Brinno TLC100 Time Lapse HD Video Camera

While I have successfully captured fantastic videos with 5 minutes between snapshots and 30 minutes, I have only a 67% success rate. 2 of the 6 videos came out all black. 70MB file, all black, 240 MB file, all black.... I cant figure out why this happened, but it certainly is something to be wary of if you are capturing once in a lifetime events.

Great little time lapse camera.

The camera is so easy to set up and begin time lapse photography.

The camera comes with a flash drive that has two programs.

1. A .exe camera set-up file. This will allow you to set the local date and time and a few simple camera settings. Outdoor/or indoor lighting? Compensates for fluorescent lights, incandescent or none (outdoors). Low light on/off? This is so it doesn't take pictures in complete darkness. It also allows for one custom time interval for time lapse picture taking. NOTE: You can't use a Mac to tweak a .exe file (without running windows on a Mac).

2. A simple video viewer program to view the time lapse video created by the camera. The camera creates .avi format files. They can be viewed on a PC using the Brinno program. It will also allow you to move through the video file one still picture at a time. I haven't figured out how to take one or several still pictures out of the .avi file for use as separate pictures. You don't have to use the Brinno software to view the .avi file. Almost any program capable of viewing video files should work. Quicktime works too.

NOTE: Each time you turn the camera on/off it will create a separate .avi time lapse video. This means that you will need to be familiar with how to use a video editing software program to combine the files into one longer/complete video. This is important if you are planning on a long project (home construction). I'm currently practicing with iMovie to combine the .avi files, adjust timing, add music, trailers, etc. It is simple to move the files from the flash drive via Mac/Finder or Windows/Explorer.

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We recently purchased this camera to create a time lapse video of our house being built. Right out of the box, it was very simple to use. It only took a couple minutes to take our first photos. The software was just as easy, so viewing our first attempt was also user friendly. We have not used it outdoors for any prolong period of time; this with be an important test for us, as we hope to leave it outside for several weeks. But my first impressions are really favorable and I believe it will continue to perform well.

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Not a bad camera but...

You have to set the Time and Date EVERY time you are going to use it. AT the time you are going to use it.

You have to take the Thumb Drive out Set the Thumb Drive and put it in and Start it right away.

Seems they were sure anyone that is, or would be using this camera would be setting up the Thumb drive and would be placing it straight from Laptop to the Camera and then turning the Camera On.

If you wait 30 minutes, your pictures will be 30 minutes behind.

The time is stamped on or from the thumb drive not the camera. Just annoying if you ask me.

And meant for NOTHING but MOUNTED, LONG TERM Captures.

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Update 2/26/13

I would not recommend this product IF you appreciate good design leading to good output. The camera does what it was intended to do, mostly, but it is not an easy path the user must take to get there. For example, the lack of a viewfinder makes framing the scene a hit-and-miss proposition as you must set it up, take a shot or two, review the shots, set it back up, wash, rinse repeat. Also, to change the rate at which shots are taken means you have to take off the back cover, remove the USB stick and use a thumbwheel; or plug the USB stick into your computer and have the software set the rate. Even then you have to move the thumbwheel to the "custom" setting, replace the USB stick and mount the rear cover, and THEN turn it back on. Finally, as I noted before, it is sometimes difficult to know whether you even turned the camera on and it is taking shots. More than once I was disappointed to discover that there was nothing on the USB stick. I'm just not impressed with this product AT THE PRICED I BOUGHT IT. If it were $50 then I could more easily forgive poor design. I"m dropping this item from 3 stars to 2.

I literally just got it out of the box, set it up and it's now (hopefully) recording. That was all very easy and I think they did a great job of packaging and including the batteries and USB stick. However, see a couple of design flaws:

1. No viewfinder. As someone mentioned in another review, this might be a serious limitation. I've got an idea of what I'm capturing but there's no way to know until I grab the USB stick and plug it into my laptop. We'll see if this is a fatal flaw.

2. There's no way to know (that I know of) if it's actually recording. It would be nice to have it beep or make some noise or something. As it is now, I have it set on my office's window sill pointing out to the forest so I have no way of seeing the LED on the front. I guess I'll find out in a few minutes.

I will update this review as I gain more experience with it. I hope it's a good replacement for my DSLR as I hate to "waste frames" doing time lapse with it and an intervalometer.

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