Depth of Field & Hyperfocal Calculator
Enter your focal length, aperture, circle of confusion, and how far away your subject is, and this calculator returns the hyperfocal distance and the near and far limits of acceptably sharp focus. It uses the standard thin-lens depth-of-field model, so it is an optical estimate for planning a shot — not a guarantee of perceived sharpness, which also depends on your sensor, print size, and viewing distance.
Lens & subject
Hyperfocal distance
10.47 m
Focus here for the deepest possible field
Near limit
2.34 m
Far limit
4.18 m
Total depth of field
1.84 m
Focus detail
Focus distances (m)
Compare scenarios
Run the same calculation with two or three input sets side by side. Differences are highlighted; every number comes from the same tested formula as the calculator above.
| Input | Scenario A | Scenario B |
|---|---|---|
| Focal Length Mm | ||
| Aperture | ||
| Circle Of Confusion Mm | ||
| Subject Distance M |
How it works
The hyperfocal distance is computed as H = f²/(N·c) + f, where f is the focal length, N is the f-number, and c is the circle of confusion — the largest blur spot still seen as a point. All three inputs are handled in millimetres internally, and the result is converted to metres. Focusing exactly at H puts everything from half of H to infinity within acceptable focus, which is why landscape shooters use it to maximise depth of field.
Given a subject distance s, the near limit is (H·s)/(H + (s − f)) and the far limit is (H·s)/(H − (s − f)). The total depth of field is simply the far limit minus the near limit. Stopping down the aperture (a larger f-number) raises H, pushing the near limit closer and the far limit farther, so depth of field grows; opening up (a smaller f-number) does the opposite.
When the subject distance reaches or exceeds the hyperfocal distance, the denominator of the far-limit formula hits zero or goes negative, so the far limit runs to infinity and the depth of field is reported as infinite. The near limit stays finite. This is exactly the behaviour you want for hyperfocal focusing, where the goal is a sharp foreground that still holds detail all the way to the horizon.
Frequently asked questions
What circle of confusion should I use?+
The circle of confusion depends on your sensor or film format and, ultimately, on how large you print or display the image and how closely it is viewed. Common defaults are about 0.03 mm for full-frame (35 mm) and around 0.02 mm for APS-C, but these assume a standard print size and viewing distance. If you crop heavily or print very large, effective sharpness tightens and you should use a smaller value. Depth-of-field numbers are only as meaningful as the circle of confusion you assume, so treat the output as a planning estimate rather than an exact boundary.
Why does focusing at the hyperfocal distance matter?+
Focusing at the hyperfocal distance gives you the maximum possible depth of field for a given focal length and aperture: everything from half that distance out to infinity falls within acceptable focus. It is the classic technique for landscapes and street scenes where you want both a nearby foreground and a distant background sharp in a single frame. This calculator flags the depth of field as infinite once your subject distance reaches the hyperfocal distance, which is the point where the far limit extends to the horizon.
Does a smaller aperture always give sharper photos?+
Not beyond a point. Stopping down increases depth of field, but very small apertures (large f-numbers such as f/16 or f/22) introduce diffraction, which softens the entire image regardless of focus. The optimal aperture for critical sharpness is usually a couple of stops down from wide open, where you gain depth of field without paying much of a diffraction penalty. This calculator models geometric depth of field only and does not account for diffraction, so the sharpest-looking result in practice may come from a wider aperture than the numbers alone suggest.