Depth of Field Calculator
Calculate depth of field, the near and far limits of acceptable sharpness, and the hyperfocal distance from focal length, aperture, focus distance and sensor format.
Last updated: May 2026
Depth of field
1.85 m
Formula below · 2 sources (cambridgeincolour.com, Wikipedia)
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About this calculator
Depth of field (DoF) is the range of distances that look acceptably sharp. It is calculated from the hyperfocal distance H:
H = f² ÷ (N × c) + f near limit = s × (H − f) ÷ (H + s − 2f) far limit = s × (H − f) ÷ (H − s) DoF = far − near
where f is the actual focal length, N the f-number, s the focus distance and c the circle of confusion, all in millimetres. When you focus at or beyond H the far limit reaches infinity.
The circle of confusion is the largest blur spot that still looks like a point in a print of normal size viewed from a normal distance. It scales with the sensor: about 0.030 mm for full frame, 0.020 mm for APS-C, 0.015 mm for Micro Four Thirds. Those are conventions for an 8 × 10 in print viewed at about 25 cm; for large prints or pixel-peeping use a smaller value, which gives a shallower DoF.
Rules of thumb that fall out of the formula: stopping down one stop increases DoF; doubling the distance roughly quadruples DoF until you approach H; and at close range about half the zone lies in front of the focus point, while at longer distances more of it lies behind.
How to use
Enter the lens's real focal length (a 50 mm lens is 50 mm on any camera), the aperture, the distance you focus at, and your sensor format. Example (the defaults): 50 mm at f/8 focused at 3 m on full frame. H = 50² ÷ (8 × 0.03) + 50 = 10,467 mm. Near = 3000 × 10,417 ÷ 13,367 = 2.34 m; far = 3000 × 10,417 ÷ 7,467 = 4.19 m; depth of field = 1.85 m. Example 2, portrait: 85 mm at f/1.8 at 2 m on full frame gives about 6 cm of depth of field, enough for the eyes but not the ears. Example 3, landscape: 24 mm at f/11 on full frame has a hyperfocal distance of 1.77 m; focus there and everything from 0.89 m to infinity is sharp.
Frequently asked questions
Does a crop sensor give more depth of field?
At the same framing and f-number, yes. A smaller sensor needs a shorter focal length (or a longer distance) for the same picture, and that increases depth of field more than the smaller circle of confusion reduces it. Roughly, an APS-C camera at f/4 has the depth of field of full frame at f/6 for the same shot. Use the crop factor calculator for the equivalent aperture.
Why do different depth of field calculators give different answers?
Mostly because of the circle of confusion. Some use 0.029 mm or 0.025 mm for full frame instead of 0.030, and some derive it from print size and viewing distance. The formula here is the standard thin-lens one also used in the Wikipedia article on depth of field; it is accurate except at macro distances, where magnification and pupil ratio matter.
What aperture gives the most depth of field?
The smallest aperture (largest f-number) gives the most depth of field, but past about f/11 on full frame (f/8 on APS-C) diffraction starts to soften the whole image. For landscapes, focusing at the hyperfocal distance at f/8–f/11 usually gives more usable sharpness than stopping down to f/22.
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Sources & references
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