How to timelapse with Samsung

Shooting a timelapse on a Samsung phone has never been easier, or better.

03/08/2021

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In this video and article, you'll learn how to timelapse with a Samsung phone.

I’m using the Samsung S21 Ultra, which has some nice features but the principles of what I’m about to explain remain the same on other recent Samsung phones as well.

In a future video, I’ll talk about other Android timelapse apps I recommend.

First things first, the good new updates.

You can now shoot 4K/UHD timelapse footage, both on the main lens, as well as on the super wide lens.
You can also opt to enable a stabilization feature that drops the resolution down to FHD and only allows the main lens.
Funnily enough, this crops into the main lens FOV so it’s kind of like a tele lens if you know what I mean.
There is a night timelapse feature which is great for car trails but also works for holy grail/day-to-night shots.

How to shoot a timelapse on Samsung

To shoot a timelapse you open the camera app and swipe to the hyperlapse camera mode. As a side note, I think this should be called ‘timelapse' mode, but that's not the point here.
Then you choose your recording speed, which goes from automatic, to 5x to 60x, and then it goes to night 15x or night 45x.
These night modes are useful for holy grail shots. They are much more gradual when it comes to changing the exposure.
What does 5x mean? It means 5 seconds of shooting gets you 1 second of footage.
If you’re experiencing flickering due to cloud shadows, here’s a great tip for you: Press and hold the screen before recording, this will lock in both the focus as well as the exposure.
You can also drag the yellow slider left or right if you want to increase or decrease your exposure.
This isn’t only useful for the exposure, but it can also help you frame up for an actual hyperlapse with your subject being lined up with the circle.
If you’re doing hyperlapses I recommend using the built-in stabilizer, especially when you’re walking.

Here is a little timelapse compilation that I shot on my Samsung.

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