Instagram outs new Hyperlapse app for simple for time-lapse videos


Facebook-owned photo-sharing app Instagram has unveiled a new stand-alone apps geared towards helping users create time-lapse videos.


The new Hyperlapse app, which is iOS-only at launch, allows users to record video using their device’s camera and then play it back at different speeds to give the effect of a time-lapse video.


The playback speed can be anything from 1x12 x the original recording speed, and Instagram boasts that its image stabilisation tech gives the video a ‘cinematic’ effect rather than that of a Benny Hill sketch.


Operation of the app couldn’t be simpler. It has a single shooting button with a time indicator and users can change the exposure and focal point by tapping anywhere in the capture field. Unfortunately videos can only be shot in portrait orientation.


The idea is for users to shoot longer stretches of videos, like sunrises or car journeys and still be able to upload them to Instagram at the faster speeds.


Once the clip has been shot using the app, users can either share it to Instagram or Facebook or save it to the camera roll.


Sending the video to Instagram enables usual array of cropping tools, filters and effects. The fifteen second video limit still applies when saving to Instagram.


The app is a free download from the App Store for iPhone and iPad. There’s no word on when it might arrive for Android devices yet.


The launch comes just weeks after Instagram launched the Bolt app to rival Snapchat. Is this a sign the firm is seeking to cover all bases?


Have you taken the app for a spin yet? Let us know your thoughts below.


Read more: Best Android Camera Apps 2014