Help with Nikon D70 - delay in taking shots

[RachelleFav]

I'm back! I need some help with my camera. I am still learning how to use this thing and so far so good until today. I took it out to take a picture and when I tried to take the shot there was a big delay before the picture took and then the shot was blurred. I had my sb 50 dx on the camera and there was adequate lighting for a picture besides. I also removed the flash to see if that was causing the trouble and then resetting the camera menu to default settings and no luck. It still did it again. Can anyone help with this? I'm sure a button was pressed that should not have been but I can't figure it out. Help please!!! Thanks for any info.

[another view]

So that's how the story ended! I was wondering...

Sounds to me like you might have a short self timer turned on. I don't have a D70, but on my Fuji (Nikon N80 body), there's a dial on the left side of the camera (where the film rewind knob used to be). That's how you put it into self timer mode, and the amount of delay can be changed. I use a 2-second self timer with long shutter speeds on a tripod, instead of a cable release.

That would also explain why it's still doing it after resetting it, too. Maybe the shot is blurry because you are wondering why the shutter hasn't fired, and the shutter fires at the moment when you take the camera away from your eye to see what's going on... (wanna know why I guess this?).

[Sebastian]

When the camera is on single servofocus, it has to lock focus before firing, and that sometimes takes a little while depending on conditions. Maybe that's it?

[natatbeach]

When the camera is on single servofocus, it has to lock focus before firing, and that sometimes takes a little while depending on conditions. Maybe that's it?

if it can't "grab" something to focus it has issues---especially in VERY low or extreme lighting conditions.

[RachelleFav]

So that's how the story ended! I was wondering...

Sounds to me like you might have a short self timer turned on. I don't have a D70, but on my Fuji (Nikon N80 body), there's a dial on the left side of the camera (where the film rewind knob used to be). That's how you put it into self timer mode, and the amount of delay can be changed. I use a 2-second self timer with long shutter speeds on a tripod, instead of a cable release.

That would also explain why it's still doing it after resetting it, too. Maybe the shot is blurry because you are wondering why the shutter hasn't fired, and the shutter fires at the moment when you take the camera away from your eye to see what's going on... (wanna know why I guess this?).

Why do you guess this? It is something I hit accidentally. I went to figure it out last night and there are so many settings I didn't know where to start!!!

[RachelleFav]

Thank you guys. I am going to go check out my settings on this and see what I can come up with. I'll be back in touch.

[RachelleFav]

Thanks. It was in single-servo AF. Apparantly this is the default setting when I previously reset the menu to default settings. I had initially changed it to continuous-servo AF after initially reading the manual so I hadn't had problems before. I always having moving subjects so AF-C is much better for me. Thanks again! Y'all are so helpful.

Rachelle

[Speed]

Why do you guess this? It is something I hit accidentally. I went to figure it out last night and there are so many settings I didn't know where to start!!!

Because he's done it.

Get out your manual, and check the self-timer. Make sure it is turned off.

If that isn't the problem, then go through the basic setup section of your manual. Make sure everything is set where it should be.

And as Seb and Nat mentioned, EVERY autofocus camera, film or digital, will have a delay if it isn't in focus. You said you had plenty of light, so that shouldn't be the cause, unless you were shooting in a low contrast scene. Let us know when you figure it out.

[another view]

Because he's done it

More times than I want to admit!

I've also had a problem with "S" autofocus mode not firing the shutter because it doesn't lock onto something, but in my experience I don't get a delay - I just don't get anything until I refocus the camera (or back up a couple inches if I'm at MFD, etc).

Glad the mystery is solved.

[RachelleFav]

I was confused b/c when I was trying to take a picture of my daughter no luck and then I tried a bit later to take a picture of my husband and it worked. Duh!!! He doesn't move and she won't stay still. Another lesson learned. Thanks for your help.