Hyperlapse, n;

A technique used in video post-production to steady camera movement that makes exposure seem sped up. Last week, Instagram announced a new app (currently only for iOS) called Hyperlapse, which steadies and smoothes your videos to appear time-lapsed, without all the effort.

Time lapse photography has been around for ages. Filmmakers and photographers have been using the technique for ages to show the bustle of life, and those things that remain constant throughout (see: Baraka and Koyaanisqatsi). Those creators used Steadicams, tracking rigs, and high-exposure cameras, taking days/months/years and thousands of dollars to achieve the high-speed, smooth quality associated with time-lapse. Now, anyone with an iPhone can make short videos, let the Hyperlapse app go over them with steady magic, and have something comparable to those masterpieces that can instantly be shared with your social media network.

Hyperlapse the app works using the smartphone’s gyroscope — a tool that measures movement and direction, allowing you to simply tilt your phone to adjust orientation or to make a wide turn on a driving game, for example. By harnessing this technology, the app can make videos with tons of movement (in all directions) seem smooth and anchored.