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Depth of field calculator

This depth of field calculator shows how far the sharp zone of your photo reaches: near limit, far limit, total depth and hyperfocal distance – from sensor size, focal length, aperture and subject distance.

Example: Sensor format: Full frame (35 mm, 36 × 24 mm) · Focal length 50 mm · F-number 2.8 · Distance to subject (focus) 10 ft / m · Distance unit: Feet → Sharp zone: Sharp from 9.08 ft to 11.1 ft. Source: Wikipedia – Hyperfocal distance (H = f²/(N·c) + f; Beispiel 50 mm, f/8, c = 0,03 mm). Updated: .

mm
the real focal length of the lens, not the 35 mm equivalent
e.g. 2.8 for f/2.8
ft / m
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Result

Sharp zone
Sharp from 9.08 ft to 11.1 ft
Values at a glance
ValueResult
Near limit9.08 ft
Far limit11.1 ft
Total depth of field2.04 ft
Hyperfocal distance97.8 ft
Circle of confusion0.03 mm
Details
  • 45% of the depth of field lies in front of the focus point, 55% behind it.
  • Focus on the hyperfocal distance (97.8 ft) and sharpness runs from 48.9 ft to infinity – handy for landscapes.
A calculated guideline using a circle of confusion of 0.03 mm for 35 mm. How sharp an image looks also depends on viewing distance, output size and resolution; for large prints a stricter value is worth using.

How it is calculated

At 50 mm, f/8 and 5 m on full frame, everything from about 3.4 m to 9.5 m is sharp, and the hyperfocal distance is around 10.5 m. The depth of field calculator takes your shooting data and shows the sharp zone.

How it is calculated

First the hyperfocal distance H = f² ÷ (f-number × c) + f, with focal length f and circle of confusion c. On a 35 mm sensor c is 0.03 mm and for other sensors it is divided by the crop factor. The limits of the sharp zone follow: near limit = s × (H − f) ÷ (H + s − 2f), far limit = s × (H − f) ÷ (H − s) for focus distance s. If s is as large as H or larger, sharpness extends to infinity.

What affects depth of field

More photo tools: the aspect ratio, the pixel calculator, the EXIF viewer for your shooting data and the image sizes.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate depth of field?

With sensor format, focal length, aperture and distance. The calculator derives the hyperfocal distance and the near and far limit of the sharp zone.

What is the hyperfocal distance?

The distance you focus on so that everything from half that distance to infinity is sharp. At 50 mm and f/8 on full frame that is about 10.5 m (34 ft).

How does aperture affect depth of field?

A larger f-number such as f/16 makes the sharp zone deeper, f/1.8 makes it shallow. Very small openings lose overall sharpness through diffraction, though.

Why does sensor size matter?

Because the circle of confusion that still counts as sharp shrinks with sensor size. The calculator divides 0.03 mm by the crop factor.

How accurate is the calculation?

It is a guideline based on the standard value of 0.03 mm for 35 mm. Your result also depends on viewing distance and print size; when pixel peeping or printing large, real depth of field is smaller.

Sources and legal basis

As of: · Editorial policy

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