Depth of Field Calculator
Depth of field is the range of distances in a scene that appears acceptably sharp in front of and behind the focus point. This calculator computes that range — near limit, far limit, total depth of field, and hyperfocal distance — using the exact sensor of the camera you own.
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How to use this depth of field calculator
- Pick your camera — the sensor size and circle of confusion are applied automatically (no more guessing your CoC).
- Select your lens or type the focal length and choose the aperture you plan to shoot at.
- Enter your focus distance (m or ft) and read the near limit, far limit, and total depth of field.
- Save setups you use often — they're stored in your browser and reload instantly next time.
For landscape work, check the hyperfocal distance: focus there and everything from half that distance to infinity is sharp. For portraits, you'll usually want a wide aperture so the far limit stays comfortably behind your subject's head.
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Hyperfocal Calculator
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Open →Hyperfocal Distance Chart
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Open →Circle of Confusion Guide
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Open →Camera Sensor Sizes
Full frame vs APS-C vs Micro 4/3 vs phone — side by side.
Open →Depth of field FAQ
What is depth of field, in plain English?
Depth of field is the distance range in your scene that looks acceptably sharp. Only one plane is truly in focus; everything else falls within the depth of field if it's close enough to that plane that the blur stays below the circle of confusion.
Does sensor size change depth of field?
Yes — at the same focal length and aperture, a larger sensor produces shallower depth of field because it needs a longer lens to achieve the same framing. The circle of confusion also scales with sensor diagonal, which the calculator handles automatically.
What aperture gives maximum depth of field?
Diffraction starts softening images around f/8–f/11 on full frame, f/5.6–f/8 on APS-C and Micro 4/3. The sharpest "landscape" choice is usually the smallest aperture before diffraction — use the hyperfocal distance at that aperture.
Depth of field tables (full frame, sharpness circle 0.029 mm)
Short answer: at 3 m with a 50 mm lens, f/8 gives a depth of field of 1.77 m (sharp from 2.36 m to 4.12 m). Opening up to f/1.4 shrinks that to 0.29 m; stopping down to f/16 grows it to 4.61 m. Every figure below is computed with the same formula the calculator uses.
| Aperture (50 mm, 3 m) | Near limit | Far limit | Total DoF | Hyperfocal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| f/1.4 | 2.86 m | 3.15 m | 0.29 m | 61.63 m |
| f/2 | 2.81 m | 3.22 m | 0.41 m | 43.15 m |
| f/2.8 | 2.74 m | 3.32 m | 0.58 m | 30.84 m |
| f/4 | 2.64 m | 3.47 m | 0.83 m | 21.6 m |
| f/5.6 | 2.52 m | 3.71 m | 1.19 m | 15.44 m |
| f/8 | 2.36 m | 4.12 m | 1.77 m | 10.83 m |
| f/11 | 2.18 m | 4.79 m | 2.61 m | 7.89 m |
| f/16 | 1.94 m | 6.56 m | 4.61 m | 5.44 m |
| f/22 | 1.72 m | 11.69 m | 9.97 m | 3.97 m |
| Focal length (f/8, 3 m) | Near limit | Far limit | Total DoF | Hyperfocal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 mm | 0.82 m | ∞ | ∞ | 1.12 m |
| 24 mm | 1.37 m | ∞ | ∞ | 2.51 m |
| 28 mm | 1.6 m | 23.48 m | 21.88 m | 3.41 m |
| 35 mm | 1.93 m | 6.78 m | 4.86 m | 5.32 m |
| 50 mm | 2.36 m | 4.12 m | 1.77 m | 10.83 m |
| 85 mm | 2.74 m | 3.31 m | 0.57 m | 31.23 m |
| 135 mm | 2.89 m | 3.11 m | 0.22 m | 78.69 m |
| 200 mm | 2.95 m | 3.05 m | 0.1 m | 173 m |
| Focus distance (50 mm, f/2.8) | Near limit | Far limit | Total DoF |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 m | 0.49 m | 0.51 m | 15 mm |
| 1 m | 0.97 m | 1.03 m | 0.06 m |
| 2 m | 1.88 m | 2.14 m | 0.25 m |
| 3 m | 2.74 m | 3.32 m | 0.58 m |
| 5 m | 4.31 m | 5.96 m | 1.65 m |
| 10 m | 7.56 m | 14.76 m | 7.2 m |
| 20 m | 12.14 m | 56.65 m | 44.5 m |
Why the numbers move the way they do
Depth of field grows with the square of focus distance, so doubling the focus distance roughly quadruples the sharp zone at the same aperture. It shrinks with the square of focal length, which is why an 85 mm portrait lens at f/8 has less depth than a 24 mm wide angle at the same f/8. Aperture acts linearly: one stop down adds about 41% more depth, not double.
The formulas behind the table are standard thin-lens equations. Hyperfocal distance is H = f² / (N × c) + f, where f is focal length in mm, N the f-number and c the circle of confusion. The near limit is H × s / (H + (s − f)) and the far limit is H × s / (H − (s − f)), with s the focus distance. Once s reaches H the far limit becomes infinity, which is the hyperfocal trick: focus at H and everything from H/2 to infinity is acceptably sharp.
Circle of confusion here is the sensor diagonal divided by 1500, the classic 35 mm standard (0.029 mm on full frame). A print viewed closer than the standard 0.25 m viewing distance needs a smaller circle: divide the CoC by the same factor you enlarge the print.