Dolly Zoom Tutorial for Timelapse Hyperlapse

[@Canadianlegoboy]

Can't say enough as to how impressive your examples are! Stellar

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

Thanks!

[@topogigiozinho]

Giving you 5 stars for your tutorial Cheers from Montreal Canada

[@Dre1Way]

I am in film school and have been interested in the dolly zoom, thanks for this tutorial.

[@afonsolucas2219]

Thank you so much for this video. The technique is like some sort of Stop-Motion, had never thought of that. Suddenly I came here to figure this effect out--

[@starboardfilms]

I remember the first time I did a dolly back / zoom in with a fisher 10 dolly and an Arri 3 back in 1988. Freaked out the client!! I HAVE to revisit this...thanks!!

[@Digitalchirppy]

Really I astonished Seems to be simple at the begining of the video but it involves a Great Determination Great Patience Great Technical Know-How Great man, It's Great.... Thank you for Sharing

[@BigLarrShow]

I finally did the walk on the bridge time lapse, that was tough

[@rocheuro]

just sick! your dolly zoom effect is really hardcore good!, thanks for tutorial I will try it with my new / used LX100 ! thanks!

[@reneyro]

Thanks for this tutorial! I saw your timelapse of Louisville and I was wondering what kind of expensive dolly did he use. and now I know your secret!. Thanks for sharing it!

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

No problem, it was never meant to be a secret =)

[@bingli2124]

Amazing dolly zoom & hyperlapse~~

[@atc576]

Amazing. Your work pays off man.

[@askanvonschirnding9814]

Very creative!

[@rjbruce3971]

Great tutorial! Can't wait to make a few of my own! I just got a Nikon d5300 with the standard 18-55mm but I think it could work fine-ish. I also have a wide angle Macro attachment. Do you think that would help the effect? Again, fantastic tutorial and I'll link the video of mine when I'm done!

[@FUJILA]

Trippy!!! Very Good work thank you!!

[@IAlexandreI]

Awesome effect! Thanks for sharing your technique. Do you try to keep the shots at a regular interval in time too? Or you just take the pictures once your camera's set and intervals can vary greatly?

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

I try to take the photos at a fairly consistent rate. With that said the only time I use an intervalometer for this technique is if I'm doing a day to night or night to day shot when I typically use an interval of 45 seconds or so. If I'm doing a sunset/sunrise shot combined with this technique I guarantee this will be the last shot of the day....heck, just doing a regular timelapse with this technique is usually my last shot of the day since it is exhausting.

[@n2danz]

Wow awesome.....i love and respect your hardwork.... Great tutorial✌👌✌👍

[@costamarfil]

So mucho work! But really impressive! Thanks

[@singhamgadhvi1875]

Amazing tutorial

[@faithinjesuschristtheblood8110]

Thank you for that bro

[@deanmc]

Came here from watching a Mavic 2 Zoom video.... Its taken me 15 years to find out what Dolly Zoom is.

[@Danny_Ambarita]

Great tutorial man 👍

[@12sin8]

Fantastic video, thanks for the tutorial!

[@atulhaldankar7143]

Subscribed! You are awesome mate! Keep sharing :)

[@AliElliot]

Great tutorial !

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

Thanks!

[@radimvybiral105]

have no idea, how i found this, but i like it.

[@joshwilson1894]

I love your timelapse of Louisville and eastern Kentucky, you should do one on Lexington! Lol Thats my home city

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

Thanks Josh! I would love to do these for all the medium to large sized cities...maybe someday. My next big project will hopefully be making one of Seattle.

[@JUSAGUYNKY]

Eric Stemen YES! Would LOVE to see a Lexington video!! Grew in SWest Louisville but live in Lexington now. Love both cities

[@Leemus]

Amazing man! I'm going to try this

[@meeruffpv3667]

Guys. You don't need a tripod for this. Just take pictures by hand. Use the tracker function in After Effects. First you do a tracker for position, then you put it in a new composition and track again for rotation. After that you put it in another composition and use the warp stabilisation. Works like a charm for me. And it saves you alot of time because you don't have to adjust the tripod between every shot. :)

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

That is certainly one way to do it. I would rather be as precise as possible when using a wide angle lens since the edges stretch the image so much. Plus when I use a tripod I only have to warp stabilize and not even bother with the tracker function.

