Photoshop Timelapse issues

JimFox

Moderator
Staff member
So I am trying to create a Timelapse Video from the Geminid Meteor shower, and after about 4 hours of banging my head on my desk maybe someone knows what I am doing wrong?

I am using the latest Photoshop, 2021.

I have created timelapse in the past a few times. But now when I do it, it only loads the very first image in.

Here are my steps (I have been following online tutorials)

1. I am converting a sequence of images in ACR and then saving them with a sequential # for each one. I have tried different # of digits, it makes no difference.
example file name _D850664_000001.jpg

2. In Photoshop I am using Open, I click on the first photo and then I click on "Image Sequence"

3. A popup comes up and you can select the Frame Rate, I leave it at it's defaults.

That's what the instructions say. But when it gets opened in Photoshop, the Timeline window only has loaded the one image into the video. The duration of the video shows 0.03 secs, confirming that it only loaded the 1.

It's like the Image sequence isn't working right.

I can't be missing anything, since I have looked up 4 or 5 tutorials now, they all list the same steps, yet I am still left banging my head on the desk... so I must be missing something, or doing something wrong. But I have no clue.

Help please.... :(
 

Jameel Hyder

Moderator
Staff member
Try this video. It shows a different method of loading all the images in a stack. Looks pretty straightforward.

 

Ben Egbert

Forum Helper
Staff member
I will be interested to follow this. I am also trying timelapses but in camera. Until I get a CFX card I won't be able to do raws so they are just MP4 files, I did not know you could create a timelapse from individual files.
 

JimFox

Moderator
Staff member
Here are the steps listed from Adobe themselves.

Import image sequences
In Photoshop, when you import a folder of sequenced image files, each image becomes a frame in a video layer.
    • Make sure that the image files are in one folder and are named sequentially.
      The folder should contain only those images you want to use as frames. The resulting animation will be more successful if all files have the same pixel dimensions. To order frames correctly for the animation, name the files in alphabetical or numeric order. For example, filename001, filename002, filename003, and so forth.
    • Do one of the following:
      • To open an image sequence directly, choose File > Open.
      • To import an image sequence into an open document, choose Layer > Video Layers > New Video Layer From File.
    • In the Open dialog box, navigate to the folder with image sequence files.
    • Select one file, choose the Image Sequence option, and then click Open.
      Note:
      Selecting more than one file in an image sequence disables the Image Sequence option.
    • Specify the frame rate, and click OK.
 

JimFox

Moderator
Staff member
So I still can't make it work, but I have figured a work around.

For now I am creating a gif with the images and then rendering a video. I will try to create the video directly from that method and bypass the gif part.
 

JimFox

Moderator
Staff member
I will be interested to follow this. I am also trying timelapses but in camera. Until I get a CFX card I won't be able to do raws so they are just MP4 files, I did not know you could create a timelapse from individual files.
Hey Ben, I don't think your camera actually creates the timelapse in the camera, I would think it's just creating the files that you would then need for the timelapse and you would still need to create the actual timelapse on your computer using Photoshop or whatever program.
 

Ben Egbert

Forum Helper
Staff member
Actually it calls it a Timelapse video and I have already done a few that come out of the camera as an MP4 file. I put one on Facebook last week.
 

Jameel Hyder

Moderator
Staff member
I have used video editing apps. I have the Sony Vegas. One could use your favorite as well. I watched the video I linked above. It looks fairly easy that way in PS.
 

JimFox

Moderator
Staff member
If someone could try the steps from Adobe that I listed to create a timelapse with Photoshop I would really appreciate it. As I would like to figure out what I am doing wrong. It's worked in the past for me, but somehow I must be missing something.
 

Jeffrey

Well-Known Member
I tried to google that name and I couldn't see that exact name. Who makes that Jeffrey?
Jim, it's been a few years, but I now see that Time-Lapse app is a Mac only thing. However, it was made by an astronomy software outfit. Maybe if you looked for other astro-planetarium software you might find a similar utility. It was easy and simple to use. Good luck.
 

JimFox

Moderator
Staff member
Jim, it's been a few years, but I now see that Time-Lapse app is a Mac only thing. However, it was made by an astronomy software outfit. Maybe if you looked for other astro-planetarium software you might find a similar utility. It was easy and simple to use. Good luck.
Gotcha, yeah I will look more.
 
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