The best timelapse cameras allow you to create singular, striking videos that make the passage of hours, days, weeks or even months seem like mere minutes. I confess – I'm a timelapse nut. I've made them with regular cameras, specialised cameras, action cameras, drones and more. Once you start making timelapses, it's easy to get addictd.
Essentially, timelapses condense a series of stills into a video clip. This allows you to show events that would normally take too long to depict, like the unfurling of a flower, the movement of tides or the construction of a building. I've brought together a mix of cameras that can do the job, including action cameras, 360 cameras, a drone, and several cameras specifically designed for timelapse.
I've made sure to include options at a range of price points, and have discussed in detail the kinds of features that make for a good timelapse camera, like long battery life and weatherproofing. Read on to see what I've picked.
Top Picks
An HDR-capable camera gives you good footage into the night and has both a display and tilt-adjustable lens for framing the shot.
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The TX-164's waterproof case reveals a ton of AA batteries, which is why it can safely be left for half a year capturing images or video.
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TheEON boasts remote access which means you can see a live preview on your phone or computer, plus cool time slice photo sequencing feature.
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With a big image sensor, the Osmo Action 5 Pro edges out GoPro — just! The Timelapse and Hyperlapse modes eliminate the need for a dedicated camera for many timelapse jobs.
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Cameras like the Insta360 Z3 with 360-degree imaging capability give you huge scope to experiment with different compositions for your timelapses – as long as you don't mind some extra post-process work.
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With its dedicated Hyperlapse mode, extended flight times and dual 4K camera setup, the mid-range Air 3S is your best bet for creating airborne timelapses.
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With over 20 years of expertise as a tech journalist, Adam brings a wealth of knowledge across a vast number of product categories, including timelapse cameras, home security cameras, NVR cameras, photography books, webcams, 3D printers and 3D scanners, borescopes, radar detectors… and, above all, drones.
The best timelapse cameras
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Best for simplicity
If you're new to timelapse photography, here's our recommendation. The Brinno TLC300 (a refresh of the already good TLC200) offers an accessible starting point for timelapse photography (1080P) while retaining the significant benefit of compatibility with Brinno’s lens system.
You could buy one of these, add a compatible tele lens later, and then use that lens with a more powerful camera (like the Empower TLC2020) when the job demands it. (The optional waterproof housing is probably more essential than a new lens.)
In exchange for the lower entry price, you get a smaller preview screen, just 1.44” (though that is enough to do a relatively infrequent job). You do get HDR, an essential feature if lighting conditions will shift during your shoot, and this model more than doubles the potential shooting time to an impressive 100 days.
This might even be the start of a new creative avenue for the kids. Indeed, with optional triggers for stop-motion amongst the available accessories it could even promote patience. It's also a nice touch that batteries and an SD card are in the box.
Features ★★★★☆ | An entry-level model that offers interchangeable lenses. | Row 0 - Cell 2 |
Design ★★★★☆ | The screen is small, but you can add a waterproof housing. | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
Performance ★★★★☆ | Long-lasting and easy-to-use – but only 1080p. | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
Value ★★★★★ | Excellent value, with battery and SD card included. | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
Best for construction
This piece of German product design has a very specific purpose in mind; long duration timelapse. That's evidenced by the 12 spaces for AA cells: four beneath the electronics, and another eight in the door.
The unit is IP66-weather sealed when closed, so it can be mounted in harsh environments. Just like some German car brands, while the engineering feels firm, the menu system could be easier to navigate, though there is a real manual in the box alongside several mounting options and proportionally you won’t be spending that long with the menu.
We appreciated the inclusion of a tree rope as well as a drillable wall bracket with a ball joint with screws. The 2.4-inch LCD makes directing the camera simple, and there is also an LED flash to light the night mode with an 18m (60ft) range. It’s also very handy that the system allows microSD cards up to 512GB.
Features ★★★★☆ | Comes with loads of accessories and mounts. | Row 0 - Cell 2 |
Design ★★★★★ | Delightfully solid German engineering, with IP66 weather sealing. | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
Performance ★★★★☆ | Long-lasting, though again only 1080p. | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
Value ★★★★☆ | It's inexpensive, but comes with some image quality compromises. | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
Best for social media
If you’ve been caught by the timelapse bug on social but don’t want to tie up your phone, the EON is built with you in mind. You might think the option of a white case verges on the condescending (if so, choose the more traditional black), but in truth, it is features like the Time Slice that stand out. This is a single photo generated from strips of a timelapse to show a day in a single still – very striking.
