Need Help - Autofocus setting on my Nikon P90

[jenniferdware]

I bought a P90 a few months back and am getting very frustrated with the autofocus setting. It seems like this should be the "safest" setting to get a decent photo. Problem: the subject is out of focus but the background is in focus. For instance - when I take a picture of my son sitting on the grass, I focus on him (and the camera shows the little square letting me know it's focused) but after I snap the picture and go back to review it, he's completely out of focus but all of the plants and backround are perfectly in focus.

This has happened so many times and with some would be GREAT shots. I've read the manual front to back and I'm not seeing any suggestions in there. I'm desperate - can anyone help me?

Thanks!

[inkista]

Are you lifting your finger up after the half-press for the focus? [p.28] You need to press down from the half-press; if you release (up) from the half-press, the camera will redo all its autoexposure/autofocus tasks.

You may also want to change your AFarea mode to face priority, if you're in Auto [p.122].

[jenniferdware]

Hi Inksta - thanks for your response. I do push down after I've gone halfway with the button. I will try setting to face priority. I believe that's what it was set to when I first bought the camera and when the subject wasn't looking at me, it didn't recognize the face and focus. I will try again though.