Shutter Timer on D90, not always taking a photo...

[NeilF]

I tried some time elapsed photos using a timer I bought off an auction site.

The timer seems to be identical to loads out there.

I noticed that every now and then it seems to miss 2-3 shots. eg: Every 10 seconds it takes a photos, but every now and then it seems to skip 1 or 2 of these photos so there will be a 20-30second jump instead of just 10?

Anyone else experienced this?

I suspect it's the camera deciding not to shoot for some reason? I know sometimes if I press the shutter and don't hold it down it won't take a shot, almost like the autofocus needs a split second to adjust? Wondering if the timer is sending out a 'quick' shutter command, and the camera doesn't react (focus) in time so skips the shot?

 

[Nexus]

Well first things to rule out are....

If you are shooting a timelapse, then you want the camera set to manual focus, that way it takes it as soon as the shutter command is sent, plus it also won't hunt for focus which could cause it not to take a shot if something distracts it.

How are you recording the shots?
To memory card? Or tethered to a computer?

If you are taking shots at a fairly regular interval and you are missing shots, it could be down to your camera and/or memory card. If it reaches the buffer and hasn't finished recording between intervals, it may well lead to a few missed shots.

 

[NeilF]

Well first things to rule out are....

If you are shooting a timelapse, then you want the camera set to manual focus, that way it takes it as soon as the shutter command is sent, plus it also won't hunt for focus which could cause it not to take a shot if something distracts it.

How are you recording the shots?
To memory card? Or tethered to a computer?

If you are taking shots at a fairly regular interval and you are missing shots, it could be down to your camera and/or memory card. If it reaches the buffer and hasn't finished recording between intervals, it may well lead to a few missed shots.

Ah! The auto focus is a good one! I'll take a shot first manually to focus it, then switch the camera to manual. Maybe it is hunting!?

My logic says the command from the timer would be a command that the camera would carry out no matter what! Even if it takes a few seconds. But I'm wondering if it's more akin just to pressing/holding the shutter down, and if that only goes on for a fraction of a second, and the camera hasn't taken a picture by then... Then it doesn't...

 

[Snapshot]

All the timer does is close the same electrical contacts that the shutter release does but without the half-press to set the focus. If you're doing anything unattended, you must set the camera to manual focus. For your own shooting you should also learn the difference between single-servo AF and continuous-servo AF as it should explain why the camera won't always take a shot.

 

[NeilF]

All the timer does is close the same electrical contacts that the shutter release does but without the half-press to set the focus. If you're doing anything unattended, you must set the camera to manual focus.

I think you've (we've) deduced the problem then - I suspect, with the time elapse in question, which was of the sky, maybe the sky had a lack of detail (ie: all blue or all grey) so the camera couldn't focus? Hence the shot was missed?

For your own shooting you should also learn the difference between single-servo AF and continuous-servo AF as it should explain why the camera won't always take a shot.

Mine was set to AF-A which is automatically work out which.


In future I'll manually focus etc... Thanks!