Method for recording a microscopic fluorescence image of a sample region containing a biological sample, said method comprising: - directing a laser beam by means of at least one objective on the sample region, the latter having at least one boundary surface, wherein the objective effectuates focusing of the laser beam in a focusing plane, - changing a relative distance between the objective and the sample region along an optical axis of the objective for the purposes of effecting respective, different relative distances, - for a respective relative distance: o capturing a respective set of pixel intensity values that are effectuated on corresponding sensor pixels of an image sensor by the laser beam that is reflected at the boundary surface and transmitted back through the objective o and further determining a respective focus metric on the basis of the respective set of pixel intensity values captured for the respective relative distance, - determining a preferred relative distance on the basis of the determined focus metrics, - setting the preferred relative distance, illuminating the sample region with excitation radiation and capturing the microscopic fluorescence image by means of the image sensor, characterized in that - the image sensor is a photosensor with a colour filter matrix disposed upstream thereof, o which is a matrix with a plurality of colour channels, o which comprises different filter element types for different colour channels, o and which is transmissive to light in the near infrared range with a wavelength greater than 780 nm in all color channels, - in that the microscopic fluorescence image is a colour image - and in that the laser beam has a wavelength greater than 780nm in the near infrared range. - directing a laser beam by means of at least one objective on the sample region, the latter having at least one boundary surface, wherein the objective effectuates focusing of the laser beam in a focusing plane, - changing a relative distance between the objective and the sample region along an optical axis of the objective for the purposes of effecting respective, different relative distances, - for a respective relative distance: o capturing a respective set of pixel intensity values that are effectuated on corresponding sensor pixels of an image sensor by the laser beam that is reflected at the boundary surface and transmitted back through the objective o and further determining a respective focus metric on the basis of the respective set of pixel intensity values captured for the respective relative distance, o capturing a respective set of pixel intensity values that are effectuated on corresponding sensor pixels of an image sensor by the laser beam that is reflected at the boundary surface and transmitted back through the objective o and further determining a respective focus metric on the basis of the respective set of pixel intensity values captured for the respective relative distance, - determining a preferred relative distance on the basis of the determined focus metrics, - setting the preferred relative distance, illuminating the sample region with excitation radiation and capturing the microscopic fluorescence image by means of the image sensor, - the image sensor is a photosensor with a colour filter matrix disposed upstream thereof, o which is a matrix with a plurality of colour channels, o which comprises different filter element types for different colour channels, o and which is transmissive to light in the near infrared range with a wavelength greater than 780 nm in all color channels, o which is a matrix with a plurality of colour channels, o which comprises different filter element types for different colour channels, o and which is transmissive to light in the near infrared range with a wavelength greater than 780 nm in all color channels, - in that the microscopic fluorescence image is a colour image - and in that the laser beam has a wavelength greater than 780nm in the near infrared range.