Film production in Hamilton

Between June and December, usable daylight in Hamilton moves by 6h 22min — from 15h 22min down to 9h 00min. An exterior day in December is a different day from one in June. This page carries sunrise, sunset and golden-hour times for all twelve months.

Light and shooting hours

On 15 June, the sun in Hamilton rises at 05:40 and sets at 21:02; the evening golden hour starts at 20:19 and runs for 43 minutes. By December that shifts to 07:46–16:45, with a 46-minute golden-hour window from 15:59.

In practice, a spread of 6h 22min means a schedule that works here in summer does not work in winter at the same location — with the same setup count, the hours simply are not there.

Sun times for Hamilton — computed for 2026, timezone America/Toronto
MonthSunriseSunsetDaylightGolden hour (evening, from)
January07:4917:109h 20min16:25
February07:1917:5110h 32min17:11
March07:3319:2611h 53min18:48
April06:3820:0213h 24min19:24
May05:5720:3714h 40min19:56
June05:4021:0215h 22min20:19
July05:5420:5815h 05min20:16
August06:2620:2413h 59min19:45
September07:0019:3212h 32min18:54
October07:3418:3811h 04min17:59
November07:1316:579h 43min16:14
December07:4616:459h 00min15:59

Blue hour and shooting windows

Blue hour in Hamilton starts at 21:23 in June and ends at 21:38 — a window of 14 minutes. In December it is 12 minutes from 17:06. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.

Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (19:26) and September (19:32) there are 6 minutes of difference. A schedule running over several weeks cannot work from one fixed "sunset" time.

Planning a shoot here

A schedule that ignores these numbers looks fine on paper and falls over on the day. TillyGen folds sun position, travel and crew availability straight into the schedule — if the exterior no longer fits before sunset in December, the plan says so, not the wrap report.

Frequently asked

When is golden hour in Hamilton?

In June it starts at 20:19 and lasts 43 minutes; in December it starts at 15:59 and lasts 46 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.

How much daylight does a shoot day in Hamilton get?

Between 9h 00min in December and 15h 22min in June. The 6h 22min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.

Which month is best for exteriors in Hamilton?

On daylight length alone, June is strongest with 15h 22min of usable light.