The 10 Best Time Lapse Cameras
This wiki has been updated 21 times since it was first published in January of 2019. If you're looking to embark on some interval shooting to create a movie that spans a number of minutes, hours, or even days, you're going to want to get one of the time-lapse cameras on our list. All of the options we've selected have high-quality built-in intervalometers, and some can also work with external devices if you need even more control over your settings and results. When users buy our independently chosen editorial selections, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Nikon Z 7II
2. GoPro Hero9 Black
3. Sony a7S III
Editor's Notes
November 05, 2020:
The vast majority of updates to this ranking have come in the form of model upgrades from the big camera companies, the most significant of which is likely coming in the Nikon Z 7II. That model has added a second imaging sensor, improved the refresh rate and blackout of its electronic viewfinder, and increased its 12-bit lossless buffer from 23 to 77 frames — and that's just to name a few upgrades.
Another new model in the mirrorless sector comes in the Canon EOS R5. It can be a bit of a controversial choice as it's the first such consumer product from one of the major brands to offer 8K video, but has a tendency to overheat in that mode faster than most shooters would like. For interval work, though, it's a great choice — as long as you don't have back-button focus set. For some reason in the firmware, the intervalometer will not work properly with this setting in place.
Two models we retired were the Panasonic Lumix LX100 and the Canon 5D Mark IV, as that Canon has largely been superseded by the company's mirrorless offerings, and as the Panasonic Lumix S1R is too powerful to pass up, with a full-frame sensor and an L-mount capable of accepting Leica lenses, which are considered by many to be the finest glass on the market.
January 30, 2019:
A lot of the best consumer cameras on the market these days come with built-in intervalometers, so looking to recent offerings produced by the top manufacturers yielded excellent results. Some companies, like GoPro and Brinno, have smaller options that, in the case of the latter, are specifically built around this kind of shooting, as well.
Special Honors
Alpine Laboratories Pulse Whether your camera lacks any interval options or you want to have a little more control over its parameters — especially from a distance — this model can be a life saver. It can connect via USB or over a combination of Bluetooth and Bluetooth Low Energy systems, and with it you can set time lapses, wirelessly trigger the shutter, review histogram information, and more. alpinelaboratories.com
4. Panasonic Lumix S1R
5. Canon EOS R5
6. Nikon D850
7. Fujifilm X-T4
8. Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III
9. Canon EOS 90D
10. Brinno Empower TLC2000
Daniel Imperiale holds a bachelor’s degree in writing, and proudly fled his graduate program in poetry to pursue a quiet life at a remote Alaskan fishery. After returning to the contiguous states, he took up a position as an editor and photographer of the prestigious geek culture magazine “Unwinnable” before turning his attention to the field of health and wellness. In recent years, he has worked extensively in film and music production, making him something of a know-it-all when it comes to camera equipment, musical instruments, recording devices, and other audio-visual hardware. Daniel’s recent obsessions include horology (making him a pro when it comes to all things timekeeping) and Uranium mining and enrichment (which hasn’t proven useful just yet).