Did you know Nokia mobile phones with the S60 platform can be programmed in Python? During my last holiday, I wrote a small program for time lapse photography with my mobile. Here is the result, showing tidal ebbs and flows in Saint-Vaast-la-Hogue and Cancale:
This is the Python program I wrote to take a picture every minute:
#!/usr/bin/python
__description__ = 'Tool to take pictures with a Nokia phone at regular intervals'
__author__ = 'Didier Stevens'
__version__ = '0.1.1'
__date__ = '2009/06/22'
"""
Source code put in public domain by Didier Stevens, no Copyright
https://DidierStevens.com
Use at your own risk
History:
2009/06/17: start
2009/06/22: refactoring
Todo:
Get Threading to work
"""
import camera
import time
import os
timelapseFolder = 'e:\\timelapse\\'
sleepTime = 57
def TakeAndSavePicture():
global timelapseFolder
now = '%04d%02d%02d-%02d%02d%02d' % time.localtime()[0:6]
pic = camera.take_photo()
pic.save(os.path.join(timelapseFolder, now, '.jpeg'))
print 'Picture taken: %s' % now
def Main():
global timelapseFolder
global sleepTime
print 'Timelapse photography started'
if not os.path.isdir(timelapseFolder):
os.mkdir(timelapseFolder)
print 'Timelapse folder created: %s' % timelapseFolder
print 'Wait between pictures %d' % sleepTime
while True:
TakeAndSavePicture()
time.sleep(sleepTime)
if __name__ == '__main__':
Main()
And then I use Avisynth to combine the jpeg pictures in a movie like this (I join pictures 00001.jpg through 00197.jpeg, 5 per second and produce a 25 fps movie):
ImageSource("%05d.jpeg", 1, 197, 5).ChangeFPS(25)
Didier Stevens 
[…] Store for application and extension treats, the more hardcore can simply write their own apps, likeDidier Stevensdid recently. He scribed a simple time lapse photography python script which does exactly what it […]
Pingback by nokia - 61th Edition — Monday 29 June 2009 @ 13:17
Fantastic.! Would you mind sharing your python script, i would love to try it out for myself.
Comment by Micky — Monday 29 June 2009 @ 14:58
@Micky The script is included in the post. Let me know if you need more help.
Comment by Didier Stevens — Monday 29 June 2009 @ 18:43
[…] con S60 possono far girare agevolmente applicazioni scritte in Python. Didier Stevens ne ha scritta una che scatta foto in time […]
Pingback by Un video con immagini in time lapse su S60 con Python | Archivio blog KiAmaNokia - Il blog dei Nokia lovers — Tuesday 30 June 2009 @ 2:15
@Didier, I soo the script, but I don’t know how to install it onto my Nokia. I was looking for a .sis or .sisx file maybe.?
Comment by Micky — Tuesday 30 June 2009 @ 3:44
@Micky. OK, I understand you now. First you have to install Python for S60 on your Nokia, this comes as a .SIS file (read first link in my post).
This installation will also create a Python directory on your Nokia with example programs (like ball.py).
Then save my Python script as timelapse.py in that Python directory.
Start the Python for S60 application, select Options/Run Script and select timelapse.py
When timelapse.py runs on my Nokia, the screen doesn’t get updated, and it’s unresponsive. But the script is taking pictures. Using the cancel button I can stop the Python script, but it can take up to a minute before I get control back.
The script runs indefinitely, until you stop it or you run out of power and the camera gets disabled to save power.
Comment by Didier Stevens — Tuesday 30 June 2009 @ 6:22
Ok, thanks, I will give it a shot.
Regards
Micky
Comment by Micky — Tuesday 30 June 2009 @ 6:33
Where to download this file?
Comment by Roman — Wednesday 1 July 2009 @ 9:29
Just copy and paste it from the post, it’s so small I did not host the file. Let me know if you’ve problems with the copy-paste, I’ll send you a copy then.
Comment by Didier Stevens — Wednesday 1 July 2009 @ 17:30
Thanks for Your work!
