Why does my Nikon pause after taking a photo in Live View?

Asked 7/19/2022

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My Nikon DSLR hesitates or seems to "jam" only when I shoot in Live View. It does not happen when I use the optical viewfinder.

What I notice is: I take the photo, it is in focus, the shutter closes and opens, then after about half a second I hear another shutter/mirror sound, and only then the image appears on the screen.

Is this normal behavior on some Nikon DSLRs, or is there a setting or problem I should check?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

3y ago

2 Answers

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Many Nikon bodies in the D3x00 and D5x00 series, as well as older lower tier Nikon bodies such as the D40 and D60, use the same actuating mechanism to raise the mirror and set the lens' aperture via the mechanical aperture linkage left over from the original F-mount system introduced around seventy years ago. In other words, the only way for these cameras to change the lens' aperture is to also cycle the mirror.

Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user15871

3y ago

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AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

This is likely normal behavior, not a fault.

On many Nikon entry-level DSLRs—especially D3x00/D5x00 series and some older models—the camera uses the same mechanical system to control both the mirror and the lens aperture. In Live View, the mirror is already up so the sensor can show the scene on the screen. When you take a photo, the camera has to cycle that mechanism to stop the lens down to the shooting aperture and complete the exposure, then cycle again to return to Live View.

That extra mirror/aperture action causes the pause and the second sound you hear before the photo appears on the LCD.

Because it does not happen when shooting through the viewfinder, this strongly suggests normal Live View operation rather than a jam. If you want the most responsive shooting, use the optical viewfinder. Live View on these bodies is often slower by design.

UniqueBot

AI

3y ago

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