And that’s not all. The camera is presented more as a set including a UV filter, case, lens hood, and mini tripod. It is app-controlled, so you’ll need your phone to get things going, but the app offers more than mere interval settings. You can tap to zoom on an area as you adjust the manual focus, check a live preview even as a shoot is in progress, or switch to an infrared mode.
You can also switch to power-saving mode. In this case, the battery is measured in days, not minutes, and the 2μm pixels and up to 1.4-sec shutter speed can help in low light.
Features ★★★★☆ | Clever shooting modes and app-based controls. | Row 0 - Cell 2 |
Design ★★★★☆ | Cute to look at – though needs a phone to be used. | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
Performance ★★★★☆ | Great-looking images, and an impressive 'Timeslice' mode. | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
Value ★★★★☆ | Good, especially considering the accessories you get. | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
Best action camera with timelapse
With a straightforward action camera design, the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro is not reinventing any wheels. However, its generously sized (for its class) imaging sensor helps give it an edge in low light over its main rivals, and this combined with DJI's excellent timelapse and hyperlapse modes makes it our pick as the best action camera for timelapse.
It's easy to set up, and produces great-quality footage as well as 40MP stills. The battery life is generous too — DJI has rated it to up to four hours of Full HD recording in lab conditions, and while I naturally didn't manage this in real-world testing for my review, it's still pretty comfortably ahead of the pack.
There's also plenty of storage space, with 47GB effective built-in storage and the option to download via Wi-Fi 6, as well as a slot for a microSD card with up to 1TB capacity. You'd have to be putting together a really ambitious timelapse to bump up against a limit like that.
While the latest GoPro cameras are more flexible and arguably more interesting, with higher video resolutions and swappable lens modules, the dependable DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro is the one we'd put our faith in for the best results.
Read our full DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro review for more details
Features ★★★★★ | Excellent timelapse/hyperlapse modes and options. | Row 0 - Cell 2 |
Design ★★★★☆ | No GoPro-style swappable lenses, but it nails the basics. | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
Performance ★★★★★ | Great quality footage with marathon battery life. | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
Value ★★★★☆ | It's at the pricier end in this category, but worth it. | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
Best 360 timelapse camera
At a tangent from this list – because it's a different technology – is the Insta360 X3 360-degree camera, which is like an action camera (with similar advantages and disadvantages in terms of battery life and flexibility) but boasting back-to-back lenses to see in any direction. It also earns its place here (as you'd imagine) with a timelapse mode.
There isn't space to talk about all the possibilities that shooting with a 360-degree camera offers but essentially there is a trade-off – you don't need to think too hard about where you're pointing the camera at the time, but you'll need to spend some time composing a normal view later. And, of course, despite all the megapixels, that will also involve cropping quite a few.
Setup is simple, via touchscreen; resolution, interval (time between frames) and final frame rate are chosen then the device gets on with assembling the video for you – no space filled with image files. Afterward, you can still get really creative as you have a full sphere to direct the camera around – Insta360 provide a great phone and desktop app for setting up effects. I enjoyed doing this a lot, and it adds an extra dimension to timelapse (plus avoids too much time composing!)
Read our Insta360 X3 review, or about taking the Insta360 X3 on a family vacation, to learn more.
Features ★★★★★ | Having 360-degree footage opens up tons of options. | Row 0 - Cell 2 |
Design ★★★★☆ | Simple but effective, with waterproofing. | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
Performance ★★★★☆ | Brilliant 360 quality – requires some work for best results. | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
Value ★★★★☆ | You get a lot for your money, but it's quite a situational camera. | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
Best drone for timelapse
The improved stability and flight times of contemporary consumer camera drones makes them a much more viable option than they used to be for creating spectacular timelapse videos from the skies. DJI, aware of this, has given many of its drones the ability to capture Hyperlapse footage, and I can personally recommend the Air 3S as an absolutely brilliant choice for this. With a larger sensor than the previous Air 3, it produces dynamic and great-looking footage, and also offers generous 45-minute flight times.
It's priced around the mid-range, neither the cheapest drone DJI produces, nor the most expensive. I think it offers brilliant value, to the point where it's arguably eating the lunch of the more expensive Mavic 3 Pro. Its main wide sensor is a 50MP 1-inch type that delivers excellent quality in low light – however, personally I find the 48MP tele lens to be more cinematically exciting.
