How many images can I capture?

Free users can capture up to 1,800 images per session (1 minute of video at 30 FPS). Pro users have unlimited images per session.

What's the difference between MP4 and GIF?

MP4 is full quality with smaller file size, best for sharing. Animated GIF loops automatically and works everywhere but has larger file size and 256 color limit.

Where are my images and videos stored?

Images are uploaded to AWS S3 in EU Ireland. Videos are generated server-side. Free users' data is stored for 7 days, Pro users for 30 days.

Can I upload existing photos instead of capturing live?

Yes! Pro users can drag-and-drop existing photos. The chunked upload engine handles thousands of files. JPEG and PNG formats are supported.

Help — Lapseleap

Q: How do I cancel my subscription?

Go to Settings and click Manage Subscription to open the Paddle customer portal where you can cancel. You keep Pro access until the end of your billing period.

1

Sign in

Go to lapseleap.com and click Sign In / Sign Up. You can sign in with Google or create an account with your email. It's free.

2

Allow camera access

When the app opens, your browser will ask for camera permission. Click Allow. You'll see a live preview from your webcam.

3

Choose your settings

Select a camera, resolution, and capture interval. Not sure? Pick the Medium (7s) preset — it works great for sunsets and weather.

4

Start capturing

Hit the Start button. The app will capture a frame at your chosen interval. Watch the frame counter and progress bar as images accumulate.

5

Create your video

When you're done, click Stop, then Create Video or Create GIF. Your time-lapse is processed in the cloud and ready to download in seconds.

Built-in webcam

Works out of the box in all browsers. Just allow camera access when prompted. If you have multiple cameras, use the dropdown to select the right one.

USB webcam

Plug in and it should appear in the camera dropdown. If it doesn't appear, click the ↻ refresh button next to the dropdown. On Mac, check System Settings → Privacy & Security → Camera to ensure your browser has permission.

iPhone as remote camera (Continuity Camera)

Apple's Continuity Camera lets you use your iPhone's camera wirelessly from your Mac. Requirements:

Mac: macOS Ventura (13) or later
iPhone: iOS 16 or later
Both devices signed into the same Apple ID with two-factor authentication
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled on both devices
Continuity Camera turned on: iPhone → Settings → General → AirPlay & Continuity → Continuity Camera
iPhone must be locked (screen off) and nearby your Mac

Important: Safari is required for Continuity Camera — Chrome and Firefox cannot detect iPhone cameras on macOS.

Troubleshooting: black screen

If the camera appears but shows a black screen:

Make sure your iPhone is locked (press the side button)
Wait 5–10 seconds after selecting — the first connection takes a moment
Toggle Continuity Camera off and on in iPhone settings
Click the ↻ refresh button next to the camera dropdown
As a last resort, restart your Mac to re-initialize camera services

Troubleshooting: camera not listed

Open Photo Booth or FaceTime — if the camera appears there, it's a browser permission issue
Check System Settings → Privacy & Security → Camera and ensure your browser is allowed
Quit your browser completely (Cmd+Q) and reopen — browsers cache the device list at launch
After a macOS upgrade, run: sudo killall avconferenced in Terminal, wait 15 seconds, then reopen your browser

Which browser should I use?

Safari is required for iPhone Continuity Camera. Chrome and Firefox work well for built-in Mac cameras and USB webcams. If you want to use your iPhone as a remote camera, use Safari.

What you need

Raspberry Pi 3, 4, or 5
USB webcam (e.g., Logitech) or Pi Camera Module (CSI)
MicroSD card (8 GB or larger)
WiFi network (2.4 GHz recommended)
Power supply for the Pi

Step 1: Add a device

Go to the Devices page in the Lapseleap app. Click Add Device, give it a name, and enter your WiFi network name and password.

Step 2: Download the config and image

After creating the device, download two things:

lapseleap.json — configuration file with your device credentials and WiFi details
Pi OS image — pre-configured Raspberry Pi OS with the Lapseleap agent built in

Step 3: Flash the SD card

Use Raspberry Pi Imager or a similar tool to flash the downloaded image onto your SD card. Then copy the lapseleap.json file to the bootfs partition (the FAT32 partition that shows up when you insert the card into your computer).

Step 4: Boot and go

Plug in your USB webcam, insert the SD card, and power on the Pi. It will automatically:

Connect to your WiFi network
Install required packages (first boot only, takes ~1 minute)
Detect your camera
Register with your Lapseleap account
Start capturing photos at the configured interval

The device will appear as active on the Devices page within a couple of minutes.

