Depth of Field Calculator
Enter your lens focal length, aperture (f-number), and subject distance to calculate the hyperfocal distance and the near and far limits of acceptable sharp focus.
What Depth of Field Means
Depth of field is the range of distance in front of and behind your focus point that appears acceptably sharp in a photo. It depends on your lens’s focal length, the aperture (f-number) you choose, how far away your subject is, and your camera sensor’s size.
The Formulas Used
This calculator first finds the hyperfocal distance H = (focal length^2 / (f-number x circle of confusion)) + focal length. From there, the near limit is Dn = (H x s) / (H + (s – f)) and the far limit is Df = (H x s) / (H – (s – f)), where s is the subject distance. If the far limit calculation goes negative, everything from the near limit to infinity is in focus.
Practical Notes
- Smaller f-numbers (wider apertures like f/1.8) produce a shallower depth of field with more background blur; larger f-numbers (like f/16) produce a deeper depth of field with more in focus.
- The circle of confusion value depends on sensor size — pick the option closest to your camera.
- Results are estimates based on standard optical formulas and are intended for general photography planning.