No, the lens is flexable to where you can move the focal point where you want it. It is completely manual - to the point where you don't change the apperature, you have discs that you put in that change it. You can punch the discs out with craft punches to give extra design (rather than just an oval shape that you would get with the standard circular disc). I also have a flower punch, a maple leaf, a squiggly line. What happens is that things that catch light take the shape of whatever design are in the disc.
Here's one of my youngest daughter and myself a few years ago....again with the star disc:
Here's one with the flower disc that I have: