Keeps shutting off before I get aimed at an object or as soon as I have shot the subject,,

To take a photograph, aim the camera at the subject, then press the shutter button gently until the picture is taken.

Tracking a subject is one thing but, taking an action picture is something else altogether. You will need to set the ISO to a higher number to force the shutter to set a faster speed stop the action.

This issue can occur in the following circumstances:
The subject is too close to the camera lens Insufficient lighting Subject movement Camera movement Incorrect camera settings Incorrect camera operation Follow the steps below to help prevent taking pictures that appear blurry, out-of-focus or distorted.

If the camera has both an auto focus and manual focus mode, make sure it is set to auto focus. Make sure there is enough lighting to allow the camera to focus on the subject. Make sure the camera settings are set appropriately. When taking close-up or macro-type shots, ensure the subject is not closer than the minimum focus distance of the lens. Also, if the camera has a zoom option, set it to the W (wide-angle) position. If you have a fast-moving subject and the camera has a Program AE mode with a higher shutter speed (such as Sports action), make sure it is enabled. Also, if the camera has an ISO control, set it to a higher setting. If your camera has a SteadyShot/anti-blur function, ensure it is enabled. Aim the camera at the subject. Press the shutter button halfway down. NOTES:
Pressing the shutter button halfway down allows the camera to focus automatically. A flashing green indicator will be visible in the LCD or viewfinder. When the indicator stops flashing, focusing is finished and the camera is ready to take the picture. Some camera models have a Monitoring AF setting that can be selected which allows the camera to focus without the need to hold the button halfway down. Consult the instruction manual of the camera for information whether or not this is applicable for your model.

THE TROUBLE WITH AUTO FOCUS ... is that it doesn't work well under the following conditions:

• When the subject is not in the centre of the picture (particularly when there are moving objects in the background)
• In low light conditions
• If there is a bright light behind the subject (e.g. a window)
• When the subject is bright (e.g. a car with its head lamps on)
• When the subject is of low contrast - walls, the sky
• If the subject is made up of fine repetitive patterns
• If the subject is behind vertical bars or a chain link fence
• When another subject passes between the camera and the point of interest

That's not likely to be the camera but the lens. You can actually set a focussing pre-set for each lens you use on the D300. See your manual for more info.

Evening & Indoors? The kit lens is really going to struggle here. Your only immediate solution is to use ISO 1600 which makes the shutter faster but adds a little noise to the pictures.

You really want to get a better lens for indoor work. If you need cheap, try the 50mm f1.8, it's a prime not a zoom, so you will need to use your feet to "zoom" but it's incredibly good for indoor / low light work.

I upgraded to a 17-55mm f2.8 IS, it was rather expensive but I have never had a blurry indoor shot since - I do also use an external Speedlite flash with it though, which also helps tremendously.

It's an expensive hobby!!

hmmmm.

then try this way.

when you are aiming the object press the DISP or DISPLAY button in the camera.

your LCD must turn ON.

This is normal. It may be distracting, but what it is is light. If you notice, it happens when there are bright spots, lights, reflections. These distortions will show up in video so try to avoid aiming at bright things while in video mode. Another type of flicker will happen mostly in florescent light.

Before CCD image sensors, video camera used tubes and aiming them at the sun or bright objects would burn the tubes permanently so cameras have come a long way, but by the nature of cameras being devices that record light, it is hard to eliminate that effect altogether (similar to red eye...just can't be a perfect science due to human nature of having blood vessels in the back of their eyes that when bright light is shined into them, their pupils open and the red color is reflected and shows up as red eye...this is best fixed in a photo editing program. It is hard to totally prevent, but changing angles and not shooting directly head on at subject helps). But I digress...

If it is really distracting for you, here is the one thing I found helpful; recompose the shot slightly by moving yourself, the camera, the angle (doesn't have to be dramatically different, but try to have the sun or light source behind the camera). As you move around, continue to push the shutter halfway down (each time not continuously) to bring subject into focus (getting your green box or boxes that indicate proper focus). Sometimes the lines will disappear if you change your shot even very slightly.

Hope this Helps!

You need to do what is called an exposure lock. Aim at the subject, even if it's out of focus and half press your shutter. Then press the * button on the camera (top right) and it will exposure lock. You can then re-focus, but it will hold the exposure that was metered previously, so you'll get focus on a different object to what the camera has focused on. You can exposure lock anywhere, it doesn't even have to be your subject, it could be a nearby window to underexpose, or a nearby dark area to underexpose. Once you've locked the exposure you can focus somewhere else.