"It's worth noting that if you load up an image sequence it reacts just about as fast as video."

This video was from a still image sequence done in Vegas from 2592x1954 still photos.
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheDennisChannel#p/a/u/1/TWXEiGBwIbw

Vegas was quite responsive working with stills as an image sequence.

What was the process of recording 8 hours then speeding it up to a minute?

What is an "image sequence"?

I had a Canon G5 take a photo every 10 seconds under control of a piece of software called GBTimelapse http://www.granitebaysoftware.com/

I started a 1920x1080-24p project in Vegas Pro 9.0d. When I opened the media, I selected the first picture in the folder and at the bottom of the dialog box, I checked the box to open a still image sequence. Vegas then indicated that it would open pictures from 1 through n of the photos in the folder. OK placed the photos on the timeline with each photo equal to one frame. I cropped to 16x9 from the 4x3 AR that the camera shoots. I rendered the timeline out to MXF 35 mbps to have a video to use in future steps rather than going back to the raw photos. To change the duration of the final video, depress Control and move the end of the video on the timeline until you get the duration that you're after.

What is an "image sequence"?

Still Image Sequence. See page 45 in the Vegas Pro 9.0 Manual.

I'm 'winging' it as I'm not anywhere near a video editing workstation.

What software can write this "image sequence"? Anything cheap and easy to use?

It's all Vegas. It can be used to create a video from stills. It's relatively inexpensive and relatively easy to use.
Here is a link where others have discussed it:
http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/forums/ShowMessage.asp?ForumID=4&MessageID=704923

I am using it because I got dragged into a time lapse project. Otherwise, I might never have learned about the function.

"Image Sequence" is very easy to do.
I deal with animators who will give me a sequence (small or large) of stills.
I then use this feature to create a single file (with or without an alpha channel) that I can drop on my Vegas timeline.

Mike

Rather than hijack this thread with an explanation of what image sequences can be used for, I started another thread with a mini-tut and example video here:
http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/forums/ShowMessage.asp?ForumID=4&MessageID=712453

crap. I don't even know what an image sequence is. I was using that to describe a bunch of regular pics in a row.
Like, if i wanted to make a simple slide show in vegas it would take me a year. But 30 minute .avi video with tons of effects and transition..etc.. would be simple and easy.
That doesn't make sense to me and I wondered if there were something i should be doing differently.

Thanks

I don't even know what an image sequence is. I was using that to describe a bunch of regular pics in a row.

that would be a sequence of images. :D

I don't even know what an image sequence is.

Let's say you hired an animator to do a 30 sec. opening animation for you.
The end result could be 900 (30 frames/sec. x 30 sec. = 900) individual images.
Each one would be sequentially numbered from 001 to 900.
You would then save these to a folder on your hard drive.
In Vegas, go File - Import, browse to the image folder, click on the first image in the sequence, click the "Open still image sequence" box at the bottom of this window, click "Open", set any desired parameters and click OK.
All 900 images are now assembled into a single file that can be dropped on your Vegas timeline.
This is just one example.
It could be a series of shots of something you've taken over a period of time (sunrise, sunset, flowers blooming, etc.) that you want to turn into a single video clip.
Follow the procedure I just described and you'll get what you want.

Like, if i wanted to make a simple slide show in vegas it would take me a year.

I find slide shows easier to do than a 30 minute .avi video with tons of effects and transition.
Programs like Excalibur and Ultimate S make doing a slide show very easy.
Drop the images on the timeline, adjust transitions as desired, add FX as desired, add music as desired and you're done.
I do the annual grad video for my kids' grade school and estimate that I spend around 100 hr. on a 15 min. slide show.
The excessive time is not because I'm slow at it.
Rather, it's because I still get a lot of pictures that have to be scanned and then brought into Photoshop for correction first.
Even digital images need correction most of the time but at least I don't have to scan them.
This is probably 75% of my project time.
I'm always astounded/disgusted at the poor quality of some of the pictures I get :-(
There have been some pictures that are so bad that I can't use them.
It's a labour of love though so I keep on doing it.

Mike

Thanks John....I already know about image sequence. But I knew you had to use some type of special software.

Thanks:)