Best Camera For Time Lapse To Improve Photography
It is not easy getting yourself a best camera for time lapse. There isn’t a lack of availability, it is just that the sheer number of options out there make it quite a tough decision to pick out which is the best camera for time-lapse.
Worry not though because me, some guy on the internet, is going list out around ten cameras that are currently out in the market (and available on Amazon) which I feel are currently the best. This is not a direct competition as the price range of these products vary from each other, so this list is in no particular order, simply the 10 best cameras for time-lapse that I think you should consider. Let us head straight into the list.
Table of Contents
- LIST OF BEST CAMERA FOR TIME LAPSE
- 10 BEST CAMERA FOR TIME LAPSE REVIEW
- 1. DRAGON TOUCH - BEST BUDGET CAMERA FOR TIME LAPSE
- 2. COOAU NATIVE 4K - BEST WATERPROOF CAMERA FOR TIME LAPSE
- 3. AKASO BRAVE 7 - BEST REMOTE CONTROL CAMERA FOR TIME LAPSE
- 4. CAMPARK V30 NATIVE 4K ACTION CAMERA
- 5. APEMAN A100 REAL 4K/50FPS ACTION CAMERA
- 6. SONY ALPHA A6400 - BEST 4K CAMERA FOR TIME LAPSE
- 7. CANON POWERSHOT SX740 HS - BEST DIGITAL CAMERA FOR TIME LAPSE
- 8. GOPRO HERO 9 - BEST ACTION CAMERA FOR TIME LAPSE
- 9. NIKON COOLPIX P1000 - BEST AUTOFOCUS CAMERA FOR TIME LAPSE
- 10. BRINNO BCC200 TIME LAPSE CAMERA
- CONCLUSION
LIST OF BEST CAMERA FOR TIME LAPSE
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10 BEST CAMERA FOR TIME LAPSE REVIEW
1. DRAGON TOUCH - BEST BUDGET CAMERA FOR TIME LAPSE
When you hear the name “Dragon Touch”, you know that either this is going to be a super expensive company or a budget one. Well, if you guessed the latter, you win. If you are on a bit of a budget, the Vision 3 action cam by Dragon Touch is potentially one of the best cameras you can get under a tight budget.
At an affordable price, the Vision 3 is offering you a ton of features like 4K Ultra HD video with 4X zoom and 16MP photo resolution. All of your shoots, you can look at them using the 2-inch touch screen, which is not the most ground-breaking screen, but it does the job fairly well. You can share the photos with your smartphone using the XDV app.
In terms of design, the Vision 3 looks like the typical, action cam style and is made entirely of plastic. This camera comes with an N number of accessories, one of which is its waterproof casing which takes about a second to install and makes your camera waterproof, letting it bear depths of up to 100 feet! Overall, I am really impressed by this action cam.
Being able to take 4K video, time-lapse shots, loop recordings, being able to control it via remote control. All these features are not what you expect from a “budget cam”. I have got to admit; I am a fan. Considering the price point, there had to be some sacrifices.
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2. COOAU NATIVE 4K - BEST WATERPROOF CAMERA FOR TIME LAPSE
I have noticed a pattern with a lot of these “GoPro” alternate action cameras that they try to sell the 4k video quality the most and in most cases, it fails. However, here, I think it won’t. Most 4k videos look rather janky for some reason and if they do not, the video is in 30FPS. The COOAU Native did it right with their 4k60fps though using its awesome Sony 20MP sensor.
With that said, other features seem more relevant to me simply because most people still use 1080p over 4k. It comes equipped with the ability to connect to your Wi Fi so you can share your videos directly to your smartphone using the action camera apps.
The Native is no slouch here either as it has several fantastic features which make it quite versatile. It comes with a number of accessories, 20 if you want an exact number. It has tiny batteries but that is expected since it is a tiny camera, COOAU was generous enough to provide 2 batteries so you can easily swap them.
This camera has 6 video and 5 photo modes, including today’s highlight: time-lapse! The other modes are what you would expect, slow motion, dash-cam mode, you know the rest. This Native 4K camera is made of durable plastic and one of its included accessories is the waterproof case that makes it, well, waterproof up to 40 meters! Overall, honestly, I am a fan. A great pick for beginners.
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3. AKASO BRAVE 7 - BEST REMOTE CONTROL CAMERA FOR TIME LAPSE
The Brave 7 LE by AKASO is one ambitious camera and is also a best camera for time lapse. Now, ambitious not in the sense that it is taking insane risks by going off the grid, living in the woods or something like that. Rather, the Brave 7 LE is ambitious in the sense of just how many features it offers under that budget price tag.
For about 150 dollars, you get 4k video and not one but 2 displays! The rear screen does what you would expect the main screen to do, display items and all that your camera sees and is a touch screen, while the front screen is most useful for seeing what your camera is capturing while taking a selfie or video for example. I see this feature being extremely useful for vloggers.
Speaking of the camera, it is quite versatile. As I said, it can take 4k30fps videos and capture good looking 20MP photos. Another contributor to the quality is this camera is the improved, gimbal-like electronic image stabilization, adding to both photos and videos. Despite the dual-screen, the Brave 7 LE somehow manages to be IPX7 water-resistant and waterproof -with the included waterproof case.
With this added ruggedness, you are more comfortable in letting it sit out in the open for those awesome timelapse shots. The low-light performance on this camera is a point of concern, it is not terrible or absolutely unusable in those conditions but it is certainly a flaw in this overall perfect budget package.
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4. CAMPARK V30 NATIVE 4K ACTION CAMERA
Campark, as a company, has carved themselves out a nice piece of marketable niche: making affordable yet versatile action cameras. Testing out their V30, I must admit, the marketing does not lie. I was quite impressed by the Campark V30 which is a best camera for time lapse.
