Tech Review | Hyperlapse
Users can now record videos and speed them up something that was incredibly difficult on a smartphone till now
Apps that focus on video recording and connect with social networks have become quite the rage. Facebook’s Slingshot and Instagram’s Bolt (both launched as rivals to the very popular Snapchat) allow users to click and share videos with their contacts. But both apps pale in comparison with Instagram’s latest stand-alone app Hyperlapse, which allows users to quickly record a video, set the playback speed, and save what can now be classified as time-lapse videos. There is also a one-click share feature with social networks—Facebook and Instagram—within the app.
Time-lapse videos haven’t been easy to create on a smartphone till now.
Time lapse is a cinematography technique that relates to the recording of a sequence of frames taken at set intervals, ideally to record movement or changes happening over time. One of the best examples of this technique is of the sun setting over a city, captured in perhaps 10 seconds. When played at normal speed, time appears to be moving faster—known as lapsing.
The interface has been kept unbelievably simple. The app opens directly at the camera interface. No settings, no tweaks, no sign-in needed—nothing that could distract or slow you down. Tap on the on-screen button to start recording, and stop once you are done. When the recording is done, you get the option of changing the playback speed—between 1x and 12x. Sample the playback in all these speeds, and select one. It takes 30 seconds to 1 minute for the app to process and save the final video, depending on the length of the recording. The final screen in the app invites you to share the video directly on Facebook or Instagram. These videos are saved in the multimedia gallery on the phone, and you can share them at any time you want, with any contact or via any app.
Hyperlapse allows for the video playback speed to be set at 1x, 2x, 4x, 6x, 8x, 10x, or 12x. These numbers determine how much faster your original video will be played back. For example, if you record a 30-second video and select the 6x speed, the processed video will be 5 seconds long. Even while shooting a video, the app shows the actual time of the recording, and how much this translates into at the speed you selected for the previous video processing. This gives you a general idea of how long the time-lapse video will be.
Since Hyperlapse is designed as a simple app, it does not have some features. One example is the ability to import any existing videos you may have recorded, and give them the time-lapse treatment.
Instagram has released Hyperlapse for iOS at the moment, specifically for the iPhone and iPad. The app currently works on devices that run iOS 7, and is free to download. There’s no word yet on when the Android version will be available.
Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!