D40 for timelapse

[Mitch45]

Is there any way i can use my d40 for timelapse photography??
thanks

[Frog]

You could stand there and click the shutter every few seconds/minutes.
I do wonder if anyone makes a repeat timer for one of those rf remotes.

[mjs1973]

I know Canon makes a remote that you can set to take a photo at a given interval. I would imagine that Nikon would have something similar as well, but maybe for the higher end cameras.

You should check the software that came with your camera. I have hooked my camera up to the computer and used the software that came with it to fire the shutter every few seconds. Not as practical or as portable as a remote, but it works.

[Mitch45]

yeah ive looked is for the higher end camera but i was still wondering if anyone knew any other ways to do it besides press shutter every couple of minutes

[Dylan8i]

i know the d200 has an intervalometer (sp?) you set how many pics you want, and how long inbetween them and then it takes them. not sure about d40 though

[mjs1973]

If you don't want or can't use your computer to fire the shutter, here is another option that I have done in the past with my DRebel.

With my DRebel, it only shot something like 3 frames per second, with a 4 shot buffer. So once you fill the buffer, you have to wait a few seconds for the camera to write to the card before you can shoot again. So what I would do is, set the camera up the way I wanted it, and attached my cable release. This is not a fancy cable release, and only has the function of opperating the shutter button, no timer or anything. I would lock the button down on the cable release, and let the camera fire in continuous mode for however long I wanted it to go. (Battery life, and memory card size will be a factor for this.) It would fire off the first few shots pretty quickly, then the buffer would be full, and it would take a few seconds before it would be able to fire again.

This was about the only time that the limited burst rate, and slow write speeds came in handy on that camera.

Depending on the speed of the D40 and the buffer, you may be able to do the same thing.

The big question is, how do you plan on taking these still photos, and creating a timelapse movie with them? I know CS3 has the ability to do this, but I haven't figured out how to export the file as something I can view as a movie.

[freygr]

The only way is to use Nikon Capture and a computer and a USB connection. That is the only way you can do time lapse photography with the low end cameras and its the preferred way even with the top of the line cameras.

[Mitch45]

i have nikon capture 4.4 but when my d40 is connected nikon capture says its not connected do you know why?

[freygr]

i have nikon capture 4.4 but when my d40 is connected nikon capture says its not connected do you know why?

You have to load the D40 drivers, and change the camera setting form the PC hard drive mode. Changing the mode of the camera is, a setting in the camera's menu.

[Mitch45]

and where do i get a d40 driver?

[Mitch45]

bcause the only drivers that camer with it are for d1

[freygr]

bcause the only drivers that camer with it are for d1

You may not need a driver, but you have to change the mode on the camera. You have to change the USB setting from M to PTP. You computer OS (Windows XP, Vista, Or OS10-MAC) will install the correct driver. If not you will have to got to the Nikon web site and download the driver.

[Mitch45]

i did change it but do i open nikon capture before or after i turn the camera on?

[mjs1973]

Do you have the manual that came with the camera? All the info you need should be in there. If not, I would think that you could download that from the Nikon website as well. That would get you your answers quicker than waiting for someone to post the directions on here.

[Mitch45]

ive looked and i cant find it
does anyone have a link to download the file

[mjs1973]

http://support.nikontech.com/cgi-bin...2PTEuMTg3JnBfc

[Mitch45]

ok now wut should i look for?

[freygr]

If you have changed the camera setting to PTP in the USB settings, then if the camera is on and you plug in the camera the new hardware window should come up if you are running Windows or Vista. Then you see if the Nikon Capture sees you camera.

If it doesn't you are going to have do some reading, camera manual and Nikon Capture software manual.

[Mitch45]

wut should i look for in the camera manual

[Mitch45]

in the nikon capture manual it says nothing about d40 it does say about d50