It hosts a number of features that I was not expecting at this price point like the built-in advanced Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) with 6-axis gyroscope and the 4K30fps video capability. Sure, 30fps is not the best but 4k under a 100 bucks with EIS; you can not complain. It uses a 20MP Sony CMOS IMX179 Image Sensor to capture those amazing looking shots.
The design of Campark V30 is what you would expect. The classic action cam design made of durable plastic with a 2.0 inch LCD high-sensitive IPS touch screen display attached to it. I was not expecting a touch screen honestly, but I am glad it has one that actually works.
It also has an inbuilt microphone which is not really the best, but that is a sacrifice I am willing to make as if you are actually going to record audio using this cam, you are most likely going to use an external microphone anyway.
This camera has a number of photo and video modes, including timelapse video and photo which can even be used underwater once you put on the included waterproof case. Closing words? If you want a decent action camera under 100 dollars, this is it, my friend.
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5. APEMAN A100 REAL 4K/50FPS ACTION CAMERA
The Apeman A100 is yet another budget action cam that just blew me away with its capabilities. I never gave budget action cameras much opportunity before this it seems. The Apeman A100 do all that you would want your camera to do and more.
Let us start with the fact that this cam can record 4k videos at 50 FPS, which is impressive on its own but pair it with its Electronic Image Stabilization technique, combining 7-Layer Glass Lens, UV protection film and IR filter resulting in some really good looking videos.
It has a 20MP sensor and many modes for photos and videos, the usual: Loop recording, slow motion, time lapse etc. One of the selling points of Apeman TRAWO A100 is its underwater capabilities. Most cams we have had on this list can reach a decent depth but this one, well, this one can go down to about 130 feet! We are past the point of “being casual” at that point.
Sure, you are going to need the case and there is no flash on this so the photos are not going to be DP material by any means.
They are going to be a bit grainy and in one colour but hey, it is still quite impressive if you ask me. Now, with that said, this camera is quite special and unique but if that one feature is not very useful to you, you should consider other options as they are cheaper.
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6. SONY ALPHA A6400 - BEST 4K CAMERA FOR TIME LAPSE
Jumping from the budget options, let us go to a near 1000 dollar price. Sony has been a major player in the camera industry and there is a chance your smartphone or action cam probably has a sensor made by Sony. So, naturally, expectations are high from this one.
The Sony Alpha A6400 comes with a 24.2-megapixel APC-S with its awesome auto-tracking feature makes for a great camera for shooting high-speed sports for example.
This best camera for time lapse is capable of shooting 4k video and is compatible with a number of accessories and lens, allowing you to get those perfect time-lapse shots. Its design is solid; it is well built and quite compact, making it the perfect companion.
It has a pop-up display along with a jack for a microphone. Had it not been for a few cons, this could be one of the best mid-range mirrorless cameras.
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7. CANON POWERSHOT SX740 HS - BEST DIGITAL CAMERA FOR TIME LAPSE
The Canon PowerShot SX740 HS is a best camera for time lapse and it is one of the best cameras for vloggers out there. It is extremely easy to use a camera that offers really good quality pictures and videos, all at a fairly affordable price. Now, yeah, I basically just described a point-and-shoot camera, and yes, this is one.
What makes this camera special for vloggers is its sleek design which is comfortable to hold, 180 degrees flipping screen, the ability to shoot in UHD 4K video and recording stereo audio on top of having wifi and Bluetooth connectivity. All vloggers just lost their minds.
If video is your main focus, this is the camera to go with, no question. The photos they could have been better. The low-light performance is really bad though. With all that said, this is one of the most simple, straight-forward cameras out there and certainly, there is a market for that. Oh! Also, there is 4k time-lapse. Easy win?
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8. GOPRO HERO 9 - BEST ACTION CAMERA FOR TIME LAPSE
Objectively, the best camera for time lapse out there. No question. Hero 9 is the latest addition to GoPro’s Hero series and they went all out with it. The flagship Hero 9 seems to be a bit more vlogging oriented, seeing how they offered a front-facing screen.
I personally do not care for that but if you are a vlogger, you might like that. I cannot take anything away from this camera. The handled time-lapse feature is just mind-blowing and that 5k video? I love the option but even 4k still is not mainstream. One of the best value cams out there, period.
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9. NIKON COOLPIX P1000 - BEST AUTOFOCUS CAMERA FOR TIME LAPSE
Next up in the best camera for time lapse list comes Nikon COOLPIX P1000 which is yet another “really good at one thing” kind of camera. It has a lot going for it, like its unmatched 3000mm-eq. Optical zoom and the quality of the picture it takes and the fact that it can record 4k videos.
If you are into Astro or bird photography, you are going to have a ton of fun with this zoom. However, it is not the “best” overall camera at 1000 dollars. It has a tiny sensor, so low-light performance suffers and it is bulky. The best way to look at it is as a standalone.
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10. BRINNO BCC200 TIME LAPSE CAMERA
The winner of “being good at one thing” is here. The Brinno BCC200 is strictly made for making time-lapse videos outdoors. It has an 80-day battery life with a 360° rotating ball joint with 90° tilt allowing you to shoot for a long time and at any angle. There is very little to talk about here. This camera is made for one thing and it does quite well. Period.
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CONCLUSION
That is it for this list, folks. I listed out several different types of cameras, all with the ability to take time-lapses. There are action cams, mirrorless and even a set-and-shoot camera used for outdoors and construction sites.
So, yeah, I think I did a good job at mentioning something for everyone reading. Anyways, remember to do your own research as well before making a purchase, just some free advice. Hope this article on best camera for time lapse helped, thank you for reading!
