What is Nikon's exposure delay mode for?

Nando, this is stated in my camera's manual. So the aim seems to be to prevent blur caused by camera shake.
Quote:

In situations where the slightest camera movement can lead to blurry photos, the shutter speed can be delayed by approximately 0.2 to 3 seconds after the shutter-release button is pressed.

An icon appears in the shooting display when an option other than [ Uit ] is selected.

End of quote.
Regards, Hanry

Nikon’s Exposure Delay Mode (found in the Custom Setting Menu, often under d4) reduces camera shake by creating a 0.2 to 3-second pause between pressing the shutter and the photo being taken. This allows vibrations from the mirror flip or button press to subside, ensuring sharper images on tripods, particularly for landscapes and macro shots.

MacBigfoot wrote on Friday 17 April 2026 at 23:48  | reply

I come across something about ‘micro blur’:
It goes too far for me to translate or quote the article:
https://vuegraphy.com/difference-between-timer-and-exposure-delay/

I wonder if you can actually see it, I’m also hearing about it for the first time. But it basically comes down to the camera generating micro-vibrations that become visible with high-megapixel cameras.

I don't have that option on my Nikon D5300 (DSLR). But it does seem useful to me. Maybe I'm not doing something right, but I have to activate the self-timer again after taking a photo every time. That's why I use the remote control to prevent vibrations when pressing the shutter button on the camera. Perhaps that's what this option is intended for?

The self-timer only works in Single mode. I always use Continuous mode and then the self-timer doesn't work but the delay mode does. So I don't have to select Single mode first.

Hello Nando, I submitted your question to Nikon Belgium and below you will find the answer to your question, there is indeed a difference, even if it is only minimal. Regards Thierry.

Dear Thierry,

Thank you very much for your question. We have looked into this for you and discussed it with our support team. Below you will find a clear explanation of the difference between the two functions.

Exposure Delay Mode

The primary purpose of Exposure Delay Mode is to minimise vibrations caused by internal camera mechanisms.

When you press the shutter-release button, focus, exposure and aperture are locked immediately.

The camera then waits for a short, adjustable delay (0.2 to 3 seconds) before the shutter actually opens.

All mechanical actions have therefore already been completed before the exposure begins, allowing any vibrations to completely die down.

This mode is specifically designed for vibration reduction and is ideal for tripod and landscape photography.

Self-timer

The self-timer is mainly intended to give you time to get into position or to avoid touching the camera during the exposure.

After pressing the shutter-release button, a countdown follows (e.g. 2, 5 or 10 seconds) before the photo is taken.

Unlike Exposure Delay Mode, the camera only locks focus, exposure and aperture at the end of the countdown, which means that mechanical actions such as closing the aperture still take place just before the exposure and can thus cause small vibrations.

The self-timer is also less discreet, because it has a flashing light and sometimes a beep during the countdown.

In short:
- Use Exposure Delay Mode for maximum sharpness on a tripod, it is faster, quieter and more accurate at eliminating vibrations.

- Use the self-timer when you need time to physically prepare yourself for or participate in a photo.

- If you are already using a remote control, the self-timer is largely unnecessary.

We hope this clarifies the difference. Should you have any further questions, we will be happy to assist you.



Kind regards,

Victor V.