- Control a Camera from the iPad
- Make a Stop-Motion or Time-Lapse Video
- Mount the iPad
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Make a Stop-Motion or Time-Lapse Video
Since a studio offers a controlled workspace, you don’t have to deal with the whims of natural light or environment. Several apps feature an intervalometer for firing off shots at specific intervals, which can then be combined into a time-lapse video later. But here I want to focus on a clever app that makes the process of creating time-lapse or stop-motion videos easy on the iPad. iStopMotion for iPad by Boinx Software ($9.99) can use the iPad’s built-in camera or an iPhone (or iPod touch) with the help of the iStop-Motion Remote Camera app.
Create a Stop-Motion Video in iStopMotion
Although you could use the iPad or an iPhone to snap a bunch of photos and then stitch them together to make a stop-motion video, iStopMotion makes the process painless.
- In iStopMotion, tap the New (+) button to create a new project.
Tap the Cameras button at the top right area of the toolbar and choose the front or back camera.
If you’re using another iOS device as a remote camera, first launch the free iStopMotion Remote Camera app there. Then, on the iPad, select the name of the camera device. Lastly, tap the Accept button on that device to establish the connection.
On the iPad or the other device, drag the Focus indicator to a spot where you want the focus to be locked (4.7). You can also tap the Exposure button at the top of the screen and identify an area on which to base the exposure level.
4.7 Lock focus in iStopMotion for iPad.
- Tap Done to exit the camera settings screen.
Tap the Clip Settings button (the gear icon) to set playback speed (frames per second) and how the editing environment appears. Tap the Show button and choose the middle option, which uses an “onion skin” mode to show the last frame and a ghosted rendition of the live video so you can see what the next frame will look like (4.8).
4.8 See the relative position of objects between shots.
- Set your scene, and then tap the Capture button to take a shot.
- Reposition elements in the frame.
- Tap the Capture button to grab the next frame.
- Continue adjusting your elements and capturing photos until the scene is complete. Tap the Play button at any time to review what you’ve shot so far.
)
)
You can jump back to any frame to re-take it (make sure you line up your elements accurately), or you can delete a frame by selecting it, tapping the Actions button (the wrench icon), and then tapping the Delete Frame button.
Create a Time-Lapse Video in iStopMotion
Stop-motion animations require a lot of work and even more patience to do well. A time-lapse video, by contrast, needs just patience and an interesting place to point the camera. iStopMotion can automatically fire off a shot at an interval you choose, ranging from 0.1 second to 99.9 seconds.
- Set up your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch where you want to capture action over a period of time.
- Choose a camera from the Cameras popover.
- Tap the Time Lapse button to the right of the Cameras button.
- Make sure Time Lapse is selected under Mode.
Drag the dials to select an interval, then tap outside the popover to dismiss it (4.9).
4.9 Specify Time Lapse settings.
Tap the Capture button to start capturing the scene. The button doubles as a countdown timer while waiting for the next shot (4.10).
4.10 The Capture button counts the time to the next shot.
Tap the Capture button again to stop recording frames.
)
)