Predictive focus tracking apparatus and methods

An imaging system may include a sample stage comprising a surface to support a sample container, the sample container having a plurality of sample locations; an optical stage having an objective lens, the optical stage being positionable relative to the sample stage to image samples at the sample locations; an actuator physically coupled to at least one of the sample stage and the optical stage to move the sample stage relative to the optical stage to focus the optical stage onto a current sample location; and a drive circuit to determine a focus setting for a next sample location and to provide a drive signal to the actuator before the optical stage is positioned to image a sample at the next sample location, wherein at least one parameter of the drive signal is determined using a difference between a focus setting for the current sample location and the determined focus setting for the next sample location.