Depth of Field Calculator
Calculate near focus, far focus, total depth of field, and hyperfocal distance for any lens, aperture, subject distance, and sensor format.
Calculator results are estimates based on simplified optical formulas. Actual results vary by lens, camera, and shooting conditions. Use these as starting points, not precise measurements.
How Depth of Field Works
Depth of field describes how much of your image looks sharp from front to back. It isn't a binary sharp/unsharp threshold — it's a gradual transition. The DOF calculator shows you the zone where most viewers would consider the image acceptably focused.
Aperture and Depth of Field
Aperture has the most direct control over depth of field in everyday shooting. Opening up to f/1.8 compresses your in-focus zone dramatically — at 3 meters with an 85mm lens on full frame, your DOF might be less than 10cm. Stopping down to f/8 expands that range significantly.
Portrait photographers typically work between f/1.4 and f/2.8 for subject separation. Landscape photographers often use f/8–f/16 to keep foreground rocks and distant mountains both sharp.
Focal Length and Depth of Field
Longer focal lengths produce shallower depth of field at the same aperture and subject distance. However, because longer lenses require more distance to fill the frame with a subject, the net practical effect is more nuanced. A 200mm lens at 10 meters and a 50mm lens at 2.5 meters produce similar subject size — but the 200mm gives shallower DOF despite both being f/2.8.
How Sensor Size Changes DOF
Full-frame cameras produce shallower depth of field than APS-C cameras when using the same focal length and aperture. To get the same field of view and depth of field on a crop sensor, you'd use a wider lens and a wider aperture. Micro Four Thirds cameras require a 2-stop aperture advantage to match full-frame DOF.
Common Depth of Field Mistakes
- Using wide apertures too close to your subject — at 1 meter with f/1.4, DOF can be measured in millimeters. Fine for one eye, but the other may be out of focus.
- Expecting f/2.8 to isolate backgrounds at wide angles — on a 24mm lens, even f/1.4 won't blur a background at typical portrait distances. Focal length matters more.
- Forgetting about focus point position — DOF extends roughly 1/3 in front and 2/3 behind your focus point for distant subjects.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is depth of field in photography?
Depth of field (DOF) is the range of distance in your scene that appears acceptably sharp in a photograph. A shallow depth of field means only a small zone is sharp — common in portraits with blurred backgrounds. A deep depth of field keeps most or all of the scene in focus, typical in landscape photography.
What affects depth of field?
Three main factors affect depth of field: aperture (wider apertures = shallower DOF), focal length (longer focal lengths = shallower DOF at the same distance), and subject distance (closer subjects = shallower DOF). Sensor size also plays a role — larger sensors require wider apertures for equivalent depth of field.
What is hyperfocal distance?
Hyperfocal distance is the closest focusing distance at which everything from half that distance to infinity appears acceptably sharp. Focusing at the hyperfocal distance maximizes depth of field — useful in landscape and street photography when you want as much of the scene in focus as possible.
Why does sensor size affect depth of field?
Larger sensors use a larger circle of confusion value in the DOF formula, which means they can tolerate more optical blur before it appears unsharp. To achieve equivalent depth of field on a larger sensor, you must use a wider aperture or move farther from your subject.
Are these depth of field calculations accurate?
The calculator uses the standard thin-lens depth of field formula, which is a reliable approximation for most photography. Results will be accurate within a useful margin for planning. Real-world DOF can vary due to focus breathing, lens aberrations, and where exactly sharpness is evaluated.