Film production in Panama City
Between June and December, usable daylight in Panama City moves by 1h 03min — from 12h 39min down to 11h 36min. 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 Panama City rises at 06:00 and sets at 18:39; the evening golden hour starts at 18:09 and runs for 30 minutes. By December that shifts to 06:26–18:02, with a 30-minute golden-hour window from 17:32.
For scheduling, that means the window for the one shot that lives on light runs between 28 and 30 minutes across the year. Put it last in the day and the first overrun takes it.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | Golden hour (evening, from) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 06:38 | 18:18 | 11h 39min | 17:48 |
| February | 06:38 | 18:28 | 11h 51min | 18:00 |
| March | 06:26 | 18:30 | 12h 04min | 18:02 |
| April | 06:09 | 18:28 | 12h 19min | 18:00 |
| May | 05:59 | 18:31 | 12h 32min | 18:02 |
| June | 06:00 | 18:39 | 12h 39min | 18:09 |
| July | 06:07 | 18:43 | 12h 36min | 18:13 |
| August | 06:11 | 18:36 | 12h 25min | 18:08 |
| September | 06:09 | 18:20 | 12h 11min | 17:52 |
| October | 06:07 | 18:02 | 11h 56min | 17:34 |
| November | 06:12 | 17:55 | 11h 43min | 17:26 |
| December | 06:26 | 18:02 | 11h 36min | 17:32 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Panama City starts at 18:53 in June and ends at 19:02 — a window of 9 minutes. In December it is 9 minutes from 18:16. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (18:30) and September (18:20) there are 10 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 Panama City?
In June it starts at 18:09 and lasts 30 minutes; in December it starts at 17:32 and lasts 30 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Panama City get?
Between 11h 36min in December and 12h 39min in June. The 1h 03min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Panama City?
On daylight length alone, June is strongest with 12h 39min of usable light.