Second hand (or new) time lapse camera with variable zoom lens?

[impulse]

I've been using my SJCam action cameras (SJ6 and SJ7) for time lapse photography for years now, with great results within their lens limits.  Now I'd like to try to find a camera to make time lapse videos at longer ranges, which will require a zoom lens.  That eliminates the obvious like the (highly rated but spendy) GoPro Hero action cameras.  More looking for something like a DLSR or camcorder with variable zoom lenses, that can be externally powered by a charger so battery life doesn't become a limiting factor.  The Photo blogs all recommend big $$$ cameras, but I'm hoping to find something second hand on EBay, where prices are often less than half the new price.

 

Anyone have any favorable experience with time lapse using a DLSR or camcorder?  Preferably, to be able to set the camera up and come back (for example) a week later to take the SD card out...  And preferably with a time lapse feature as opposed to splicing together 1000 individual photos using post production software...

 

 

Edited March 3 by impulse

[Cardano]

Canon 60D with Magic Lantern firmware installed. https://magiclantern.fm/

[impulse]

4 minutes ago, Cardano said:

Canon 60D with Magic Lantern firmware installed. https://magiclantern.fm/

 

Thanks!  That's the idea...  How hard was it to install Magic Lantern?

 

 

[rasg]

Magic Lantern looks mighty interesting and I already have a couple of 60Ds and a 5D MII that I can’t bear to part with and I've wanted to play with timelapse for a long time. Thanks for posting this.

 

To the op. What is your budget and what length zoom are you looking for?

[impulse]

39 minutes ago, rasg said:

To the op. What is your budget and what length zoom are you looking for?

 

As it turns out, it seems I already have a solution with my Nikon D5500.  What threw me was searching for "lapse" (as in time lapse) in the Nikon PDF manual for the camera.  The search didn't turn up any hits.  But this article says that time lapse is a feature for the D5500.

 

https://cameraanalyzer.com/nikon-dslr-camera-timelapse-and-self-timer-settings/

 

Delving further, it seems this article isn't 100% definitive, because several other camera reviews show that the D3300 doesn't support time lapse, but the D5500 does.  Sadly, the camera is in the USA and I'm not.  I probably won't see it for months.  Next time I'm in BKK, I may look for a 2nd hand D5500, though I already have enough DSLR's and lenses, with lenses being the reason I'd prefer to stick with Nikon.  They're pretty spendy.

 

I had already bought a Canon Vixia HF62 camcorder (2nd hand and fixed zoom lens) from EBay, but I also had it sent to my home in the USA where I won't see it for months.  It's also advertised as time lapse capable and has huge zoom.  Looking forward to trying it out off the back deck over Galveston Bay, which is my favorite time lapse experiment in the USA.  I've also got some great time lapse videos from hotel balconies in Thailand, shot with the SJCams.

 

Edited March 8 by impulse

[rasg]

I remember playing with time lapse and cartoons in my teens but it's so much easier now and I fancy having a play around myself. What sort of interval do you use between shots, out of interest or does it depend on your subject?

 

I have a Sony RX10 MKIV that has a an optical 24-1200 zoom that could be interesting. It can be controlled by computer with the Sony app but the limitation is a minimum of ten seconds between each photo. Too long for clouds and stuff.

 

I also have a full frame 5D MKII with the 70-200 mm should be on another level when it comes to image quality and a 3rd party intervalometer is £15 on eBay.

 

I'm also on a mission to sell a load of my stuff that is hardly ever used although I do get an occasional income by renting out some of it through FatLama.