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

Forgot to mention, sometimes fast isn't always good for timelapse shots =)

[@jiazeke3911]

OMG, so helpful! Thanks!

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

Glad I could help =)

[@bubblevest1544]

You line up your grid lines every time and then zoom out? I would assume you could do this process in reverse. Go back wards and zoom in?

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

Yep, it works both ways.

[@nicolabalsebre8567]

This is a wonderful tutorial, thanks for sharing. I already tried this effect, but just in normal video shoot indoor with 18-55 lenses, and I thought you need a bigger zoom to have this kind of result. Are you using a 7-14 mm lenses as I intend from the description? One more question: it does not seem you don't have any signs on the ground. How do you avoid to move your tripod from side to side at each step?

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

Yes I used a 7-14mm lens. Using a more wide angle lens makes the effect look bigger than a regular or telephoto lens. I think I used the bricks on the ground as my reference line to keep walking the tripod straight.

[@nicolabalsebre8567]

Thanks Eric, your suggestions are really useful, hope to try this technique soon.

[@Faarontour]

great Tutorial!

[@ChillFrost]

Epic! Thanks mate 😄

[@iAmLawrencee]

Oh my.. too much dedication on this I love it! Would it possible to do this with the gopro? :D

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

iAmLawrencee I think the go pro is a prime lens so you couldn't achieve this exact effect. You could make something kind of similar by zooming in on the image at the start of the video then doing a digital zoom out as the video progresses.

[@saemranian]

Thanks for your sharing

[@NBWDOUGHBOY]

THIS IS COOL!

[@farzadk81]

tnx Buddy! thats great

[@SergeGolikov]

Amazing effort AND Result 👍 I am looking at upgrading from my LUMIX FZ1000 to the LUMIX FZ2500 which has the DOLLY SHOT as a built-in feature, any experience with that?

[@DanyWildTV]

dope ! thanks !

[@muhamadmuhamad1271]

wooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

[@simonzeng4213]

This is amazing mate. Cheers!! Just wondered if you are shooting on a hill would the techniques be the same?

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

Yep, should be the same technique anywhere.

[@Make-Asylums-Great-Again]

I attempted this with a mavic zoom and it worked, kinda. It’s fully automated except I have to slowly apply the zoom, it’s not as silky smooth.

[@GoreGaming100]

Can I do that with the rx100 ( sony ) ?

[@fffaaannnggg]

Good one thx!

[@PekinVN]

Awesome

[@anything7087]

Respect bro... how do you think in 2021 osmo mobile 4 solve this problem?

[@JessicaVitug]

Hey!!! How many frames would I have to take at least for a decent effect of the dollay zoom? (:

[@danielsahagun4367]

Thanks Eric for your tutorial. I've a Canon Rebel XTi, how can I get Cross Hairs, what can I do? I need another Camera? Can you help me. Thanks in advance

[@hongqi9732]

so nice the video that I have subscribed you,but I still want to know the general idea number you zoom out ,like the camera forward about your foot ,can you give us an advice for the zoom out ?thanks

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

Unfortunately there's no set answer. Generally I'm trying to get about a 5 second shot out of a final timelapse, so at 24 frames per second I need to capture 120 photos from where I start to where I end. After a while you kind of get a rough feel for how far to move each time. As for how far to zoom out each time, if you are using an ultra wide zoom then if you're not quiet sure if you zoomed out or not then you probably zoomed out the correct amount.....you zoom so little each shot that you basically can't tell if you zoomed or not.

[@hongqi9732]

@@OceanLlamaMedia OK，I try to understand your answer ,ha-ha ,so can I images that whatever I move forward my camera for example one foot distance ,then I watch the viewfinder of camera,found a line of a building according to the grid line ,and keep the line( sometimes a point)still at the same location every picture by using zoom out so as to adjusting the composition of a picture？

[@Das_rich]

Yo that is fucking hilarious bro…. I’m trying to figure out how to do this, in louisville ky

[@ishmaelrodriguez3640]

so they're photos????

