System and method for improved time-lapse photography
First Claim
1. A method for generating a sequence of time-lapse photographs, the method comprising the steps of:
- a. entering a time-of-day value into a software program installed on an electronic device;
b. entering latitude and longitude coordinates into the software program;
c. entering a camera sensitivity minimum value, a camera sensitivity maximum value and a camera sensitivity shift time;
d. entering a minimum shutter speed value and a maximum shutter speed value;
e. installing on a camera lens at least one neutral density filter having a stop value;
f. entering a desired image luminance value into the electronic device;
g. entering a camera aperture value, a camera sensitivity value and a camera shutter speed value to establish an initial image luminance near the desired image luminance value;
h. executing the software program to control a camera to capture a plurality of images having a time-lapse interval between said images;
i. gradually increasing the camera shutter speed value to maintain said desired image luminance;
j. incrementally increasing the camera sensitivity value when the camera shutter speed value increases beyond the camera sensitivity shift time;
k. causing a corresponding reciprocal change in the camera shutter speed value whenever the camera sensitivity value changes incrementally;
l. removing the at least one neutral density filter each time the camera shutter speed value increases sufficiently to allow the software program to reduce the camera shutter speed value reciprocally and maintain a value greater than a minimum bulb time of the camera;
m. automatically and gradually increasing the camera shutter speed value by the software program to maintain the desired image luminance when the camera sensitivity value has not attained a maximum value;
n. incrementally increasing the camera sensitivity value whenever the camera shutter speed value increases beyond the camera sensitivity shift time and making a corresponding reciprocal change by the software program in the camera shutter speed value whenever the camera sensitivity value is incrementally changed;
o. repeating steps from (m) through (n) a plurality of times; and
p. automatically and gradually increasing the camera shutter speed value by the software program up to a maximum value specified by the camera operator.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for generating a series of time-lapse photographs exhibiting minimal flicker is presented. The preferred method is adaptable to capture a series of time-lapse photographs of a sunset from full daylight to darkest night or vice versa while minimizing flicker between the images. The method utilizes a software program designed to achieve an even transition of the time-lapse and to minimize flickering of an image sequence. The software program features a flicker minimizing function designed to control several factors affecting the time-lapse technology. The present method utilizes data regarding a time-of-day a time zone at a geographic location. Latitude and longitude coordinates are utilized to automatically adjust the rate of change of exposure in a period of twilight. The software program is executed with a time-lapse interval between a plurality of images.
18 Citations
24 Claims
-
1. A method for generating a sequence of time-lapse photographs, the method comprising the steps of:
-
a. entering a time-of-day value into a software program installed on an electronic device; b. entering latitude and longitude coordinates into the software program; c. entering a camera sensitivity minimum value, a camera sensitivity maximum value and a camera sensitivity shift time; d. entering a minimum shutter speed value and a maximum shutter speed value; e. installing on a camera lens at least one neutral density filter having a stop value; f. entering a desired image luminance value into the electronic device; g. entering a camera aperture value, a camera sensitivity value and a camera shutter speed value to establish an initial image luminance near the desired image luminance value; h. executing the software program to control a camera to capture a plurality of images having a time-lapse interval between said images; i. gradually increasing the camera shutter speed value to maintain said desired image luminance; j. incrementally increasing the camera sensitivity value when the camera shutter speed value increases beyond the camera sensitivity shift time; k. causing a corresponding reciprocal change in the camera shutter speed value whenever the camera sensitivity value changes incrementally; l. removing the at least one neutral density filter each time the camera shutter speed value increases sufficiently to allow the software program to reduce the camera shutter speed value reciprocally and maintain a value greater than a minimum bulb time of the camera; m. automatically and gradually increasing the camera shutter speed value by the software program to maintain the desired image luminance when the camera sensitivity value has not attained a maximum value; n. incrementally increasing the camera sensitivity value whenever the camera shutter speed value increases beyond the camera sensitivity shift time and making a corresponding reciprocal change by the software program in the camera shutter speed value whenever the camera sensitivity value is incrementally changed; o. repeating steps from (m) through (n) a plurality of times; and p. automatically and gradually increasing the camera shutter speed value by the software program up to a maximum value specified by the camera operator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A method for generating a sequence of time-lapse photographs, the method comprising the steps of:
