LensCalc

Depth of Field Calculator

How much of the scene will be in focus?

Focal Length (mm)

Aperture (f/)

Subject Distance (m)

Circle of Confusion (mm)

Depth of Field

1.71 m

Near Limit: 4.29 m
Far Limit: 6 m
Hyperfocal Distance: 29.81 m

What you entered

Focal Length: 50 mmAperture: f/2.8Subject Distance: 5 mCoC: 0.03 mm

1
Hyperfocal distance
(50^2 / (2.8 x 0.03)) + 50= 29.8119 m
2
Near focus limit
(H x s) / (H + (s - f))= 4.288 m
3
Far focus limit
(H x s) / (H - (s - f))= 5.9955 m
4
Depth of field
far limit - near limit= 1.7075 m

Result

Depth of Field: 1.71 m

Depth of field at a 3 metre subject distance

Depth of field is set by focal length, aperture, and subject distance. Rows use a 0.03 mm circle of confusion, the full-frame standard.

Lens	Aperture	Subject distance	Near limit	Far limit	Total depth
85 mm	f/1.8	3 m	2.936 m	3.067 m	0.131 m
50 mm	f/1.8	3 m	2.820 m	3.204 m	0.383 m
50 mm	f/8	3 m	2.340 m	4.177 m	1.837 m
50 mm	f/16	3 m	1.922 m	6.834 m	4.912 m
24 mm	f/8	3 m	1.347 m	Infinity	Infinity
200 mm	f/2.8	10 m	9.798 m	10.210 m	0.412 m

The 24mm row reaches infinity because focusing at 3 m is beyond that lens's hyperfocal distance of 2.42 m, so everything from 1.35 m to the horizon is acceptably sharp. Longer lenses and wider apertures both compress depth of field sharply.

Three factors control DOF

Depth of field depends on focal length (longer = shallower), aperture (wider/lower f-number = shallower), and subject distance (closer = shallower) — a 50mm lens at f/1.8 focused at 2 meters gives a razor-thin DOF of just centimeters.

The hyperfocal distance trick

If you focus at the hyperfocal distance (the closest focus distance where infinity is still acceptably sharp), everything from half the hyperfocal distance to infinity will be in focus — landscape photographers use this constantly.

Frequently asked questions

I'm shooting a portrait at 85mm f/1.4 from 3 meters — how much will be in focus?

On a full-frame sensor, your total DOF is roughly 7-8 cm. That's enough to keep both eyes sharp if the subject faces the camera straight-on, but a slight turn could put the far eye out of focus.

How is depth of field different from hyperfocal distance?

DOF is the range of distances in acceptable focus for a given setup. Hyperfocal distance is the specific focus point that maximizes that range by extending it to infinity — it's the sweet spot for landscape sharpness.

Does sensor size affect depth of field?

Indirectly, yes. A crop sensor needs a shorter focal length for the same framing, and shorter focal lengths give more DOF. A 50mm f/1.8 on full frame gives shallower DOF than a 35mm f/1.8 on APS-C at the same framing distance.

Why do my phone photos have everything in focus?

Phone cameras have tiny sensors and very short focal lengths (typically 4-7mm equivalent). Both factors massively increase DOF — even at f/1.8, a phone's DOF is meters deep where a full-frame camera's would be centimeters.