malapse

Malapse is an informal term used in timelapse and time-lapse photography to describe a sequence that looks faulty or disorienting due to bad motion, jitter, or irregular timing. It is considered the opposite of a smooth timelapse or hyperlapse, and is typically the result of technical or practical issues during capture.

Common causes include inconsistent frame spacing from an unstable or faulty intervalometer, camera sleep modes that introduce unintended gaps, or battery issues that interrupt shooting. Auto exposure and auto white balance changes can cause noticeable flicker and brightness shifts between frames. Autofocus hunting, lens breathing, or small camera movements from wind or a loose tripod can also introduce visible jitter. In some cases, rolling shutter effects from electronic shutter use contribute to distorted motion, especially with moving subjects or rapid camera movement.

To reduce the risk of malapse, photographers often shoot in manual mode with fixed exposure and white balance, and lock focus to prevent frame-to-frame changes. A reliable intervalometer or interval shooting script helps maintain consistent frame gaps. Using a sturdy tripod, proper vibration damping, and guarding against environmental movement are important. After shooting, minor flicker correction or stabilization can help in post-processing, but severe malapse may require re-shooting or frame interpolation, which can introduce artifacts.

See also: timelapse, hyperlapse, intervalometer, flicker reduction, stabilization.