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Photographing the Northern Lights: achieving infinite focus

When it comes to focusing for photographing the Northern Lights, there are two certainties: manual focus and infinity. This is perhaps the most complex part, especially at the beginning, but with a few simple tips you will definitely be able to get through this stage of preparing for the shot as well.

After switching to manual focus, the next step is to find infinity. You can do this even while standing still. “Finding infinity” means focusing on a point that is very far away, such as the sky in our case. Make a note of this step, because it is essential for taking a decent photo!

There are many ways to find it, including using the infinity symbol on the lens focus ring. Be careful, though, as it does not always correspond perfectly.

If your camera has Live View, this option is highly recommended. In practice, you point at a bright object, for example a star or a planet, which can then be magnified thanks to Live View. After that, turn the ring and adjust everything until you get the best possible focus point (it does not always match the infinity symbol shown on the screen). The object in question should appear as a sharp, precise dot.

At this point, the focus is set! And you can move on to aperture and ISO…

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