Beginner Night focus problems

[Davon]

Hi all
Sorry if this is too much of a silly question , but i am new to this .
I have a Nikon D5300 and would like some help on how to focus at night . The other evening i was photographing a lighthouse that was lit up , capturing also the stars and sea . ( using standard kit lens /manually focusing on lighthouse ) No problem .
At midnight they turned the light off so now it was too dark to even locate it , but i wanted it in the frame with the moon rise . How can i focus when there is nothing to aim at ? . The kit lens does not have an infinity setting .
I was taking pictures into the black on the screen , previewing them then seeing they were out of focus , turning the lens either way a touch and re trying ( very hap hazard way ) . Auto focus would not work neither .
Great forum
Any advice would be gratefully appreciated .

Thanks

David

 

[Phil V]

You could have locked focus from when the light was on.

Or point a torch at the church

Or use the scale on the lens to focus approximately and use a large DoF.

Or use the focus assist on a flash

 

[sk66]

**F/16 and focus on the moon.
At 50mm everything from ~50ft on would be acceptably sharp (25mm/25ft). If the lighthouse is farther away, you can cut the aperture in half (f/8) and the starting distance would double. Certainly more than adequate for a silhouette w/ the moon.


**f/11 for FF