Focus On Stars: on the field testing of a great Hungarian innovation for astrophotographers

Orbit | Nikon D810A & Samyang 24mm f/1.4 ED AS IF UMC & Focus On Stars filter

Thanks to my article on astrophotography in the magazine Digitális Fotó, I received the honorable request to test a focusing device for astrophotography called “Focus On Stars”. As accurate focusing in the dark is an extremely complicated, sometimes long, and not always successful process, I find this easy-to-use filter a great idea to focus on any bright celestial body quickly and efficiently. The picture below shows what you can actually see on you LCD screen's live view while the filter is installed in front of the lens.

A photo taken with the Focus On Stars filter in front of the lens. (100% crop)

With a few years of routine and several award-winning astrophotos behind me, Focus On Stars took a huge burden off my shoulder when I first used it in the field. With it, focusing is no longer a guess or an experiment, rather a simple but precise process. Focus On Stars did a great job in the 17-35mm range as well, just like with my 24-70mm lens.

This little device came in a quality, elegant case and fit perfectly into my Nisi 100mm filter holder. It gave me confidence in the field, which was later confirmed while I was sitting in front of the monitor. I like to photograph my landscapes with ultra-wide-angle lenses and often use the “focus stacking” technique, which involves frequent focusing. It was a huge help in the pitch black that I was able to work on a new composition in a matter of seconds by mounting the filter holder, which made sure that the starry sky was in perfect sharpness. On an astrophoto scale, I give 5 out of 5 stars to Focus On Stars. I wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone, whether you are a beginner or experienced in the endless world of astrophotography, as it proved to be one of the most useful tools on the night of my test.

Alternate Universe | Nikon D810A & Tamron 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di OSD & Focus On Stars filter

This is my first image with the use of the Focus On Stars aid. This is a two photo focus stack in order to keep the foreground and the Milky Way entirely sharp.

World-renowned astrophotographer Royce Bair tested the Focus On Stars as well. To have a look on his results, click here.

If you got interested in how the filter works, here is a short videoclip that will explain it in a clear and professional manner.

If you want to purchase the Focus On Stars filter, click here.

Clear skies for Everyone!