Nikon Z Cameras | Easy Trick to Focus on Stars

During my last three years of using a Nikon Z6, one of my favorite features of this camera is how easy it is to focus on the stars when using a Z series lens with it. But the most surprising thing, is how many people I come across that shoot nightscapes and astrophotography that don’t know it. Between Instagram, YouTube, and even meeting people in the field using Nikon Z cameras, I’m always shocked at how many people don’t know it.

Focusing to Infinity for Stars with a Nikon Z Series Camera and a Z Series Lens:

Before I get started, I have to preface, this ONLY works if you are using a Z series lens with your Z series camera. In order to focus on stars, you have to be at infinity focus so lets get there. The key to know is that if you are using this combo, and you are in auto focus mode, when the camera is turned on, it will automatically start at infinity focus. So lets look at two scenarios for how you would quickly get to infinity focus so that you can ensure you are properly focused on the stars:

If you find that your camera doesn’t go to infinity focus, it likely has to do with a setting. In one of the 2021 firmware updates, support was added to save the focus position when the camera is turned off. You’ll want to go into settings to change this to “Off.”

1. Press the menu button on the back of the camera
2. Go to the “Setup Menu” (the one with the wrench icon)
3. Scroll until you find the setting titled “Save Focus Position”
4. Set this to “Off”

For more info, you can take a look at Nikon’s Instructions here: Save Focus Position

That’s it. It is really that easy to get focused on the stars when using a Nikon Z camera with a Z lens.

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