How to focus when shooting starry sky with SLR
Starry sky photography is a subject that many photography enthusiasts yearn for, but how to focus correctly is a common problem. This article will combine the hot topics and hot content on the Internet in the past 10 days to provide you with a detailed analysis of the focusing skills of SLR shooting of the starry sky, and provide structured data reference.
1. The core difficulty of focusing in starry sky photography
The main difficulties in focusing in starry sky photography are:
1. Insufficient light makes it difficult for the autofocus system to work
2. Stars serve as point light sources and require extremely high focusing accuracy.
3. Wide-angle lenses have a large depth of field and are prone to focus errors.
| Focus mode | Applicable scenarios | success rate |
|---|---|---|
| auto focus | bright stars (such as the moon) | 30% |
| manual focus | Regular starry sky shooting | 85% |
| Hyperfocal distance | Wide angle lens shooting | 70% |
2. Detailed explanation of specific focusing methods
1. Manual focus method (most commonly used)
Steps:
① Switch the lens to manual focus mode (MF)
② Use the live view function to zoom in 10 times to view the brightest stars
③ Slowly rotate the focus ring until the star point is the smallest and sharpest
④ Lock the focus ring (if there is a locking function)
| Lens type | Recommended focus position | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| wide angle lens | ∞ symbol slightly backwards | Actual infinity is before the mark |
| medium telephoto | Accurately align star points | Needs multiple fine-tuning |
2. Hyperfocal distance focusing method
Suitable for shooting large scenes such as the Milky Way with a wide-angle lens:
① Find the hyperfocal distance of the lens (can be calculated through APP)
② Adjust the focus ring to this distance
③ Use the depth of field preview function to confirm the clear range
3. Focus assist skills
1.Use bright stars to focus: Give priority to bright stars such as Sirius and Vega
2.Check after focus: Take a test photo and zoom in 100% to view the star points
3.Temperature effect: Temperature changes at night may cause focus loss, so regular inspection is required
| FAQ | solution | Precautions |
|---|---|---|
| Star points are not sharp | refocus | Use brighter stars |
| Edge star point deformation | Close the aperture | Choose a quality lens |
4. Focusing characteristics of popular equipment
Based on the recent discussions on photography forums, we have sorted out the focusing performance of popular equipment:
| Camera model | Focus assist function | Starry Sky Focus Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Canon EOS R5 | focus peaking + zoom | 9.2/10 |
| Nikon Z7 II | Starry sky focus mode | 9.5/10 |
| Sony A7R IV | Live view zoom | 8.8/10 |
5. Focus recovery in post-processing
If you find that the photo is slightly out of focus, you can use the following post-processing methods to remedy it:
1. Increase sharpening appropriately (no more than 50%)
2. Use professional noise reduction software to process
3. Locally adjust the star point definition
Focusing for starry sky photography requires patience and practice. It is recommended to be fully prepared before shooting, familiarize yourself with the characteristics of your equipment, and conduct more field tests. Once you master the correct focusing method, you'll be able to capture stunning starry sky shots.
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