📷 Depth of Field Calculator

Enter your focal length, aperture, focus distance, and sensor format to calculate the hyperfocal distance and the near/far limits of acceptable sharpness.

Focal Length (mm)

Aperture (f-number)

Focus Distance (meters)

Sensor Format

Hyperfocal distance first, then the two limits

Everything here comes out of one number: the hyperfocal distance H, the focus setting at which the far limit runs to infinity.

H    = f² / (N × c) + f
near = (H × s) / (H + (s - f))
far  = (H × s) / (H - (s - f))     → infinite once (s - f) ≥ H

f is focal length in mm, N the f-number, s the focus distance in mm, and c the circle of confusion. With the defaults - 50 mm, f/8, 3 m, full frame - H works out at 2500 / 0.24 + 50 = 10467 mm, so 10.47 m. The near limit lands at 2.34 m and the far limit at 4.18 m, giving 1.84 m of total depth.

The sensor format is doing more than you think

c is how large a blur circle you will still call sharp, and it scales with sensor size. The dropdown fixes it:

Format	Crop factor	c used here
Full frame	1.0×	0.030 mm
APS-C	1.6×	0.019 mm
Micro Four Thirds	2.0×	0.015 mm

Halving c doubles H and roughly halves the depth of field, so picking the wrong format silently changes every figure on the page. These values follow the d/1500 convention; if your own standard is stricter, the real depth is shallower than shown.

Frequently asked questions

What is the hyperfocal distance for 24mm at f/8?

2.42 m on full frame: 576 / (8 × 0.030) is 2400 mm, plus the 24 mm focal length. Focus there and everything from 1.22 m to infinity is acceptably sharp.

Does a crop sensor give more depth of field?

Not at the same focal length. Put 50 mm, f/8 and 3 m into APS-C and the depth drops from 1.84 m to 1.11 m, because the smaller circle of confusion is a stricter test. Crop bodies feel deeper only because you reach for a shorter lens to get the same framing.

Why does the far limit read Infinity?

Once you focus at or past the hyperfocal distance, (s - f) reaches H and the far denominator hits zero. Nothing beyond the near limit is out of tolerance, so the tool prints Infinity rather than a number.