  We describe a first attempt to apply adaptive optics to the study of resolved
stellar populations in galaxies. Advantages over traditional approaches are (i)
improved spatial resolution and point-source sensitivity through adaptive
optics, and (ii) use of the near-infrared region, where the peak of the
spectral energy distribution for old populations is found. Disadvantages are
the small area covered and the need for excellent seeing. We made observations
with the ADONIS system at the European Southern Observatory of the peculiar
elliptical galaxy NGC 5128; the irregular galaxy IC 5152 (a possible outer
member of the Local Group); the Sc galaxy NGC 300 (a member of the Sculptor
group); and the Sgr window in the bulge of the Milky Way. These different
fields give excellent test cases for the potential of adaptive optics. In the
first two cases, we failed to obtain photometry of individual stars, which
would have required excellent seeing. For NGC 300 we measured magnitudes for
nine individual supergiants (H = 18.3 to 20.2), but did not go deep enough to
detect the tip of the RGB of an old population. For the Sgr field we produced a
infrared luminosity function and colour-magnitude diagram for 70 stars down to
about K = 19.5. These are the deepest yet measured for the Galactic bulge,
reaching beyond the turn-off.
