What is depth of field?

Depth of field (DoF) is the range of distances in a scene that appear acceptably sharp in a photo. Objects closer than the near limit or farther than the far limit will look blurry.

What is the circle of confusion (CoC)?

The circle of confusion is the maximum size a point of light can be on the sensor and still appear sharp to the human eye when the image is printed or viewed at a standard size. Smaller sensors use a smaller CoC. Common values: full-frame 0.029mm, APS-C 0.019mm, Micro Four Thirds 0.015mm.

What is hyperfocal distance?

The hyperfocal distance is the closest focus distance at which objects at infinity are still acceptably sharp. Focusing at the hyperfocal distance maximizes depth of field — everything from half the hyperfocal distance to infinity will be sharp.

Why does the far limit show "Infinity"?

When your focus distance is at or beyond the hyperfocal distance, the far depth-of-field limit extends to infinity. Everything from the near limit onward is acceptably sharp.

Does sensor crop factor affect DoF?

Indirectly, yes. A smaller sensor has a smaller circle of confusion, which changes the DoF calculation. If you use the same physical focal length and aperture on a crop-sensor camera, the DoF will be greater than on full-frame at the same framing.

Are the results accurate for video or cinema cameras?

For cinema cameras, select the closest sensor size or use Custom to enter the precise CoC for your format (e.g. Super 35 ~ 0.025mm, Super 16 ~ 0.015mm). The underlying math is identical.

Depth of Field Calculator

Name: Depth of Field Calculator
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

Enter your camera sensor, focal length, aperture, and focus distance to instantly calculate near/far DoF limits and hyperfocal distance.

Camera Settings

Sensor Size

Focal Length (mm)

Aperture (f-stop)

Focus Distance

Must be greater than 0. Enter the distance from camera to subject.

Hyperfocal Distance

—

Focus here to maximize sharpness from half this distance to infinity.

Near Limit

—

Closest sharp point

Far Limit

—

Farthest sharp point

Total Depth of Field

—

Far limit minus near limit — the complete sharp zone.

Sharp Zone Visualization

Camera Focus point Infinity

Blue bar = sharp zone relative to hyperfocal distance (capped at hyperfocal).

Formulas Used

H = f² / (N × c) + f

D_near = (H × d) / (H + d − f)

D_far = (H × d) / (H − d + f) [∞ if d ≥ H]

f = focal length, N = f-number, c = CoC, d = focus distance

Summary

Enter your camera sensor, focal length, aperture, and focus distance to instantly calculate near/far DoF limits and hyperfocal distance.

How it works

Select your camera sensor size from the preset list (or choose Custom to enter a circle of confusion manually).
Enter the focal length in millimeters (e.g. 50 for a 50mm lens).
Choose the aperture f-stop from the dropdown (e.g. f/2.8).
Enter the focus distance in meters or feet — the unit selector applies throughout.
The calculator instantly shows hyperfocal distance, near DoF limit, far DoF limit, and total depth of field.
Switch between metric and imperial units at any time; all values recalculate.

Use cases

Pre-visualize how much of a scene will be sharp before you shoot.
Find the hyperfocal distance for maximum landscape sharpness.
Compare f-stops to decide how much bokeh a portrait lens will produce.
Plan macro shots where depth of field is only a few millimeters.
Teach photography students the relationship between aperture, focal length, and DoF.
Cross-check results when renting an unfamiliar camera body or lens.
Determine whether a telephoto lens at f/8 gives enough depth for group shots.
Calculate the minimum aperture needed to keep foreground and background sharp.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: 2026-05-29 · Reviewed by Nham Vu