How can I do a timelapse with zoom out included?

Question

I know how to make timelapses. But only base ion the number of frames every 5 or ten seconds. The results are good . Now What I want to do is the same thing but with a zoom in (or out) at the same time. For example : you see the sun going down but at the same time the camera is going back giving you a sense of amplitude.

Answer 1

I have designed and built an intervalometer (timer + number of frames to record automatically) based on this unit.

http://www.bmumford.com/photo/camctlr.ht...

This unit gives a pulse out every timed cycle to control a stepper motor unit. This is usually used to pan the camera incrementally as the session is run as in this example.

http://www.bmumford.com/photo/naturetl/C...

It could be used to zoom the camera lens, but then you would need a mechanical coupling between the lens and stepper unit, not impossible, but difficult.

There are professional time lapse cam-corders with the zoom function built in, but they are very expensive.

It might be possible to hack into a camera to make the zoom mechanism control external which could then be connected to the intervalometer. This site would be  a good starting point.

http://www.camerahacker.com/

Chris