The Air 3S's 45-minute flight times give you latitude to capture hyperlapses that are longer than just a few seconds. And as long as you've got plenty of storage space, you can take advantage of the Air 3S's ability to produce big RAW files and really fine-tune your creations – though I found that the JPEGs also looked great, even in tricky backlit conditions.
Though it undoubtedly takes a bit of practice, you can use the Air 3S to capture the kinds of timelapse videos that simply aren't possible with anything else. Bear in mind though that as it weighs more than 250g (considerably more), it's subject to different drone regulations, and depending on where you are you may need a license or registration to fly it. Check your local regulations for details.
Read more: DJI Air 3S review
Features ★★★★★ | Tons of options for creating singular time-lapses. | Row 0 - Cell 2 |
Design ★★★★☆ | Well-made, though weight is subject to drone regs. | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
Performance ★★★★★ | Superb images, brilliant flight – what more do you need? | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
Value ★★★☆☆ | The most expensive on this list, by a margin. | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
FAQs
How long does it take to film timelapse?
If you're shooting to the traditional film format of 24 frames a second then a 90-minute movie would take 129,600 photos. If you're making a film with animated toys, it could take a long time to move them each time.
If you're just recording events at a different speed, then it'll take a multiple of the frames – so let's say 10 seconds between frames? The 90 minutes would take 15 days to capture.
What if my camera doesn't have timelapse?
You can get a device called an intervalometer to trigger the shutter automatically at repetitive intervals.
Can drones capture timelapse?
If you’re interested in capturing a timelapse effect from an aerial perspective, that’s not a problem. Most of the best camera drones have some additional support for the effect. Clearly, a battery-powered craft will not be able to maintain a position above ground longer than the drone can fly, but newer drones – like the DJI Mavic 3 – have around 40 minutes of useable flight time, making a visibly accelerated real-world feasible.
In addition, since Mavic 2, DJI’s drones have been able to use what is called their Hyperlapse feature to orbit a certain point – or even a series of waypoints – and smoothly move the aircraft slowly enough for the timelapse effect to work, while keeping the lens on target.
We've picked the Air 3 in the list above as our best drone for timelapse, as its longer flight times of up to 46 minutes make the effect much mroe practical
Hyperlapse is not unique to DJI either; it’s now seen on Autel aircraft, including the recent Autel EVO Nano+.
How to choose the best timelapse camera
Most of the best professional cameras and even some camera phones have some sort of timelapse function, letting you set an interval timer to capture a series of photos, which you can combine into a video later. If you're using an iPhone for photography you'll have noticed that they have a particularly useful timelapse function in the native camera app, so it’s easy to get a taste for this form of creativity.
However, there's one big problem with using your camera or phone in this way. Timelapse videos are captured over hours, days, weeks or even months – and having your day-to-day tech tied up for that length of time just isn't practical.
So, the best timelapse cameras have to be robust and stable to be able to be left wherever you desire to capture a vast array of visuals, from cityscape timelapses that we often see in movies to great moving vistas of the landscape.
Naturally, the actual images they capture also need to be of a good level of quality. for sharing. It’s also useful if the device can process the stills straight into a video clip for you rather than requiring a potentially irritating excursion through software. If on the other hand you prefer to edit your timelapse shots to taste then the ability to shoot in RAW will be handy — as long as you have editing software that's capable of batch-processing.
Battery life with these things is also a big consideration when picking out which one is best for you. Some will be able to capture hours of footage, whereas others can capture days, weeks, or even months in one clip. Alternatively, you may want to consider a camera with hot-charging functionality — i.e. the ability the charge while recording. This will allow you to top it up as needed, meaning the length of your timelapse will only be limited by your storage media.
Weatherproofing is also going to be a factor, especially if you're planning on creating a timelapse over a timeframe that can be measured in weeks or months. A good timelapse camera should be able to withstand a little rain, snow and sleet without issue.
How we test cameras
When we test cameras, including drones and action cameras, we take them into real-world environments to see how they perform in live shooting scenarios. We test all cameras for their photo and video functionality, and if they have a timelapse mode we will take that for a spin too to see what kind of results we get.
For putting a camera through a full review, our Imaging Labs manager Ben Andrews will test them under carefully controlled conditions. These lab tests will give us an exact picture of what the sensor can do, measuring resolution using ISO resolution charts, and analyzing dynamic range and noise with DxO Analyzer test equipment.
