Depth of Field Calculator — Nail Sharp Focus Every Shot
Calculate depth of field for any lens, aperture, and subject distance. Understand hyperfocal distance, bokeh, and when to use a shallow vs deep DoF.
Getting focus right is half of photography. The other half is deciding how much of the scene you want in focus — and that's where depth of field comes in.
Use the depth of field calculator on CalcHub to see exactly what'll be sharp before you even press the shutter.
What Depth of Field Actually Means
Depth of field (DoF) is the range of distances in a scene that appear acceptably sharp in your final image. "Shallow" DoF means only a thin slice is sharp — great for portraits with creamy background blur. "Deep" DoF means almost everything from foreground to background looks focused — what you want for landscapes and architecture.
Three things control it: aperture, focal length, and subject distance. Change any one of them and your DoF shifts.
How to Use the Calculator
- Select your camera's sensor size (full frame, APS-C, Micro Four Thirds, etc.)
- Enter your focal length in mm
- Enter your aperture (f-stop)
- Enter subject distance
- Read off your near limit, far limit, and total DoF
DoF at Common Settings
Here's how dramatically aperture shifts things on a 50mm full-frame lens focused at 3 meters:
| Aperture | Near Limit | Far Limit | Total DoF |
|---|---|---|---|
| f/1.8 | 2.71 m | 3.36 m | 0.65 m |
| f/2.8 | 2.60 m | 3.52 m | 0.92 m |
| f/5.6 | 2.36 m | 3.96 m | 1.60 m |
| f/11 | 2.03 m | 5.21 m | 3.18 m |
| f/16 | 1.85 m | 7.42 m | 5.57 m |
Sensor Size Changes Everything
Crop sensors have inherently more DoF than full frame at the same aperture and framing. If you're shooting a portrait at f/2.8 on APS-C, you're getting roughly the same DoF as f/4.5 on full frame. This is worth knowing when you're comparing gear or trying to replicate a specific look.
Practical Tips
For portraits: f/1.8–f/2.8 at 85mm or longer gives that subject-pops-off-background look. Focus on the near eye — if DoF is shallow enough that eyes go soft, stop down slightly. For landscapes: Shoot at hyperfocal distance. Everything from half that distance to infinity will be sharp. At 24mm, f/11, hyperfocal on full frame is around 5.5 meters — focus there and your foreground rocks and distant mountains are both sharp. For group shots: More people = more depth you need. At 5+ people spread across different distances, f/8 or smaller saves you from having the back row go soft.What is the circle of confusion and why does the calculator ask for it?
The circle of confusion (CoC) is the maximum size a point of light can be on the sensor and still appear as a point to the human eye in the final print. It's what defines "acceptably sharp." Most DoF calculators preset it based on sensor size — full frame is typically 0.029mm. You can usually leave it at the default.
Why does my photo look sharper or softer than the calculator predicted?
Real-world sharpness depends on lens quality, camera shake, subject movement, and diffraction at very small apertures. The calculator gives you an optical depth of field based on geometry — it assumes a perfect lens and a steady camera. At f/22, diffraction often makes images softer than f/11 even though the DoF is wider.
Does depth of field change with focus distance?
Yes, significantly. The farther away your subject, the deeper your DoF. Focus at 10 meters with a 50mm lens at f/2.8 and you have several meters of sharp zone. Focus at 1 meter and you have centimeters.
Related Calculators
- Focal Length Equivalent Calculator — compare focal lengths across sensor sizes
- Exposure Calculator — balance aperture, shutter speed, and ISO
- Print Size Calculator — see if your resolution supports large prints