-
a. entering a time-of-day value into a software program installed on an electronic device; b. entering latitude and longitude coordinates into the software program; c. entering a camera sensitivity minimum value, a camera sensitivity maximum value and a camera sensitivity shift time; d. entering a minimum shutter speed value and a maximum shutter speed value, the minimum shutter speed value being longer than a minimum bulb time of a camera and the maximum shutter speed value being short enough to allow for a practical time-lapse interval; e. installing on a camera lens at least one neutral density filter; f. entering a desired image luminance value, the desired image luminance value being a measure of the apparent brightness of the image; g. entering a camera aperture value, a camera sensitivity value and a camera shutter speed value to establish an initial image luminance value near the desired image luminance value; h. executing the software program to control the camera to capture a plurality of images having a time-lapse interval between said images; i. gradually increasing the camera shutter speed value to maintain the desired image luminance value during a sunset; j. incrementally increasing the camera sensitivity value when the camera shutter speed value increases beyond the camera sensitivity shift time; k. causing a corresponding reciprocal change in the camera shutter speed value whenever the camera sensitivity value changes; l. removing at least one neutral density filter each time the camera shutter speed value increases sufficiently to allow the software program to reduce the camera shutter speed value reciprocally and maintain a value greater than the minimum bulb time of the camera; m. automatically and gradually increasing the camera shutter speed value when the camera sensitivity value has not attained a maximum value; n. incrementally increasing the camera sensitivity value whenever the camera shutter speed value increases beyond the camera sensitivity shift time and making a corresponding reciprocal change in the camera shutter speed value whenever the camera sensitivity value is incrementally changed; o. repeating steps (m) through (n) a plurality of times; and p. automatically and gradually increasing the camera shutter speed value up to a maximum value specified by the camera operator. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A method for generating a series of time-lapse photographs utilizing a software program adaptable to minimize flickering of an image sequence, the method comprising the steps of:
-
a. entering a time-of-day value into a software program installed on an electronic device; b. entering a total exposure value (TEV) script, said TEV script in the form of a curve, a table or a mathematical function, wherein the TEV script denotes a combined exposure value derived from an aperture value, a shutter speed value, a sensitivity value, and a neutral density filter value, and wherein the TEV script specifies how a camera total exposure value (CTEV) changes as a function of time; c. entering a camera sensitivity minimum value, a camera sensitivity maximum value and a camera sensitivity shift time; d. entering a minimum shutter speed value and a maximum shutter speed value, the minimum shutter speed value being longer than a minimum bulb time of a camera and the maximum shutter speed value being short enough to allow for a practical time-lapse interval; e. installing at least one neutral density filter on a camera lens; f. entering an initial camera aperture value, an initial camera sensitivity value and an initial camera shutter speed value; g. executing the software program to control the camera to capture a plurality of images having a time-lapse interval between said images; h. gradually increasing the camera shutter speed value to maintain the CTEV as specified by the TEV script; i. incrementally increasing the camera sensitivity value when the camera shutter speed value increases beyond the camera sensitivity shift time; j. causing a corresponding reciprocal change in the camera shutter speed value whenever the camera sensitivity value changes incrementally; k. removing the at least one neutral density filter each time the camera shutter speed value increases sufficiently to allow the software program to reduce either the camera shutter speed value or camera sensitivity value reciprocally while maintaining a shutter speed value greater than the minimum bulb time of the camera; l. automatically and gradually increasing the camera shutter speed value to maintain the camera CTEV as specified by the TEV script when the camera sensitivity has not attained a maximum value; m. incrementally increasing the camera sensitivity value whenever the camera shutter speed value increases beyond the camera sensitivity shift time and making a corresponding reciprocal change to the camera shutter speed value whenever the camera sensitivity value is incrementally changed; and n. repeating steps (l) through (m) a plurality of times; and o. automatically and gradually increasing the shutter speed to maintain the CTEV value as specified by the TEV script up to a maximum value specified by the camera operator. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
-
Specification