Timelapse+ VIEW 1.8 Update – Adds New CORE USB Camera Driver

How To

by Jakub HanMarch 18^th, 2020

Timelapse+ VIEW intervalometer gets new firmware update version 1.8 which adds more camera support, new features, and includes a brand new Timelapse+ CORE USB Camera driver. 

Timelapse+ VIEW 1.8 Update. Source: TimelapsePlus

Timelapse+ VIEW intervalometer has been launched back in 2016 as a successful Kickstarter campaign. It offers many useful features, but perhaps its main advantage is automatic smooth day-to-night and night-to-day timelapse transitions. For more information about the device take a look at our initial article from 2016 or check thee Timelapse+ website.

The last update from December 2018 added support for FUJIFILM X series cameras. Now, the company launches another update version 1.8 which adds some new useful functions and supported cameras for the VIEW intervalometer. They also launch the Timelapse+ CORE USB Camera driver. What exactly is new?

Timelapse+ VIEW Update Version 1.8 and Timelapse+ CORE

Over the last year and a half, Timelapse+ team built a new camera driver from the ground up. They are calling it Timelapse+ CORE. It is optimized for more flexibility so it will be easier to quickly support new cameras. According to Timelapse+, it is more reliable and faster (allowing shorter intervals).

Timelapse+ VIEW Intervalometer. Source: TimelapsePlus

While the new driver was written first for use in VIEW, Timelapse+ is packaging it and licensing it as a separate product. The CORE driver is designed for situations where a high-performance USB camera control across a broad range of cameras is needed.

Timelapse+ VIEW version 1.8 now supports new cameras:

• Canon EOS and EOS R
• Nikon DSLR and Nikon Z
• Fuji X and Fuji GFX
• Olympus
• Panasonic.

Sony cameras have been supported since the beginning of the VIEW, the CORE driver brings further improvements. First and second-generation Sony cameras don’t allow saving to the camera’s SD card while connected via USB. This requires the images to be copied to the VIEW’s SD card. With the CORE driver it now takes less than half the time it did before, so the 1st and 2nd generation Sony cameras can support much shorter intervals.

Besides the new camera driver, there are many minor improvements and bug fixes to the VIEW, for instance:

• Live adjustments – change time-lapse parameters across a series of frames while it’s running
• Long-term time-lapse – Weekly schedule can be configured with daily start/stop times.
• The auto ramping starting exposure is now decoupled from the post-transition exposure. Now if there are lots of blown highlights due to a backlit scene at sunset, the night exposure won’t also be blown out. Instead, the post-transition exposure is based on an absolute luminance preset and can be adjusted in Ramping Options. This handles a wide variety of scenes better.
• Support for the eMotimo ST4 using a USB data adaptor cable. Timelapse+ are also working on a simple solution that will allow full control over just the AUX2 TRS interface, so the USB can stay open for the camera without a hub.

Timelapse+ VIEW Intervalometer. Source: TimelapsePlus

DJI Ronin-S and Ronin-SC Support in Development

Furthermore, the Timelapse+ team started to work on supporting the DJI Ronin S and SC gimbals. The goal is getting it to provide keyframe motion control through the VIEW’s app. They have control and setup working but the resulting motion is not smooth. There is likely more work to be done figuring out the commands for motor stiffness, etc. It seems to be a rather complicated process, so the release date of this feature cannot be estimated yet. If you are interested in being a beta tester for this feature, send an email to Timelapse+.

Price and Availability

The Timelapse+ VIEW Intervalometer is available for purchase and the retail price is $399. Pricing may vary by country for non-USD purchases, and additional fees may apply, including tax and shipping costs.

The new update v1.8 and the Timelapse+ CORE USB Camera driver are available for download. The Timelapse+ CORE is free for personal use and paid for commercial use. Contact Timelapse+ if you’re interested in learning more.

Do you have experience with the Timelapse+ VIEW Intervalometer? Do you use any kind of intervalometer for timelapse or is the internal camera timelapse function enough for you? Let us know in the comments underneath the article.