Picture taking help. Nikon P510

[ThisIsTheYear]

Good morning, I was hoping someone here could help me with a problem I'm having. I have a Nikon P510 and I tried to take a picture of my family in front of a building far away (maybe 30 feet) and my family kept coming out blurry. I had it set on auto and it just would not focus. Using the manual settings is too advanced for me right now. Lol. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thank you!

 

[hakepb]

I would probably start using a mode with center focus since the Auto's multi focus might pick the wrong subject (like the building)

Here's one thread about a similiar issue on your camera.
http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3451623

P mode may be the "easiest" of the PASM modes to use. But S is very useful to specify a faster shutter speed, and A is usually best for creative control.h

 

[havoc315]

Check which focus mode you are using.
It often helps to aim the camera directly at your subject, press the shutter button halfway to lock the focus, the re-compose your shot and press the button fully.

 

[mom2rtk]

Also make sure your lens didn't accidentally get moved to "manual focus".

 

[photo_chick]

Good morning, I was hoping someone here could help me with a problem I'm having. I have a Nikon P510 and I tried to take a picture of my family in front of a building far away (maybe 30 feet) and my family kept coming out blurry. I had it set on auto and it just would not focus. Using the manual settings is too advanced for me right now. Lol. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thank you!

Are you sure the camera didn't get put in macro mode?

Also, post an image. It can often help others identify the problem for you.

 

[ThisIsTheYear]

I would probably start using a mode with center focus since the Auto's multi focus might pick the wrong subject (like the building)

Here's one thread about a similiar issue on your camera.
http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3451623

P mode may be the "easiest" of the PASM modes to use. But S is very useful to specify a faster shutter speed, and A is usually best for creative control.h

Thank you for the link, that was very helpful! I didn't know there was a book. I'm going to buy it!

Check which focus mode you are using.
It often helps to aim the camera directly at your subject, press the shutter button halfway to lock the focus, the re-compose your shot and press the button fully.

I had it on 'auto' and I was holding the shutter button halfway down and it would not focus, it kept 'moving around'.

Also make sure your lens didn't accidentally get moved to "manual focus".

I don't see an auto/manual focus button. I know my Rebel had one, but I don't see one on this camera.

Are you sure the camera didn't get put in macro mode?

Also, post an image. It can often help others identify the problem for you.

I wouldn't even know how to do that! lol
I'm going to post a pic very shortly!

 

[ThisIsTheYear]

Like I mentioned before, I had it on auto and I was holding the shutter button halfway down and it would not focus. I heard and felt it go back and forth. I'm going to buy the book that was in the link that hakepb posted so I can understand this camera better. lol Thanks so much everyone!

 

[havoc315]

Looks to me like the camera couldn't decide what to focus on, especially with the small subject and low contrast. Which focus mode is your camera using?

 

[photo_chick]

Like I mentioned before, I had it on auto and I was holding the shutter button halfway down and it would not focus. I heard and felt it go back and forth. I'm going to buy the book that was in the link that hakepb posted so I can understand this camera better. lol Thanks so much everyone!

That shot looks an awful lot like what happens when a point and shoot is put into macro mode and the focus is limited to a certain distance from the camera. Look up that feature in your manual and it should tell you how to work with it. If that doesn't work try resetting the camera to factory defaults.