[@CristianArmen]

Could you kindly tell me how do I adjust/move grid lines or guide frames on nikon d810 if per say I am trying to shoot a hyperlapse as shown in your tutorial here?

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

+Cristian Armen Hi Cristian, I've never had the pleasure of using a D810, however with some creativity you should be able to pull off these same shots. The D810 is currently worth roughly 14 times the price of my camera so it should certainly have something that will allow you to capture these images and even surpass them. A lot of the time you can use the focus markers in the Viewfinder to act as the guide frames, or if you are using Canon gear you can re-position the exposure meter box to align everything. . . I wish I could be of more help but if you need more one on one help send me an e-mail. I just have no experience with Nikon beyond knowing they capture amazing High Dynamic Range images. Thanks! Eric

[@elperro38]

do you think this is possible with any gopro?

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

If you've got a 5 I think it can shoot raw but it may not be able to in timelapse mode so you'll have to press the shutter button for each photo like I did here. You'll have to do the zoom in post as well. So you can do it, but you are limited by the lens, and resolution.

[@Lagartija219]

Ahhhhh so that's how you do it! If got a GH2 with an Olympus 12-50 which I think will work great for this all be it in day time Thanks for sharing

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

Guillermo Contreras That should work fine, the effect will be more noticeable if you use a wider zoom like the 7-14mm though.

[@Lagartija219]

Eric Stemen Thx Eric. I already had to fork out an arm and a dick (if you know what I mean) just to get where I am i.e. GH2 body, lens, time lapse, decent tripod, etc... will have to settle with the faithful Olympus!

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

Guillermo Contreras Saving up can be a slow process for sure. Post a link in the comments if you make one of these.

[@Lagartija219]

Will do for sure bro! will check your other vids too. Thanks

[@austenhaugen5941]

Hei Eric! I did dolly zoom, but I ran into some exposure trouble. Some images where slightly brighter or darker. It looks like the camera didn't open the actual aperture as much when zooming to maintain the exact exposure. I tried "matching exposure" in Lightroom, but it didn't work. So I had to manually adjust them all. Don't want to do that with all my sequences. Is there any other way to do this?

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

+Austen Haugen Ah yes, I forgot most lenses don't keep the same aperture as you zoom. You could try using LRTimelapse to change the exposure as you zoom. You could also try the plug in GBdflicker.

[@austenhaugen5941]

I tried LRTimelapse, but it didn't work. The exposure difference was so minimal. But it might work, I just have to know my way around LRTimelapse first. I will try one more time.

[@nenolima5595]

wowww.. great, dude... how many photos did you shot to this?

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

Usually I try to shoot at least 120 photos so there is 5 seconds of video.

[@nenolima5595]

Eric Stemen sorry to the question . but how will u know shooting 120photos u will have 5min?

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

it all depends on how many frames per second you want your video to run at. Usually I want it to run at 24 frames per second so 120 photos divided by 24 frames per seconds is 5 seconds.

[@nenolima5595]

hmmm nice... thanks for the answer...

[@Salamapaja]

Hi Eric, thanks for sharing this, really helpful. I'm wondering about the zoom controller, the big wheel. I replayed that moment 15 times and just couldn't catch the name of it. Do you mind to share it?

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

+Thomas Kast (Salamapaja) If you freeze on 2:01 it looks like I'm using a Camtree Solid Gear. As I mentioned in the video, "you don't need this, but it really helps" The vast majority of the time I don't use a follow focus for zoom, but they do take a lot of the guess work out of the zoom(and is easier on your fingers when using one), if you are shooting in the cold with gloves I wouldn't even bother trying this effect without using a follow focus on the zoom. As an added bonus, the stress of these shots is probably equivalent of doing 2-3 regular hyperlapses. Hope your auto-focus works, and keep an eye on the ever changing "anchor point" in the frame. Not to mention if your lens changes aperture as the focal length changes.

