How to take multiple shots in Self-Timer Mode

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Multiple shots in Self-Timer Mode

Shyam (Delhi, India) asked : I set my camera setting to take multiple shots in self timer mode but when I go out and take a picture, it takes only one shot. what am I doing wrong here?

First of all I find this question little bit incomplete. You didn’t mention whether you are trying to shoot in day light condition or dark night and if you are using external flash unit or not. If you are shooting in dark night and using external flash unit, then you might have to check couple other settings which I will describe a bit later. First lets go step by step on how to setup your camera setting to shoot multiple shots in self-timer mode.

Camera Settings for Self-Timer Mode

I am taking reference of Nikon D90 but I believe these camera settings are same for almost every Nikon DSLR camera. It is possible that you may find buttons and menu options in different places but you will get it anyway.

1. Press Menu button on the back of camera and go to CSM (Custom Setting Menu).

2. Use multi-selector button and go to c Timers/AE lock menu.

3. Go to the option c3 and select Self-timer and you will see two options inside.

4. First option, Self-timer delay allows you to set time after how many seconds camera should take a shot and available values are 2s, 5s, 10s, 20s.

4. And the next option is Number of shots you want to take in self-timer mode. You can choose between 1 and 9 shots.

Nikon D90 Self-Timer Mode

5. Optionally you can select CL (Continuous Low) mode shooting speed (1fps, 2fps, 3fps and 4fps) into CSM->Shooting/display->d6 (CL mode shooting speed).

6. Finally you have to change shooting mode into self-timer mode (with burst shooting). You can do that my pressing button on the top (right to LCD screen which has wireless remote and self-timer icon) while rotating mode dial until you see burst mode with clock (self-timer) icon.

If you have already done all these setup and still not getting multiple shots in self-timer mode, now you have to check your camera’s Autofocus Mode. When you are shooting in burst mode, you probably want to use Autofocus mode AF-C or AF-A. And if you are shooting in dark night with external flash units on, you may not get multiple shots because of recycle time for flash. Once you take a shot, flash may take few seconds to recycle itself and if you are shooting with 4fps setting, its hard to get that shooting speed with external flash units.