Free Hyperfocal Distance Calculator
Hyperfocal distance is the focus distance at which everything from half that distance to infinity appears acceptably sharp. Set your lens to the hyperfocal distance and everything from half that distance to infinity will be acceptably sharp — the classic landscape technique for maximum depth of field without focus stacking.
Your setup
Result
What is hyperfocal distance?
The hyperfocal distance H is the focus distance at which the far limit of your depth of field just touches infinity. Focus closer and you lose the horizon; focus farther and you waste depth of field in front of you. It's calculated as:
H = f² / (N × c) + f
where f is focal length (mm), N is the aperture number, and c is the circle of confusion (mm). For a 24 mm lens at f/8 on full frame (CoC 0.030 mm): H = 576 / 0.24 + 24 = 2,424 mm ≈ 2.42 m — focus at ~2.4 m and everything from ~1.2 m to infinity is sharp.
Related tools & guides
Depth of Field Calculator
Near/far limits and total DoF for any focus distance.
Open →Hyperfocal Distance Chart
Printable charts for full frame & APS-C — no math needed.
Open →Depth of Field for Landscape
Hyperfocal, focus stacking, and the f-stop sweet spot.
Read →Hyperfocal FAQ
Is the hyperfocal distance the same as the infinity mark on my lens?
No. The infinity mark is where distant subjects are sharp, but the near limit may be far away. Hyperfocal is the specific distance that maximizes sharpness from near to infinity — usually closer than you think.
Does hyperfocal focusing work for wide-angle lenses only?
It works for any focal length, but the numbers get impractical at longer focal lengths — a 200 mm lens at f/8 has a hyperfocal distance of ~170 m on full frame, so it's mainly useful for wide and standard lenses.
Is hyperfocal focusing accurate enough for modern high-resolution sensors?
With the standard CoC convention, hyperfocal is "acceptably sharp" for normal viewing. On high-megapixel sensors some photographers use a stricter CoC (e.g. diagonal ÷ 2000) or focus stack instead — the stricter CoC makes H roughly 33% farther.
Hyperfocal distance chart (full frame)
Short answer: focus at the hyperfocal distance and everything from half that distance to infinity looks sharp. On full frame, 24 mm at f/8 is hyperfocal at 2.51 m, so the frame is sharp from 1.25 m to infinity. A 50 mm lens at f/8 needs 10.83 m. Wide lenses buy depth far faster than small apertures do.
| Focal length | f/2.8 | f/4 | f/5.6 | f/8 | f/11 | f/16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 mm | 2.43 m | 1.7 m | 1.22 m | 0.86 m | 0.63 m | 0.44 m |
| 16 mm | 3.17 m | 2.22 m | 1.59 m | 1.12 m | 0.82 m | 0.57 m |
| 20 mm | 4.95 m | 3.47 m | 2.48 m | 1.74 m | 1.27 m | 0.88 m |
| 24 mm | 7.12 m | 4.99 m | 3.57 m | 2.51 m | 1.83 m | 1.27 m |
| 28 mm | 9.68 m | 6.79 m | 4.86 m | 3.41 m | 2.49 m | 1.72 m |
| 35 mm | 15.12 m | 10.6 m | 7.58 m | 5.32 m | 3.88 m | 2.68 m |
| 50 mm | 30.84 m | 21.6 m | 15.44 m | 10.83 m | 7.89 m | 5.44 m |
| 85 mm | 89.06 m | 62.37 m | 44.57 m | 31.23 m | 22.73 m | 15.66 m |
| 100 mm | 123 m | 86.31 m | 61.68 m | 43.2 m | 31.45 m | 21.65 m |
| 135 mm | 225 m | 157 m | 112 m | 78.69 m | 57.27 m | 39.41 m |
| 200 mm | 493 m | 345 m | 247 m | 173 m | 126 m | 86.41 m |
How to use the chart in the field
Set the lens to the focal length and aperture in the left columns, then focus at the distance in the cell. Most lenses show the distance scale on the barrel, and many have a depth of field scale that lines up the near and far limits for you. On mirrorless bodies with focus-by-wire lenses, use the calculator, then set focus with focus peaking or by half-pressing on an object at that distance.
Two rules of thumb are worth memorising: halving the focal length quarters the hyperfocal distance, and opening one stop doubles it. That is why a 16 mm at f/8 is sharp from 0.56 m to infinity once focused at 1.12 m, while a 135 mm at the same aperture needs 79 m of focus distance before infinity is in reach.
Hyperfocal focusing trades some sharpness at the subject for sharpness at infinity. For a landscape with a close foreground, focus slightly beyond the hyperfocal distance (about one third into the scene) rather than exactly at it.