Alternative: install on existing Pi OS

If you already have Raspberry Pi OS running, you can install the agent with one command:

        curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/tiitpaananen/lapseleap/dev/pi-agent/install.sh | sudo bash
      

Then copy lapseleap.json to /boot/firmware/ and reboot.

Live preview

Click on a device on the Devices page to see a live preview stream from the Pi camera. Frames are streamed in real-time via WebSocket — no cloud storage involved. You can also start/stop capture and change settings remotely.

Troubleshooting

Device stuck on "provisioning" — check that WiFi SSID and password are correct in lapseleap.json. Use a 2.4 GHz network; some Pi models have issues with 5 GHz.
No camera detected — make sure the USB webcam is plugged in before booting. For CSI cameras, check the ribbon cable connection.
Device shows offline — power-cycle the Pi. Check that your WiFi router is reachable. The Pi sends a heartbeat every 60 seconds.
Changing WiFi network — update the SSID and password in lapseleap.json on the bootfs partition and reboot the Pi.

🖥️ Resolution

Higher resolution means sharper video but larger file sizes.

Option	Pixels	Best for
320×240	76,800	Quick tests, preview runs, low bandwidth
640×480	307,200	Standard quality, good balance of size and detail
1280×720 (HD)	921,600	High quality — the default. Recommended for most use cases
1920×1080 (Full HD)	2,073,600	Maximum detail. Pro only. Ideal for large-screen playback

🎬 Scene presets

Presets set the capture interval automatically. You can still adjust it manually after selecting a preset.

Preset	Interval	Best for
Fast-moving	2 seconds	Clouds, crowds, traffic, busy streets
Medium	7 seconds	Sunsets, sunrises, weather changes
Slow	60 seconds	Construction, art projects, cooking
Very slow	24 hours	Plant growth, seasonal changes, long projects

⏱️ Capture interval

The time between each captured frame, in seconds. Set any value from 1 second upward. The final video plays at 30 FPS, so 300 images = 10 seconds of video, 1800 images = 1 minute of video.

🎯 Motion detection PRO

When enabled, the camera only captures frames when motion is detected in the scene.

Sensitivity	Threshold	Best for
High	1% pixel change	Subtle motion — plants, shadows, slow movement
Medium	2% pixel change	General use — people, traffic, weather
Low	5% pixel change	Large motion only — ignore vibrations or flicker

A 5-second cooldown continues capturing after motion stops, preventing abrupt cuts.

📥 Output formats

Format	Type	Best for
MP4 Video	H.264 video file	High quality playback, sharing, presentations
Animated GIF	GIF image sequence	Social media, Slack, quick previews

Free users can capture up to 1,800 images per session, producing up to 1 minute of video at 30 FPS. Pro users have unlimited images per session, so your video length is only limited by how long you capture. You can start a new session at any time.

MP4 (Video) — Full quality, smaller file size. Best for sharing and viewing.
Animated GIF — Loops automatically, works everywhere. Larger file size and lower color depth (256 colors). Best for short, sharable clips.

No — the browser tab must stay open and active during capture. Closing or navigating away will stop the capture. Keep the tab open and your device awake. On a laptop, adjust your sleep timer in System Settings → Displays.

Images are uploaded to a secure cloud server (AWS S3 in EU Ireland) as they're captured. Videos are generated server-side and available for download when processing is complete. Free users' data is stored for 7 days, Pro users for 30 days. You can download or delete your data anytime from the Settings page.

Motion detection is a Pro feature that makes the camera skip frames when nothing is moving. It compares consecutive frames pixel-by-pixel and only saves a frame when enough pixels have changed. A 5-second cooldown continues capturing after motion stops. Especially useful for wildlife, security, or construction captures.

Every frame captured during a session counts as one image. At 30 FPS playback, Free users can create up to 1-minute videos (1,800 images). Pro users have unlimited images per session, so your video length is only limited by how long you capture.

Yes! Pro users can drag-and-drop existing photos onto the upload zone. The chunked upload engine handles thousands of files without freezing your browser. JPEG and PNG formats are supported. Files are sorted by name to maintain order.

Go to Settings and click Manage Subscription. This opens the Paddle customer portal where you can cancel. You keep Pro access until the end of your current billing period. See our Refund Policy for details.

Still need help?

Can't find what you're looking for? Send us an email and we'll get back to you.

info@lapseleap.com

Help Center

Getting Started

Camera Setup

Raspberry Pi

App Settings

FAQ

🚀 Getting started