A digital microscopy method, comprising: obtaining , in a memory comprised in or operatively coupled to a digital microscope, data representative of at least one image of at least a portion of a cell sample, the at least one image acquired by the digital microscope, wherein the portion encompasses; a mapping field , the mapping field comprising a plurality of focus analysis regions, and a diagnostic field , wherein the mapping field at least partially overlaps with the diagnostic field ; calculating , by processing resources operatively connected to the digital microscope, using the obtained data, a focus configuration for each of at least two focus analysis regions, giving rise to data indicative of focus variation within the mapping field; capturing at least one image of the diagnostic field , characterized by : using the data that are indicative of focus variation within the mapping field for determining whether the focus variation within the mapping field is below a threshold and using this as an input for determining whether to (a) capture a single image of the diagnostic field in response to the focus variation within the mapping field being below the threshold, or (b) to capture a plurality of images of the diagnostic field , each of the plurality of images being acquired at a respective, different focus configuration, in response to the focus variation within the mapping field being above the threshold; and detecting a pathogen candidate within the sample by analyzing the at least one captured image of the diagnostic field . obtaining , in a memory comprised in or operatively coupled to a digital microscope, data representative of at least one image of at least a portion of a cell sample, the at least one image acquired by the digital microscope, wherein the portion encompasses; a mapping field , the mapping field comprising a plurality of focus analysis regions, and a diagnostic field , wherein the mapping field at least partially overlaps with the diagnostic field ; calculating , by processing resources operatively connected to the digital microscope, using the obtained data, a focus configuration for each of at least two focus analysis regions, giving rise to data indicative of focus variation within the mapping field; capturing at least one image of the diagnostic field , characterized by : using the data that are indicative of focus variation within the mapping field for determining whether the focus variation within the mapping field is below a threshold and using this as an input for determining whether to (a) capture a single image of the diagnostic field in response to the focus variation within the mapping field being below the threshold, or (b) to capture a plurality of images of the diagnostic field , each of the plurality of images being acquired at a respective, different focus configuration, in response to the focus variation within the mapping field being above the threshold; and detecting a pathogen candidate within the sample by analyzing the at least one captured image of the diagnostic field . using the data that are indicative of focus variation within the mapping field for determining whether the focus variation within the mapping field is below a threshold and using this as an input for determining whether to (a) capture a single image of the diagnostic field in response to the focus variation within the mapping field being below the threshold, or (b) to capture a plurality of images of the diagnostic field , each of the plurality of images being acquired at a respective, different focus configuration, in response to the focus variation within the mapping field being above the threshold; and detecting a pathogen candidate within the sample by analyzing the at least one captured image of the diagnostic field . <EOS>