Calculate depth of field, hyperfocal distance, and focus range for any camera and lens combination. Find optimal settings for sharp photos.
A depth of field calculator helps photographers determine the range of acceptable sharpness in their photos based on camera sensor size, lens focal length, aperture setting, and subject distance. Calculate DOF to find the near focus limit, far focus limit, and hyperfocal distance for any camera and lens combination. Essential for landscape photography, portrait work, and macro shots where precise focus control determines image quality.
Select your camera's sensor size from Full Frame, APS-C, Micro Four Thirds, or 1" sensor options. Adjust the focal length slider from 10mm wide-angle to 600mm telephoto. Choose your aperture f-stop from f/1.4 to f/22, and set the subject distance from 0.1m to 100m. The calculator instantly shows your depth of field range in both meters and feet, plus the hyperfocal distance for maximum sharpness throughout your scene.
Wide apertures like f/1.4 or f/2.8 create shallow depth of field perfect for portrait photography with blurred backgrounds. Narrow apertures like f/11 or f/16 maximize DOF for landscape shots requiring front-to-back sharpness. Longer focal lengths (200mm, 400mm) produce shallower depth of field than wide-angle lenses (24mm, 35mm) at the same aperture and distance. Understanding this relationship helps you choose optimal camera settings for creative control.
Focus at the hyperfocal distance to achieve maximum depth of field from half that distance to infinity - crucial for landscape photography where you need sharpness from foreground rocks to distant mountains. At f/11 with a 24mm lens on full frame, the hyperfocal distance is approximately 2 meters, keeping everything from 1 meter to infinity acceptably sharp. Use hyperfocal focusing for travel photography, real estate interiors, and any scene requiring extensive front-to-back sharpness.
Different sensor sizes require different circle of confusion values for calculating depth of field: Full Frame uses 0.030mm, APS-C uses 0.020mm, Micro Four Thirds uses 0.015mm, and 1" sensors use 0.011mm. Smaller sensors provide greater depth of field at equivalent focal lengths and apertures. A 50mm f/2.8 lens on Micro Four Thirds delivers similar DOF to 100mm f/5.6 on Full Frame, affecting lens choices for portraits, product photography, and macro work.