did a good 15 or 10 second interval before and it came out great! here is one example that I have done.



Such a GREAT idea -- thanks for sharing the fun!


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## LightMatters (Feb 26, 2013)

Love it when the Photo Grail intersects w/the Holy Grail!  Thanks for the informative explanations T-Campbell and ryanwaff.


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## KmH (Feb 26, 2013)

All Nikon DSLRs, except the compact, entry-level DSLR's, have a built-in intervalometer function usable for doing time-lapse.

None of Canon's DSLRs have the same built-in feature.


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## kanuski (Feb 26, 2013)

If you can tether it to a laptop you can use the Canon software that comes in the box to shoot time lapse.


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## Buckster (Feb 26, 2013)

Another time-lapse control option for Canon users who also have an Android phone or tablet is the DSLR Controller app.  You can even do them in HDR and AEB, from my understanding, though I've never attempted it myself (yet).

DSLR Controller :: About


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## o hey tyler (Feb 26, 2013)

KmH said:


> All Nikon DSLRs, except the compact, entry-level DSLR's, have a built-in intervalometer function usable for doing time-lapse.
> 
> None of Canon's DSLRs have the same built-in feature.



I didn't realize we were talking about Nikon cameras. I was totally unaware there was a Nikon 7D.


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## whosnut (Feb 27, 2013)

This might be something that you're looking for: This Bluetooth Smart Trigger Turns Your iPhone Into A Canon DSLR Remote And Intervalometer | TechCrunch. I'm thinking about buying it, so I can't tell you yet how well it works. But it does time lapse and long exposure using an iPhone.


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## LaFoto (Mar 4, 2013)

Thank you all for you help and suggestions: experiment worked just fine!


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## Mully (Mar 4, 2013)

LaFoto said:


> Magic lantern?
> 
> And sorry, Burgh, in Germany I cannot view your video as it contains some music that must no longer be played in my country without paying fees for listening to it (sigh!), so it simply got blocked. As happens with soooooo many videos here these days.



Then it is time to move ...... to the land of the free with milk and honey


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## pgriz (Mar 8, 2013)

I've installed magic Lantern on my T1i, and there are a bunch of features that I like using.  Haven't had any crashes or lockups yet, and it has been on my camera for 6 months or so now.  As Tim has noted, it boots off the memory card, and complements the Canon firmware.  Lots of options, so the camera can be customized in many ways.  I am getting addicted to the additional features it provides.


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## Buckster (Mar 8, 2013)

pgriz said:


> I've installed magic Lantern on my T1i, and there are a bunch of features that I like using.  Haven't had any crashes or lockups yet, and it has been on my camera for 6 months or so now.  As Tim has noted, it boots off the memory card, and complements the Canon firmware.  Lots of options, so the camera can be customized in many ways.  I am getting addicted to the additional features it provides.


Is the Canon camera menu still intact, or does it replace it entirely with a new menu system?


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## pgriz (Mar 8, 2013)

Buckster said:


> pgriz said:
> 
> 
> > I've installed magic Lantern on my T1i, and there are a bunch of features that I like using.  Haven't had any crashes or lockups yet, and it has been on my camera for 6 months or so now.  As Tim has noted, it boots off the memory card, and complements the Canon firmware.  Lots of options, so the camera can be customized in many ways.  I am getting addicted to the additional features it provides.
> ...



Completely intact.  The main menu of Magic Lantern is invoked using the "delete" button (wastebin), and the secondary is attached to the Live-view button.  I can flip between the different functions very easily, and the Canon menus are not affected at all.  The additional functions show up in Live-view where you can toggle between the "native" and "magic Lantern" overlays.


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## Buckster (Mar 8, 2013)

pgriz said:


> Buckster said:
> 
> 
> > pgriz said:
> ...


Cool.  Good to know.  I've been meaning to try it out, and that was one of my concerns with it.  Thanks!


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