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Hyperlapse Distance Calculator

Enter the total distance, clip length and frame rate.

Result

0.8333 m/frame
360
20.00 m/s

How it is calculated

The number of frames in the finished clip is frames = duration × fps, with duration in seconds and fps in frames per second. If you take one photo per frame and move evenly, the spacing is step = total distance ÷ frames, shown in metres per frame to four decimals. The tool also shows the total number of frames and total distance ÷ duration in m/s. That last figure is how fast the view travels per second of finished video, not how fast you walk or drive while shooting. The distance is treated as metres. With a fractional frame rate such as 29.97 the frame count is rounded for display (449.55 shows as 450), but the step is computed from the unrounded count. All three inputs must be above zero, otherwise no result is shown. The calculation assumes an evenly spaced path.

Worked example

You plan to cover 300 m and want a 15-second clip at 24 fps. Frames needed: 15 × 24 = 360. Spacing: 300 ÷ 360 = 0.8333, so the tool shows 0.8333 m/frame, roughly 83 cm between photos. Across the 15 seconds the picture advances 300 ÷ 15 = 20.00 m/s. You therefore take 360 shots, one about every 83 cm along the route.

Try this example →

Common mistakes

  • Entering the real shooting time as the duration. The duration is the length of the finished clip in seconds; the time you take to walk the route does not matter here.
  • Entering the distance in kilometres, feet or steps. The result is labelled in metres, so convert first: 0.3 km is 300 m.
  • Entering a different frame rate than you will export at. If you deliver at 30 fps but enter 24, you take fewer photos than the clip needs and the result runs short.
  • Treating the m/s figure as a travel speed. It describes how fast the scene advances in the finished video, which is usually far faster than a person walks.
  • Expecting an exact step on a curved or uneven route. The tool divides the distance evenly, so on winding paths measure the distance actually travelled.

About this calculator

A hyperlapse is a time-lapse shot while physically moving the camera through space, rather than keeping it fixed — the moving viewpoint is what gives hyperlapses their signature sweeping motion. To keep that motion smooth, the camera needs to advance a consistent distance between each captured frame; this calculator works backward from the total distance to travel, the desired clip length, and the frame rate to tell you exactly how far to move (and how many total shots to take) between frames.

Videographers and content creators use this kind of spacing calculation when planning walking, driving, or drone hyperlapses, since shooting too few frames over too much distance makes the motion jump and stutter, while too many frames over too little distance wastes shooting time and storage without adding smoothness.

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Comments (1)

  • Editorial team

    Compare the step per frame with your real stride. A comfortable walking step is roughly 0.7 to 0.8 metres, which is our own estimate, so a result much smaller means you will need slow, deliberate shuffling or a slider, and a result of several metres means the picture will jump unless you move on a vehicle. Tell us what you film with and whether the step the tool gave you felt workable.

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