Reducing DSLR Capture Time

Shortening DSLR Capture Time

The previous DSLR guide explained how to capture and download images taken with a DSLR while preserving all of the functionality of Octolapse, including snapshot previews and rendering the final timelapse video. However, downloading via USB can be very slow, especially for ultra high resolution images. In some extreme cases I've seen DSLR snapshots that take 10 to 15 seconds download, which can really affect your print quality. I've discovered a few ways to reduce the download time, sometimes dramatically, and will share some of them here:

1. Reduce the size of the captured image
2. Prevent image download entirely
3. Defer image download until after the print has completed * preferred option

Click on the options above to learn more.

Reduce the Size of the Captured Image

Most (all?) digital cameras have settings that can change the size of the images that are captured. You can try one of the following:

1. Reduce the resolution of the image. For example, an image taken at 4K will be 4 times larger than one taken at 1080P. However, reducing the resolution has some obvious drawbacks.
2. Increase the image compression. This can have a fairly large impact on image size too, though it also impacts the quality of the final timelapse.