Shutter release is slow, I press the shutter release and the camera doesn't take the photograph for a second or second and a half. I'm in auto or sports settings

You did not say which camera body you are using, but you probably have three different auto-focus modes on you camera. You might be using the wrong one.

The modes are as follows:
AF-A Mode: Camera automatically selects single-servo autofocus when AF-A subject is stationary, continuous-servo autofocus when subject is moving. Shutter can only be released if camera is able to focus. AF-S Mode: For stationary subjects. Focus locks when shutter-release button AF-S is pressed halfway. Shutter can only be released when in-focus indicator is displayed.
AF-C Mode: For moving subjects. Camera focuses continuously while AF-C shutter-release button is pressed halfway. Photographs can be taken even when in-focus indicator is not displayed.

Turn the camera on and look into the view finder while you try to press the shutter button. Check the information in the view finder to see whether you are getting an error message. If you see an error message in the view finder, remove the lens cap and proceed to take a photograph but, instead of pressing the shutter button this time, press the button near the top of the camera on the back which says "AF/AE. If the camera takes the photo it means you have somehow initiated the auto focus/auto exposure lock which the camera will not override when attempting to take a photo using the shutter button. When you use the AF/AE button, you override this system. To remedy this issue, when you get the error message try pressing the shutter button again. Also, remove the lens to see if the shutter inside has frozen in the "locked" position. If you find this to be the case you will need to contact Nikon Customer Support. The link for Nikon Support is below. The numbers are half-way down the page.

http://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/238

You need to press the button half-way first to allow an exposure reading to lock on to.

Besides the auto-flash mode, you can select fill flash, flash off, self-timer, and nighttime-view with or without flash.
Press the MODE-SELECTOR BUTTON until the desired indicator appears on the LCD PANEL.
Fill flash and flash off modes remain selected after you take the picture. To cancel the selection, press the mode-selection button or close and reopen the lens cover/flash to return to the auto-flash mode.
Fill flash
When bright light indoors or outdoors comes from behind the subject (backlighting), dark shadows (especially on faces) may occur. Use fill flash to lighten these shadows.

1. Open the LENS COVER/FLASH to raise the flash and to turn the camera ON.
2. Press the MODE-SELECTOR BUTTON repeatedly until the FILL-FLASH INDICATOR appears on the LCD PANEL.
3. Frame your subject within the VIEWFINDER EYEPIECE.
4. Partially depress the SHUTTER BUTTON. When the FLASH/CAMERA-READY LAMP turns off and the fill-flash indicator on the LCD panel stops blinking, fully depress the shutter button to take the picture.

Flash off
When you do not want to use the flash, especially indoors where flash is prohibited, such as in theaters and museums, or when you want to take twilight scenes or distant subjects that are beyond the flash range, or capture the ambiance of existing light, use the flash-off feature. Use a tripod or place the camera on another firm support, and use high-speed film because the shutter speed in these situations will most likely be slow.

1. Open the LENS COVER/FLASH to raise the flash and to turn the camera ON.
2. Press the MODE-SELECTOR BUTTON repeatedly until the FLASH-OFF INDICATOR appears on the LCD PANEL.
3. Frame your subject within the VIEWFINDER EYEPIECE.
4. Press the SHUTTER BUTTON to take the picture.

Self-timer with auto flash
Use this feature to include yourself in pictures.

1. Use the TRIPOD SOCKET to attach the camera to a tripod or place it on another firm support.
2. Open the LENS COVER/FLASH to raise the flash and to turn the camera ON.
3. Press the MODE-SELECTOR BUTTON repeatedly until the SELF-TIMER INDICATOR appears on the LCD PANEL.
4. Frame your subject within the VIEWFINDER EYEPIECE.
5. Press the SHUTTER BUTTON. The SELF-TIMER LAMP will glow and then blink during the last three seconds of countdown.
   • To cancel the self-timer selection before the shutter releases, close the flash.
   • The self-timer automatically turns off after the shutter releases.

