In-Field Camera Calculator · Six Tools for Better Shots
📐What is Tricast?
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Tricast is your in-field camera toolkit — six calculators designed to answer questions ask while shooting.
Timelapse
Set your interval and target clip length. Find out how long to shoot, how many frames, and the correct shutter to avoid flicker.
Astro Settings
Enter your lens and sensor size. Get the maximum shutter before stars trail, plus a recommended ISO and aperture starting point for Milky Way work.
ND Filter
Add a filter and see your new shutter speed. Essential for waterfalls, seascapes, and long exposures in bright light.
Hyperfocal
Find the exact focus point that keeps everything from foreground to infinity sharp. Essential for landscapes, architecture, and astro foreground shots.
Fix My Shot
Tell Tricast what's wrong (blurry, too dark, too grainy) and get a plain-English fix with the dial to turn.
Sunny 16
Pick your lighting condition and ISO — Tricast gives you a table of correct exposures based on the classic Sunny 16 rule.
Plan your timelapse sequence. Set your interval and target clip length — Tricast works out how long you need to shoot, how many frames, and the correct shutter speed to avoid flicker.
Interval between shots5s
How long between each frame
Final clip length10s
How long the finished video will be
Playback framerate24 fps
Frame rate of your final video
Time in the Field
—
Total shoot time required
Frames needed
—
Max shutter speed
—
180° rule — prevents flicker
Storage — RAW
—
~25 MB per frame
Storage — JPEG
—
~5 MB per frame
Adjust the sliders above to plan your session.
Add an ND filter and instantly find your new shutter speed. Tap a common filter strength or dial in exact stops.
Common ND Filters
Base shutter (without filter)1/125s
Your correct exposure before adding the ND
Filter strength10 stops
How many stops of light the filter blocks
New Shutter Speed
—
With ND filter applied
Filter factor
—
Light reduction multiplier
Stops blocked
—
Each stop halves the light
Adjust the sliders to see your new exposure.
Enter your lens and sensor. Tricast gives you the maximum shutter speed before stars trail, your recommended starting aperture and ISO, and how many frames to stack for a clean Milky Way shot.
Sensor size
Focal length24mm
Your actual lens focal length (not crop-adjusted)
Megapixels24 MP
Your camera's resolution — affects the NPF rule
Aperture you'll shoot atf/2.8
NPF is aperture-dependent — use your actual shooting aperture
500 Rule
—
Quick field estimate. Good enough for most shots.
NPF Rule
—
More accurate. Accounts for your resolution & aperture.
Recommended Starting Settings
—
Max shutter before star trails appear (NPF rule)
Aperture
f/2.8
Widest available — maximise light
ISO start point
ISO 3200
Adjust to taste — check histogram
Frames to stack
20
For cleaner shadows & less noise
Crop factor
1.0×
Effective focal length multiplier
Use the NPF rule shutter as your ceiling — go shorter if you see trailing in test shots.
Focus at the hyperfocal distance and everything from half that distance to infinity will be acceptably sharp. Essential for landscapes, architecture, and astro foreground work.
Sensor size
Focal length24mm
Your lens focal length
Aperturef/8
Smaller aperture = closer hyperfocal distance
Focus your lens at
—
Everything from this point to ∞ will be sharp
Near limit of sharpness
—
Half the hyperfocal distance
Far limit
∞
Infinity — everything beyond near limit
Adjust your focal length and aperture to find the right balance for your scene.
Tell Tricast what's wrong with your shot and get a plain-English fix.
What's the problem?
The Sunny 16 rule gives you a reliable starting exposure for any lighting condition. Pick your light, dial in your ISO, and these settings will get you a correct exposure.
What's your light like?
ISOISO 100
Set this to your base ISO — table adjusts around it
Aperture
Shutter Speed
Best for
Select a lighting condition above to see your settings.