Frames to Timecode Calculator — SMPTE Frame Counter
Enter a frame number and frame rate to get the corresponding SMPTE timecode in HH:MM:SS:FF format, along with elapsed time in seconds. Supports all common broadcast and cinema frame rates from 23.976 to 60 fps.
Frame rate
00:01:12:00
- 1
Frame rate (integer)
round(25) = 25Non-drop-frame timecode divides by a rounded integer fps. - 2
Frame within second
1,800 mod 25 = 0 - 3
Whole seconds elapsed
floor(1,800 ÷ 25) = 72 - 4
Elapsed time
72 + 0 ÷ 25 = 72
How does this calculator work?
SMPTE timecode HH:MM:SS:FF is derived from the frame number by dividing by the integer frame rate (fps) to get seconds, then decomposing into hours, minutes, seconds, and the remaining frames. This calculator handles 23.976 to 60 fps using non-drop-frame counting.
Formula
How this is calculated
SMPTE timecode (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers) identifies a specific frame in a video by its position as HH:MM:SS:FF — hours, minutes, seconds, and frame-within-second. Given a zero-based frame number, the conversion is straightforward: divide the total frame count by the integer frame rate (rounded) to get the total number of whole seconds, then decompose seconds into hours, minutes, and seconds; the remainder frames after the last whole second become the FF component.
This calculator uses non-drop-frame (NDF) timecode for all frame rates. Non-drop-frame is simpler — every second contains exactly fpsᵢₙₜ frames — but at 29.97 fps the actual elapsed time drifts from the clock by about 3.6 seconds per hour because 29.97 is not exactly 30. Broadcast professionals compensate with drop-frame timecode (DF), which skips two frame numbers (not actual frames) at the start of most minutes. For 23.976, 25, and all integer rates the NDF timecode shown here is exact.
If you are working with 29.97 fps broadcast material and need broadcast-accurate timecode, use a dedicated drop-frame calculator. For 24, 25, 30, 48, 50, and 60 fps the result is exact.
Frequently asked questions
SMPTE timecode is a standard set of codes embedded in or alongside a video signal that uniquely labels each frame as HH:MM:SS:FF. It is used in post-production to synchronise audio, video, and effects editing across different systems.
At 29.97 fps the camera records slightly fewer than 30 frames per second, so a non-drop-frame timecode counter runs about 3.6 seconds ahead of real clock time per hour. Drop-frame timecode corrects this by skipping frame numbers 00 and 01 at the start of every minute except every tenth minute, keeping the timecode in sync with the wall clock.
Frame 0 is the very first frame of the video, which corresponds to timecode 00:00:00:00. Frame 1 is the second frame, and so on. Some editing systems display a one-based frame index; subtract 1 from your system's display if your timecode appears one frame off.
Also known as
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. (2026). Frames to Timecode Calculator — SMPTE Frame Counter [Online calculator]. TG we-Calculate. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/frames-to-timecode-calculator
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. "Frames to Timecode Calculator — SMPTE Frame Counter." TG we-Calculate. 2026. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/frames-to-timecode-calculator.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team, "Frames to Timecode Calculator — SMPTE Frame Counter," TG we-Calculate, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://we-calculate.com/calculator/frames-to-timecode-calculator
@misc{wecalculate_frames_to_timecode_calculator, title = {Frames to Timecode Calculator — SMPTE Frame Counter}, author = {{TG we-Calculate Editorial Team}}, howpublished = {\url{https://we-calculate.com/calculator/frames-to-timecode-calculator}}, year = {2026}, note = {TG we-Calculate} }
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