Night-view with flash
In this mode, the camera balances the flash and existing light exposure so you can take beautiful pictures of people at sunset or at night. Use a tripod or place the camera on another firm support, and use high-speed film because the shutter speed at night will most likely be slow.

1. Open the LENS COVER/FLASH to raise the flash and to turn the camera ON.
2. Press the MODE-SELECTOR BUTTON repeatedly until the NIGHTTIME-VIEW INDICATOR with flash appears on the LCD PANEL.
3. Frame your picture in the VIEWFINDER EYEPIECE.
4. Press and hold the SHUTTER BUTTON for 12 seconds without lifting your finger. Note: If you remove your finger from the shutter button before 12 seconds, the shutter will time out immediately.
   
5. After 12 seconds, release the shutter button to take the picture.

Night-view without flas
In this mode, you can capture the natural existing light of city-night scenes or fireworks at night. Use a tripod or place the camera on another firm support, and use high-speed film because the shutter speed at night will most likely be slow.

1. Open the LENS COVER/FLASH to raise the flash and to turn the camera ON.
2. Press the MODE-SELECTOR BUTTON repeatedly until the NIGHTTIME-VIEW INDICATOR without flash appears on the LCD PANEL.
3. Frame your picture in the VIEWFINDER EYEPIECE.
4. Press and hold the SHUTTER BUTTON for 12 seconds without lifting your finger. Note: If you remove your finger from the shutter button before 12 seconds, the shutter will time out immediately.
   
5. After 12 seconds, release the shutter button to take the picture.

The Nikon MC-EU1 Remote Cord is an accessory available for the Nikon COOLPIX 880/885/990/995 4300/4500/5000/5400/5700/8700 cameras. The MC-EU1 Remote Cord is 80 cm long and allows the camera to be fired remotely like a cable release for a film-based camera.

The MC-EU1 Remote Cord's main function is to prevent camera shake. As well as the shutter release function, the MC-EU1 has the following functions.
1. operate the camera's zoom remotely,
2. advance or return images in the playback mode,
3. Controlling interval photography, automatically fire the cameras over a given interval.
Note this is the only Nikon remote cord available NIKON COOLPIX cameras and is only compatible with the cameras listed.

The Nikon MC-EU1 remote cord has two Interval modes, A and B

In Interval Mode A: the first photograph is taken at the start; and subsequent photographs taken at the specified time intervals, thereafter.

In Interval Mode B: the first photograph is not taken until the specified time interval has passed and subsequent photographs taken at the specified time intervals.

These modes can be selected by pressing the MODE button. The device cycles through settings in the order, Remote Mode, Interval Mode A, and Interval Mode B. When the Remote Mode is selected, the LCD panel displays Remote; when Interval Mode A is selected, Interval appears together with the letter A and Interval Mode B is indicated by Interval and the letter B.


The interval Modes, allow you to take photographs one after the other at a selected interval, which can be set in increments of one second to any value from two minutes to twenty-four hours. Interval modes are only available when the camera is in recording mode and cannot be used when the camera is in playback mode.

Setting the Interval

1. Setting the camera to recording mode and the remote cord to Interval Mode A or B, the interval setting will be shown in the remote cord LCD display. Items currently selected for editing will flash. Each time the selection (SEL.) button is pressed, the item selected will change as shown below.


Select the desired time by altering the settings (second [S], minute [M], or hour [H]) one at a time. While the item is flashing, press the down button to decrease the time set, or the up button to increase the time set. The value displayed will change by one each time either button is pressed.

2. After adjusting settings, press the selection button until the display is no longer flashing.

Starting Interval Mode Photography

• Half-pressing the remote shutter-release button has the same effect as half-pressing the shutter-release button on the camera, readying the camera to take a photograph. If the interval is set to less than two minutes when the shutter-release button is half-pressed, the interval display will flash. Choose an interval of two minutes or more.

• Full-pressing the remote shutter-release button has the same effect as full-pressing the shutter-release button on the camera, starting interval mode photography.

