Laser spectroscopic studies on minute samples of exotic radioactive nuclei require very efficient experimental techniques. In addition, high resolving powers are required to allow extraction of nuclear structure information. Here we demonstrate that by using weak atomic transitions, resonance laser ionization spectroscopy is achieved with the required high efficiency (1%–10%) and precision (linewidths of tens of MHz). We illustrate experimentally and through the use of simulations how the narrow experimental linewidths are achieved and how distorted resonance ionization spectroscopy line shapes can be avoided. The role of the delay of the ionization laser pulse with respect to the excitation laser pulse is crucial: the use of a delayed ionization step permits the best resolving powers and line shapes. A high efficiency is maintained if the intermediate level has a lifetime that is at least of the order of the excitation laser pulse width. A model that describes this process reproduces well the observed features and will help to optimize the conditions for future experiments. The simulation code is available upon request to the authors.