Unfortunately I get an Error after hearing the shutter of the Camera:
SymbianError: [Errno -12]
KErrPathNotFound
Can you tell me what I’m doing wrong?
Comment by Mike — Wednesday 8 July 2009 @ 19:39
Do you know if the following message was printed when you started the program:
Timelapse folder created: e:\timelapse\
Maybe you don’t have an e: drive on your mobile?
Comment by Didier Stevens — Wednesday 8 July 2009 @ 19:45
Just to show stop-motion is far from dead … http://vimeo.com/3114617?hd=1
Comment by Joris — Wednesday 15 July 2009 @ 21:51
[…] Quickpost: More Picture-Taking with Python Filed under: Hardware, My Software, Quickpost — Didier Stevens @ 9:24 Per @TimelessP’s request, here’s so more Python code that can be used for time-lapse photography. […]
Pingback by Quickpost: More Picture-Taking with Python « Didier Stevens — Tuesday 21 July 2009 @ 9:25
I had the same problem than #10.
new folder is created.
Help please
Comment by jonn — Wednesday 12 August 2009 @ 15:38
Same as 14.
Which version of Python are you using?
I tried PythonForS60_1_4_5_3rdEd.sis with PythonScriptShell_1_4_5_3rdEd.SIS
thanks
Comment by fozzillo — Friday 14 August 2009 @ 13:54
I have 1.4.5 final I’ll e-mail you for some tests.
Comment by Didier Stevens — Thursday 20 August 2009 @ 6:43
[…] Update — Didier Stevens @ 14:51 I’ve debugged the issues some people had with my Nokia time lapse Python script, you can find a new version here. Leave a […]
Pingback by Update: Time Lapse Photography with a Nokia Mobile « Didier Stevens — Friday 21 August 2009 @ 14:51
For those experiencing issues with the code, take a look here at the new version: https://blog.didierstevens.com/2009/08/21/update-time-lapse-photography-with-a-nokia-mobile/
Comment by Didier Stevens — Friday 21 August 2009 @ 14:56
YES!
Updated version 0.1.2 works on my 5800!
Good job!
Thank you very much.
P.S.
Pictures are taken in 640×480, would be great to have higher resolutions, maybe with a parameter to edit inside the script (no dialog) if you can.
Comment by Fozzillo — Saturday 29 August 2009 @ 17:44
I’ll put that in the todo list
Comment by Didier Stevens — Sunday 30 August 2009 @ 19:24
I came across this the other day added some code to allow selection of delay and resolution (based on another script I found online):
….
import appuifw
import camera
import time
import os
sleepTime = appuifw.query(u”Enter time between each photo:”, “number”)
imageSizesDisplay = [u’2048,1536′,u’1600,1200′,u’1152,864′,u’640,480′]
imageSizes = [(2048,1536),(1600,1200),(1152,864),(640,480)]
imageSizeSelect = appuifw.selection_list(choices=imageSizesDisplay)
timelapseFolder = ‘E:\\timelapse\\’
def TakeAndSavePicture():
global timelapseFolder
now = ‘%04d%02d%02d-%02d%02d%02d’ % time.localtime()[0:6]
pic = camera.take_photo (size=imageSizes[imageSizeSelect])
filename = os.path.join(timelapseFolder, now) + ‘.jpeg’
pic.save(filename)
print ‘Picture taken: %s’ % now
print ‘File: %s’ % filename
….
For some reason I had to have the “E:” in caps to avoid the “SymbianError: [Errno -12] KErrPathNotFound” mentioned above
the code i added was from this post: http://blog.umlungu.co.uk/blog/2007/jan/21/python-s60-time-lapse-photography-using-nokia-n80/
Comment by Milo — Saturday 27 March 2010 @ 0:33
@Milo Thanks!
Comment by Didier Stevens — Saturday 27 March 2010 @ 10:18
Thanks for the script, Works great!!
isn’t it possible to create a similar script for auto exposure bracketing (AEB), to create HDR Images?
Comment by Kodex — Thursday 3 February 2011 @ 1:57
@Kodex I don’t have that feature on my Nokia.
Comment by Didier Stevens — Friday 4 February 2011 @ 7:07