• When the camera enters interval mode, it will either take a picture and then begin the count to the next photograph (Interval Mode A), or begin the count to the first photograph (Interval Mode B). The Interval indicator in the LCD display will flash while interval mode is in effect.

Ending Interval Mode Photography

• Half-pressing the remote cord shutter-release button while an interval mode is in progress stops the interval photography.

• Photography will also stop should you run out of available space on the compact flash card; In this case, the number of exposures remaining displayed in the LCD panel will be 000.



The MC-EU1 has a feature that when the zoom button is pressed twice in rapid succesion, the camera will start zooming until this function is cancelled by pushing the button a third time. If this function is not cancelled, no other function is possible with the MC-EU1. If the MC-EU1 does not respond as expected please ensure you have not activated the zoom function.

You need to press the shutter button half-way and allow the camera to lock in the focus before you press the rest of the way. This eliminates "shutter lag".

Are you sure you aren't in the delay setting in drive mode? This camera has 2 delay settings, one for 2 seconds between when you press the shutter and when it takes the photo, and one with 10 seconds delay - often used when you want to be in the photo (e.g. self-portrait or group photo).

If you aren't in the delay mode, then I need to know more about your settings. What shooting mode are you using? What type of photo are you trying to take (portrait, landscape, sports)? Are you shooting indoors, outdoors, bright sunlight, overcast, etc.?

There are two stages to the shutter release. The first stage is the focus stage pressed half way down and the second stage is the actual shutter release. Always press the shutter half way to get the camera focused first then press all the way down when the camera is ready to take the shot. Check to see how the settings are with regard to how it focuses (9-point, face recognition, etc). When the camera focuses you should get a green box or multiple green boxes depending on your settings. That tells you the camera is ready to take the picture. Pressing the shutter all the way down at once from the beginning will cause the pause you describe since the camera has to first focus then shoot the picture. Depending on the subject or subjects the camera may take a second or two longer to focus. With good lighting my G9 focuses pretty fast. Hope this helped.

There are several factors that can contribute to getting better focus and improved results. 1. Auto Focus / Auto Exposure lock. Press the shutter button down HALF WAY. The camera will attempt to adjust exposure to the current lighting environment for maximum benefit. Then the camera will automatically correct the focus based on objects in the center of the display. This process usually takes about two to three seconds. 2. Be sure not to cover the sensor on the front of the camera with your finger. This will disable the automatic focus and exposure controls. 3. Only us the MACRO MODE for CLOSE-UP photography. Be sure to use MACRO MODE if you are taking pictures of an object at less than six inches away. Be sure not to use Macro Mode for Normal Photography. Using MACRO MODE improperly will result in poor focus (also known as 'fuzzy pictures'). 4. Motion can cause a "blur" effect. Either motion of the subject, or motion by the photographer. This phenomenon is just like traditional photography. Moving objects may appear to blur, and this will be even more evident in lower lighting situations as the shutter speed slows down to allow for more light. The shutter will react faster in bright light, and motion will not be as apparent.

There are several factors that can contribute to getting better focus and improved results. 1. Auto Focus / Auto Exposure lock. Press the shutter button down HALF WAY. The camera will attempt to adjust exposure to the current lighting environment for maximum benefit. Then the camera will automatically correct the focus based on objects in the center of the display. This process usually takes about two to three seconds. 2. Be sure not to cover the sensor on the front of the camera with your finger. This will disable the automatic focus and exposure controls. 3. Only us the MACRO MODE for CLOSE-UP photography. Be sure to use MACRO MODE if you are taking pictures of an object at less than six inches away. Be sure not to use Macro Mode for Normal Photography. Using MACRO MODE improperly will result in poor focus (also known as 'fuzzy pictures'). 4. Motion can cause a "blur" effect. Either motion of the subject, or motion by the photographer. This phenomenon is just like traditional photography. Moving objects may appear to blur, and this will be even more evident in lower lighting situations as the shutter speed slows down to allow for more light. The shutter will react faster in bright light, and motion will not be as apparent.