Nikon D300 Complete Manual page 427

• Autofocus is attempted immediately upon shutter release
and exposure locked. If you stand in front of the camera
and press the shutter release (as you might do before
assuming your position away from the camera in a self-
portrait), the camera focuses on you standing just in front
of the camera; it doesn't wait until you have assumed your
position and the delay has completed! I always trigger
self-timer shots from alongside the camera, and then move
to position in front of the camera; alternatively, I'll move
the autofocus selector switch to manual focus.
• Unlike some Nikon bodies, pictures are taken if autofocus
fails. This sometimes catches Nikon pros by surprise, as
they expect the camera to not activate until focus is
achieved. Moreover, focus can be started again or
modified during the self timer countdown. This is actually
the behavior I want the camera to exhibit, but it is
different than on some other Nikon bodies.
• Exposure may be wrong in automatic exposure modes.
Stray light can enter the viewfinder and influence
exposure settings when using the self timer. Be sure to use
the Eyepiece cap on the viewfinder if you won't be
looking through the camera when the exposure is taken
(or use manual exposure mode). And yes, this is a real
problem—I've seen exposures vary by more than a full
stop!
• Bulb can't be used with the self timer. The D300
automatically cancels bulb shutter speeds and uses 1/3
second instead. (BULB still appears as the shutter speed!)
• If you press the Depth of Field Preview button while the
self timer is active and counting down, the Depth of Field
Preview button won't work. Indeed, it appears that there's
a bug in the firmware: the Depth of Field button won't
work again after the Self Timer has been activated, at least
not until you've pressed the shutter release again partway.
Tip: A few photographers have bemoaned the fact that they
can't set the Self Timer and Mirror-Up simultaneously, as
they're controlled by different positions on the same dial.
Surprise, you can! Mirror-Up actually acts as a 30-second
Thom Hogan's Complete Guide to the Nikon D300
V1.02
Page 427