sorry to jump in but my camera goes to 60 second but it takes 60 seconds more to process each shot so how can you get around that
Turn the Long Exposure NR (noise reduction) OFF.
not an option my camera i have a lumix fz100
Erm as you say then you cant turn it off, so there is no way round it. I have a lumix TZ-3 and likewise have the same wait, I wish it gave you a preview whilst it did the dark frame, but I dont know any camera that does. It helps to know what its doing during that time (less frustrating if you know why its doing it), basically to reduce long exposure noise it takes a second shot the same length os the first but with the shutter closed, so this picture will just be black plus the sensor noise, then it subtracts this from the original to subtract the noise (its called dark frame subtraction if you want to google it).
On cameras where you can turn it off, you can turn it off then take your own dark frame picture at your convenience and subtract it in photoshop, but most people dont go down that route.