[@Salamapaja]

Thanks Eric, much appreciated. Keep at it:)

[@bobjohnson6626]

Yo! That's the 502!

[@danbalares4818]

will this work with 16-55mm?

[@philipp2236]

no Dislikes, wow!

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

+Philipp Thiessen Jinx Wow, that's crazy, I'm sure someone will be the first after seeing your comment and mine though =) Hope this helped you out some or was somewhat entertaining.

[@philipp2236]

Eric Stemen Yup, it did. I have an Art project about photographies + editing etc. It can be quite impressive presenting the dolly zoom effect to my teacher since he would probably give me a better grade for researching :3

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

Sweet! Hope your get a good grade!

[@CC.R0Y]

You jinxed it!

[@kcircuit8684]

Never say that, because if you do, some random person is going to immediately dislike

[@johanhermida8037]

I Like that name of your company. "Ocean Llama". how you figure out this name? and also excellent tuto. Thanks from Bolivia.

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

Johan Hermida thanks! Probably 6 years ago at a company I used to work for a co worker and I were talking and one of us said something like "I see you" then another said "do you mean I sea ewe" and finally I said "do you mean I ocean llama" I thought an ewe was a llama instead of a sheep. So basically the name came from a play on words and a misunderstanding of one of the words on my part. We both thought ocean llama sounded cool though.

[@CourtneysCockpit]

wow thanks. but I dont get zooming out? Ive gotta be all the way zoomed in? Im confused on that part. And how do you put it together so well because if I put pics side by side its so choppy

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

You don't have to zoom at all, I was just doing the zoom for the weird "vertigo" effect. I'm not sure what you mean by choppy. I would have to see a sample to see what's going on.

[@AdrianBigyes]

You need to stabilize it afterwards. Also, make sure that there are 24 photos in a second.

[@tripios]

can i do this with a 24-70?? i have to start the effect from 35mm till 24mm?? and when the zoom ends to 24 and i have more way to do what im doing? im zooming out?

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

You can do this with a 24-70. If you can't dolly in very far the effect is strongest with a wider angle lens. If you are using a telephoto zoom lens you would have to have the camera travel pretty far to really notice the effect. Unfortunately I don't understand the rest of your question. Care to reword the rest?

[@tripios]

im starting the zoom out from 35mm to 24mm ok? if the zoom out finish in the middle of my way.then im zoom in again till i finish the distance? i dont know if u understant

[@beachmonkeycom]

I tried this using a 16-35mm but kept running out of room to zoom out. how do you calculate how much you zoom out the lens each step?

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

+beachmonkeycom I don't, you really have to zoom out to the point where your not sure if you zoomed out or not. It's frustrating but usually works. when you get to the end of the street or the end of the zoom you're done. Process the footage and see if it worked.

[@IAlexandreI]

I think that should work: Instead of taking one reference point (cross between the two lines in the video), you take two. You can shoot from the screen directly, activating the grid, and choose two reference points in the scene that will always be on the reference points on your camera(top left and top right of the building). Each shot you'll have to align the scene's and the camera reference points using the "zoom". What's inbetween these points will keep pretty much the same scale and the rest will grow or shrink.

[@tahirkamboh147]

Please show us a tutorial working in after effects.

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

This should help out some. oceanllama.com/?p=109

[@StaffViet2009]

can i do that with my prime len and my cheap tripod :(

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

Of course. You'll be doing a digital zoom instead of a physical zoom. You definitely don't need a tripod as expensive as this one, just try to line your shots up as close as possible.

[@CC.R0Y]

You live in Louisville?

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

Oh yeah!

[@zanestum1173]

Is this in Louisville?!???!

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

Definitely!

[@f.sakbestof8265]

its called HYPERLAPSE :D

[@mgr5550]

But nowadays dont Gopros etc do all this on their own, making photographers like us who do it the old school way redundant and out of a job ? We learned the old way with no internet, nothing, the internet was invented later. yet we all go wiped out with technology and information available for everyone to be a filmmakar now. Every youtuber has a board outside his house claiming to be a video producer.

