How to Fix 'Press Shutter Release Button Again' Error on a Nikon DSLR

Have you ever encountered an error message on your Nikon DSLR camera that says “Press Shutter Release Again”, but no matter how many times you press the shutter button, it won’t take a picture? This error can be frustrating, especially if you’re on vacation or in the middle of an important photo shoot.

To fix this issue, you’ll need a few basic tools: a small screwdriver, a toothpick, a can of spray grease (or any general-purpose light-duty grease), tissue paper, and a clean, dust-free workspace. With these tools, you’ll be able to diagnose and fix the problem yourself, saving you time and money.

In this post, we’ll guide you through various methods you can use to get your camera working again and reveal the biggest opportunity for new photographers in 2024.

1. Try Factory Reset

Like rebooting your computer, a factory reset can often fix the “Press Shutter Release Button Again’ error. This isn’t a new idea – even in the early days of photography, cameras sometimes needed to be reset to their default settings. Think back to the first digital cameras in the 1970s, like the Kodak Digital Camera from 1975. If it malfunctioned, you had to manually reset it.

However, If you don’t know how to reset your camera, You can find the instructions in your manual. If you don’t have your manual handy, you can easily find it online. For example, if you have a Nikon D3200 or D3100, you’ll need to manually choose the reset option in the Shooting Menu and the Setup menu. Here’s how:

Press ‘Menu’ and select the Shooting Menu.
Scroll through the options until ‘Reset Shooting Options’ is highlighted.
Press ok, then highlight ‘Yes’ and press ok again.

Repeat this process for the Setup menu.
By doing this, you could restore your camera to its original settings, just like it came out of the factory. It’s a simple solution that can often fix the problem and get you back to taking great photos.

Check out this blog post if your camera also shows shutter release disabled.

2. Service the Gear Motor

If a routine factory reset doesn’t work, servicing your camera’s gear motor is a good option to resolve the ‘Press Shutter Release Button Again’ error. It starts with removing the battery from the camera to prevent any accidental power-ons. Next, you remove the bottom base cover plate by unscrewing the 9 screws, working clockwise from the battery compartment.

Then, remove all the screws holding the base cover, followed by the screws around the lens mount in a systematic clockwise order. Place all the screws on a piece of tissue paper to keep them organized. By following these steps, you’ll be able to access the gear motor operating the shutter.

With the gear motor exposed, you can now service it by cleaning and lubricating it as needed. Once you’ve completed the servicing, reassemble everything in reverse order, making sure all screws are securely tightened.

If you make the mistake of failing to tighten your screws, your experience might be like that of an optimistic photographer who wanted to fix his camera’s “Press Shutter Release Again” error, and following the steps to service the gear motor, he removed his camera’s battery, unscrewed the bottom base cover plate, and cleaned the motor with precision. However, in his haste to finish, he neglected to tighten the screws properly when reassembling the camera.

Confident that his camera was fixed, he headed to a wedding shoot, but his excitement was short-lived. As he began capturing the ceremony, the camera’s base plate suddenly detached, causing the gear motor to malfunction again. The “Press Shutter Release Again” error reappeared, and the wedding guests chased him away with ridicule.

You might need to see this blog post, if you’re having other shutter release errors.

3. Clean the Shutter Gear Mechanism

In your battle with ‘Press Shutter Release Button Again’ Error you should also consider cleaning the shutter gear mechanism alongside servicing the gear motor. So to get this done, first, remove the camera’s base plate to expose the shutter motor mechanism, revealing the gear responsible for operating the shutter.

Then, use a toothpick to lightly move the gear upwards until friction is felt, then stop and move it downwards while inspecting for contamination and smoothness.

If contamination is suspected, use a magnifying glass to get a closer look at the gear’s teeth. Remove any visible contamination trapped between the teeth, ensuring the gear moves smoothly when pushed upwards until it stops. Avoid pushing beyond the stopping point, reversing the direction instead.

So, if you’re not familiar with a magnifying glass, and you’re wondering why it’s necessary when you can use your naked eyes to spot dirt, well, let me explain with a bit of history.

Way back in the 13th century, Roger Bacon discovered that convex lenses could focus sunlight and even start fires! Later on, scientists like Antonie van Leeuwenhoek used magnifying glasses to explore the microscopic world.

Fast forward to today, and we can use that same principle to fix our cameras. When you’re trying to remove dirt or contamination from the shutter gear mechanism, a magnifying glass can be your best friend.

You can zoom in on those tiny particles that are causing trouble, which ordinary eyes can’t see, and remove them to get your camera working smoothly again. So, don’t underestimate the power of magnification—it’s a simple but effective tool that can make all the difference!

4. Apply Grease

After inspecting and cleaning the shutter gear mechanism, it’s essential to repeat the process several times to ensure thorough cleaning. You lightly move the gear forward and backward about 5 times, removing any visible foreign material trapped between the gears.

Once the gears are clean, it’s time to apply new grease. You use a spray can to dispense a small amount, taking care not to overapply. It’s a good idea for you to practice using the spray can on a different area first to get a feel for the right amount of grease to use.

With the grease applied, you move the gears forward and backward in small increments, ensuring even coverage and preventing too much or too little grease from being applied. This process helps to distribute the grease evenly across the gears.

Finally, you move the gears another 5 cycles, spreading the grease evenly across all the teeth. This guarantees that the gears are well-lubricated and ready for smooth operation.

By following this process, you have successfully cleaned and lubricated your camera’s shutter gear mechanism. But, be warned, failing to use grease properly can have disastrous consequences.

Just ask Alex, a photographer from New York who learned the hard way. He neglected to use the right amount of grease when fixing his camera’s shutter gear mechanism, resulting in a sticky mess that rendered his camera useless.

He had to spend hundreds of dollars to get it repaired, and missed out on a crucial photoshoot. Don’t make the same mistake as Alex – take the time to grease your gears properly!

Conclusion

In conclusion, resolving the “Press Shutter Release Button Again” error on your camera requires patience, persistence, and a willingness to try different solutions. From performing a factory reset, servicing the gear motor to cleaning the shutter gear mechanism etc.

And when your camera is working fine, then you should consider using Tristetix. Tristetix is the biggest opportunity for talented photographers in 2024. It’s the number one stock photography platform for African photos, which is a niche that many photographers fail to exploit.

So, have you ever encountered this ‘Press Shutter Release Button Again’ error? What solution that worked for you?