Whether you’re a professional photographer or just take casual snapshots, there will be a time when an intervalometer can come in handy. In this article, we will discuss what intervalometer does, as well as the scenarios where it might make sense to use one.
What is an Intervalometer?
An intervalometer is an external device that you can plug into your camera to control four different settings:
- How long the shutter will be open
- The time between each photo
- How many photos will be taken
- The time before the first photo will be taken
A lot of photographers might be wondering why this would be useful to them. First off, an intervalometer allows you to take any number of images, back to back, without pressing the shutter each time. Also, if you wish to expose a photo for more than 30 seconds, most cameras will require you to have an intervalometer to specify the shutter speed. Most of your exposures will not exceed 30 seconds. Although, having longer exposures can create some really creative effects for both nature and cityscape photographers.
For more insight into long exposure photography, check out: Long Exposure Photography Tricks You Need to Know.
Intervalometers are made specifically for each different brand of camera. Before purchasing an intervalometer, be sure that the one you are buying will work for the brand of your camera.
What is Interval Shooting?
Interval shooting is when you take multiple photos with the same amount of time between them. For example, you can set up your intervalometer for interval shooting and have it take 20 photos, each 10 seconds apart. Interval shooting is mostly useful for things like time lapse. Although, it can also be beneficial for any scene where you’d like to capture multiple photos.
For more insight into time lapse photography, check out: How to Shoot Time Lapse
The interval can usually be set as fast as one second, or as slow as 99 hours, between photos. This allows for the possibilities to be practically endless for different time lapse or hyper lapse opportunities.
When to Use an Intervalometer
Using an intervalometer really has three specific uses that you can’t get elsewhere. First off, using an intervalometer is essential if you wish to shoot a time lapse. In a time lapse, it’s crucial that the photos are taken at the same interval, or time between photos.
When set up correctly, an intervalometer will make sure the shutter fires at the perfect time to keep the interval the same between photos. Also, you can pre-select the amount of photos you want to take. This means you don’t have to wonder how many photos your time lapse has taken, or worry about stopping the time lapse too soon.
You’ll also want to use an intervalometer for photos where your shutter speed will exceed 30 seconds. As mentioned before, most cameras will not allow you to shoot longer than 30 seconds shutter, so you need to use bulb mode. In bulb mode, the camera will stay open as long as you hold the shutter release down, or have an intervalometer plugged in and running. For example, you could set the intervalometer to three minutes, and the shutter will stay open for exactly three minutes.
Lastly, the other time when you’ll find an intervalometer useful is when you want the shutter speed to be automated. Using an intervalometer is a great way to take photos where you don’t have to monitor the camera yourself. This is because the intervalometer will continue to take photos without you having to press the shutter. This can be beneficial in a variety of scenarios where you may want to be in the photo, or doing something else while the camera is taking photos.
How to Use an Intervalometer
When you first get an intervalometer, it may seem complicated to use. However, there are only four settings you need to dial in. First, plug the intervalometer into your camera, and then dial in the settings.
Self
The first option you see on most intervalometers is “Self.” Self is a way of setting the self timer on the intervalometer. This is useful for situations where you want to wait before the first shot is fired. However, this is only the timer before the first photo. It will not affect anything after the first shot is fired. Generally, you can set this option to zero seconds, unless you know you want a timer before your first image.
Long
Next, you’ll see “Long.” This allows you to set the shutter speed. This setting is only really useful if you will be shooting shutter speeds longer than 30 seconds. Just set the shutter speed on the camera, rather than on the remote, if you aren’t taking an exposure longer than 30 seconds, If you set this to zero, the intervalometer will look to the camera to see how long the shutter speed will be. If you use this setting for a long exposure, be sure to set the camera to bulb mode on the shutter speed.
Interval
The next setting is “Interval.” This allows you to change the amount of time between photos. This is useful for time lapse photography. For example, setting an interval of three seconds means that the intervalometer will trigger a shutter release every three seconds. One thing to keep in mind is that the interval is the amount of time between the start of one shot to the start of the next. If your shutter speed is three seconds, your interval must be more than three seconds or else it will not work properly. With a three second shutter speed and a five-second interval, there will be two seconds between the end of one photo and the start of the next.
Number
The last setting is “Number.” Number will let you change the total number of shots. Most intervalometers will let you take as little as a single photo, or as many as infinity, meaning that the camera will keep shooting until you stop it.
What Cameras Have a Built-In Intervalometer?
Some cameras even have a built-in intervalometer so that you don’t have to purchase and carry around a remote with you. Let’s take a look at a few examples of this.
Sony a7R IV
Sony’s full frame a7R IV comes with a built-in intervalometer that allows you to shoot up to 9,999 frames with intervals between one second and 99 minutes. Within this intervalometer, you can also set the AE Tracking Sensitivity. This will allow the camera to change the shutter speed in changing light conditions to match exposures with the previous photos.
Nikon D850
Nikon’s D850 has made it easier than ever to capture time lapse video with its intervalometer features. There are two main ways to capture time lapse on the D850. First, you can use Time Lapse Movie Mode, where the camera will automatically combine all of the photos to create a video. Second, you can gain more control over the images by using interval shooting, where you can adjust things like interval, number of shots, and shutter speed.
Canon 5D Mark IV
Canon’s 5D Mark IV has a built-in interval shooting feature where you can change the shooting interval and the number of shots. You can even take a test shot before you start to make sure that your exposure is just right.
Recommended Intervalometers
Shopping for an intervalometer can be a huge pain. A quick Google search will reveal literally hundreds of different intervalometers. We’ve added links to a few of our favorites here.
Flashpoint Wireless Intervalometer
The Flashpoint Wireless Intervalometer is designed to allow you to wirelessly trigger the shutter on your camera. The top of the intervalometer gets plugged into the side of the camera. It is then mounted on the hot shoe mount, so you can use a wireless remote to set up the intervalometer to the desired settings. This is the perfect choice for someone who wants to be able to wireless trigger the shutter. When purchasing this intervalometer, be sure to choose the right option for your specific camera. Each camera has its own ports and, therefore, require different intervalometers.
DLC Studio 5-in-1 Intervalometer
Specially made for Canon, this intervalometer is very similar to the Flashpoint mentioned above, but it is not wireless. If you don’t mind having a wire connecting the remote to the camera, this intervalometer will do everything you need. You can even use this intervalometer as a remote shutter release if you just want to fire off a single exposure.
GraLab Model 451 99 Minute Electronic Intervalometer
For factory, lab, or studio use where precision is key, the GraLab Model 451 is a great choice of intervalometer. This electronic device allows you to set the interval down to the tenth of a second and guarantees extreme precision. It also comes with a durable plastic case and a few mounting keyholes in the back.
As mentioned, many newer cameras have built-in intervalometers, and older cameras have the option to purchase an external remote. Consult your camera’s manual to see if your camera has interval shooting capabilities, and then practice adjusting each setting to get a feel for how to use interval shooting.
