diff --git a/src/aare/gui/main_window.py b/src/aare/gui/main_window.py
index caad5ee8..f73f5a49 100644
--- a/src/aare/gui/main_window.py
+++ b/src/aare/gui/main_window.py
@@ -252,6 +252,7 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
             self.camera_thread = SampleCameraThread(zmq_url=zmq_addr)
             self.camera_thread.camera_image.connect(self.sample_camera.update_pixmap)
             self.camera_thread.start()
+            self.camera_thread.focus_measure.connect(self.status_bar.update_sharpness)
         else:
             self.camera_thread = None
 
diff --git a/src/aare/gui/threads/camera_thread.py b/src/aare/gui/threads/camera_thread.py
index d14bc9d4..f1a61707 100644
--- a/src/aare/gui/threads/camera_thread.py
+++ b/src/aare/gui/threads/camera_thread.py
@@ -3,13 +3,14 @@ import json
 import cv2
 import numpy as np
 import zmq
-from PySide6.QtCore import QThread, Signal
+from PySide6.QtCore import QThread, Signal, Slot
 from PySide6.QtGui import QImage, QPixmap
 
 
 class SampleCameraThread(QThread):
     # Define a signal to communicate messages from the thread to the main GUI
     camera_image = Signal(QPixmap)
+    focus_measure = Signal(float)  # Emits Laplacian variance (higher = sharper)
 
     def __init__(self, zmq_url: str, parent=None):
         super().__init__(parent)
@@ -20,6 +21,12 @@ class SampleCameraThread(QThread):
         self.__socket.connect(zmq_url)
 
         self.running = True
+        self.__measure_focus = True
+
+    @Slot(bool)
+    def enable_focus_measurement(self, enabled: bool = True):
+        """Enable or disable focus measurement."""
+        self.__measure_focus = enabled
 
     def run(self):
         while self.running:
@@ -36,6 +43,12 @@ class SampleCameraThread(QThread):
                     rgb_image = cv2.cvtColor(bayer_image, cv2.COLOR_BAYER_GB2RGB)
                     #cv2.COLOR_BAYER_GB2RGB for ethernet connection
                     rgb_image = rgb_image[:, ::-1, :].copy()
+
+                    if self.__measure_focus:
+                        gray = cv2.cvtColor(rgb_image, cv2.COLOR_RGB2GRAY)
+                        laplacian = cv2.Laplacian(gray, cv2.CV_64F)
+                        self.focus_measure.emit(float(laplacian.var()))
+
                     qimage = QImage(rgb_image.data, header_shape[1], header_shape[0], #For ethernet need header_shape[0], header_shape[1], header_shape[0]*3,
                                     QImage.Format.Format_RGB888)
                     self.camera_image.emit(QPixmap.fromImage(qimage))
diff --git a/src/aare/gui/widgets/status_bar.py b/src/aare/gui/widgets/status_bar.py
index 2075de40..0e0f037b 100644
--- a/src/aare/gui/widgets/status_bar.py
+++ b/src/aare/gui/widgets/status_bar.py
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ class StatusBar(QStatusBar):
         self.__is_staff = self.__decoded_token.staff
         self.__allowed_pgroups = self.__decoded_token.pgroups
 
+        self.sharpness = ValueLabel("Samcam image sharpness", "", self)
         self.flux = ValueLabel("Flux", "x 10<sup>9</sup> ph/s", self)
         self.transmission = ValueLabel("Transmission", "", self)
         self.ring_current = ValueLabel("Ring current", "mA", self)
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@ class StatusBar(QStatusBar):
         self.shutter_label.clicked.connect(self.show_shutter_menu)
 
         self.exp_shutter_label = ValueLabel("ExpHutch Shutter", "", self)
+        self.addPermanentWidget(self.sharpness)
         self.addPermanentWidget(self.flux)
         self.addPermanentWidget(self.transmission)
         self.addPermanentWidget(self.ring_current)
@@ -66,6 +68,10 @@ class StatusBar(QStatusBar):
         self.addPermanentWidget(self.busy_label)
         self.addPermanentWidget(self.session_label)
 
+    @Slot(float)
+    def update_sharpness(self, val: float):
+        self.sharpness.set_value(f"{val:.3f}")
+
     @Slot(DAQStatusModel)
     def update_daq_status(self, status: DAQStatusModel):
         self.__status = status