New to DSLR - Need Help with my a390

[msims85]

Hello:
I just bought an a390 a few months ago (my first dSLR). Takes nice pics most of the time.
However, when I try to take pictures with my long range lens (Sony 75-300mm) or my macro lens (an old Minolta macro - don't know specs) - I have problems.
They are:
1. When I have a nice shot, the camera will autofocus - out of focus. Seems to have a mind of it's own (I want to call it HAL at that point), and I can't get my original shot back in focus, and lose the moment.
2. When using the telephoto lens - it will focus on something other than I want it to (i.e. - when taking a picture of a bird in a tree, it will focus on the nearest branches, and the bird will be out of focus - and can't seem to get it in focus)
3. When using the macro lens, have a very hard time getting the picture in focus (even when using a tripod). When it does focus, it's a very small area of the subject that is in focus (i.e. when taking a picture of a penny, only Abe's beard will be in focus instead of the whole thing.
4. When trying to take a macro - there are times when it just won't let me take the shot, even though I am not too close.
5. Even though I put the camera in Manual mode, it won't let me set speed or apeture where I want - or the picture comes out too dark (this weekend, trying to take the "splash from a glass" shot, but the camera would not let me go anything past 1/160 even though I wanted 1/250. Needed to use the flash when I wanted natural light)

So please help. I love photography, but am getting very frustrated. Thanks for your help.

 

[Kolia]

For the out of focus issues. How did you set the autofocus and have you tried setting it using the AF button ?

It sounds like in your coin pictures you are simply running out of depth of field. How close are you and at what aperture are you shooting ?