2019 UPDATE: If you want an amazing new long term time lapse camera, please check out the Afidus ATL-200 at www.AfidusCam.com. We also have a web site dedicated to sales and support of time lapse cameras at www.TimeLapseCameras.com. Customer care is very important to us and we are here to ensure your time lapse project is a success.
Questions pop up from time to time regarding SD Card format, file sizes and what happens when a file gets too big. A few people have expressed concern the camera will shut off, or stop recording once a maximum file size is reached.
My experience with the Brino TLC200 f/1.2 and Pro is the camera will not stop recording until either the card fills completely (32GB max) or the batteries run out.
A Brinno TLC200 Pro, folder screen shot, of a single video recorded in ASAP mode for about 48 hours. At 4.29 GB the maximum file size is reached and a new file is started.
SD cards are typically formatted as FAT 32, which is simply a standard file system compatible with both PCs and Macs. The maximum single file size allowed within FAT 32 is 4.29 GB. Once the recorded AVI file reaches 4.29 GB another file starts.
The camera does not stop recording and nothing changes when a new file is started other than a new file appearing on the card.
4.29 GB is a pretty good size time lapse movie and your files won't split unless you are shooting with short durations or over a long period of time. For reference, a movie shot with one capture every 15 minutes, 24 hours per day, for one month would be about 1 GB and around 1 minute 30 seconds long.
Now the question is what to do with the files. If you want to edit your movie, eliminating some boring content, add some music, etc. using a program like iMovie makes this simple work. In iMovie you can combine, edit and create a polished version of your movie. iMovie is a great simple program for editing time lapses and offers the ability to explore more complex editing. FinalCut, Premier and others work equally well too, even better if you know what you are doing.
If you just want to combine your movie for a simple final result, freeware is available to do this basic task. A search for "AVI Joiner" will provide you with a few options.
BanksPhotos offers a time lapse editing service. If you want a professional feel for your video and you lack the knowledge or skills to do it yourself contact us today and we'll discuss your editing needs.