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

"But nowadays dont Gopros etc do all this on their own, making photographers like us who do it the old school way redundant and out of a job ? We learned the old way with no internet, nothing, the internet was invented later. yet we all go wiped out with technology and information available for everyone to be a filmmakar now. Every youtuber has a board outside his house claiming to be a video producer." Anyone can say they are are video producer/shooter just like anyone can say they are a writer, artist or musician but that doesn't mean they are any good at it or anyone will pay them for what they do. It still takes lots of trial and error to get good at shooting video and to know how far you can push the technology. I started my journey into video around 2002-2003 well within the age of the internet and can easily say that when I started I couldn't even imagine being able to do what I can now. I really look at having a camera as the same thing as having a tool like a hammer. Just because I have a hammer doesn't mean I can build a house. With the GoPros sure they can do hyperlapses, but they currently can't change focal lengths, and to get a cool timelapse with the clouds going by I doubt many people who own one will want to take 20-30 minutes holding it pointed at a spot in space then slowly walk 20 feet over the course of that time to get a cool looking hyperlapse. There's so much more that goes into shooting video or photos than having a camera. I also shoot regular video which is a whole other skill set than timelapses. You've got to know how to light, do audio, make sure you have the right sound bites form people, work one on one with people and direct them if they are having trouble, know roughly how much content you need to capture on location to make an edit out of it, pick out music, edit the video, apply effects and color correct the video.

[@mgr5550]

@@OceanLlamaMedia > I am on your side. What ive explained is nothing but a sarcastic version of what you explained in normal tones. Im professionally into video production. And what ive said is true and agreed upon by many media professionals, at least self employed one man bands. Your addressing the same but saying it neutrally. I agree with you too. When i say every tom dick and harry is now a video producer, its addressing all those half baked pros out there. Why are you telling me that there's so much more than holding a camera, i learned the exposure triangle etc the hard way much before 2003. As a teen i used to hang out only with ace photographers of the day. But there were only few and they were good at what they did. now every guy reads stuff on the internet and YT and becomes a video producer. To discuss GoPros not changing their focal lengths and lens distortion etc is a pretty rudimentary discussion here to both of if we are as experienced as we are in video production. From 3 point to even 4 point lighting, keying to rotoscoping to 3d match moving ive seen it all, done it too (except character rigging) and studied it formally and have certificates on the wall for it. So its nice to hear you also shoot regular video other than time-lapses. I wasnt trying to imply that time-lapses are the only thing in video, that a pro like you will try to legit explain to me that you also shoot normal video and that its a "whole different skill set" is kind of childish, while mine was a rhetorical remark, we all know that time-lapses are just 1 cool trick in videography. Im just saying now everyone with a modicum of skill is also a professional and there's no way to debar them, its a free world. but its affecting professionals. With kids everywhere offering to do free work just because its cool. The main problem is this is a profession which also happens to be a hobby, so its blurring the lines, IN THE CLIENTS EYES, i know that its not about owning a camera and that its more than time-lapses. "There's so much more that goes into shooting video or photos than having a camera"..... i agree. That why i even have a tripod now. LOL.

[@OceanLlamaMedia]

@@mgr5550 I appreciate the response. As to why I said "There's so much more than holding a camera and the thing about the GoPros and focal lengths." Look at your original comment from an outsiders perspective. Unless someone knows who you are or your personality there's nothing to indicate that what you typed was sarcasm. Personally I think it came across as someone who is salty and has been forced out of the industry...upon reading your follow up response it appears that I was wrong and I apologize for jumping to conclusions. I did try to make more sense of your original comment by clicking on your username to see some of your work and there were no videos....not that it means anything. I'm sure you, much like myself don't post the videos you make for your clients on your youtube channel. Anyway hope all is well!

[@mgr5550]

@@OceanLlamaMedia > Hi Eric, Thanks for your reply. All is well here thank you & i hope the same with you and your kin, esp during this COVID lockdown. No worries, no offense taken warranting an apology and all that. Best Wishes !

[@ucheucheuche]

I find your lack of views disturbing.