Depth of Field Calculator
Depth of field (DoF) is the zone of acceptable sharpness in a photo, which looks in focus in front of and behind your subject. This calculator helps you estimate that zone based on your camera, lens, aperture, and distance, so you can plan your shots with confidence.
How to read the fields
Start by choosing your camera or sensor type. Sensor size plays a big role in how the depth of field behaves. For even more control, you can also enter a custom circle of confusion (CoC) value.
Next, set your focal length in millimeters; longer lenses naturally produce a shallower depth of field. Then pick the aperture (f-number) you’re shooting at. Wide apertures, like f/2.0, give a very blurred background, while smaller apertures, such as f/16, keep much more in focus.
Enter the subject distance, meaning how far your subject is from the camera. You can work in either meters or feet. If you’d like the maximum possible depth of field, simply click Set distance to Hyperfocal, and the calculator will fill in the ideal focus distance for you.
Once the inputs are set, the results appear. The near limit tells you the closest point that looks sharp, and the far limit is the farthest point that still appears sharp. The space between them is your total depth of field. You’ll also see the hyperfocal distance, which is the magical spot to focus if you want sharpness to stretch from half that distance all the way to infinity.
Common Circle of Confusion (CoC) Values for Popular Cameras
| Camera | Sensor size | Typical CoC (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| Canon EOS R5 (Full Frame) | 36 × 24 mm | 0.030 |
| Nikon Z7 II (Full Frame) | 36 × 24 mm | 0.030 |
| Sony A7 IV (Full Frame) | 36 × 24 mm | 0.030 |
| Fujifilm X-T5 (APS-C) | 23.5 × 15.6 mm | 0.020 |
| Canon EOS R7 (APS-C) | 22.3 × 14.9 mm | 0.019 |
| Nikon Z50 (APS-C) | 23.5 × 15.7 mm | 0.020 |
| Olympus OM-D E-M10 IV (MFT) | 17.3 × 13 mm | 0.015 |
| Panasonic Lumix G9 II (MFT) | 17.3 × 13 mm | 0.015 |
| Sony RX100 VII (1″ sensor) | 13.2 × 8.8 mm | 0.012 |
| DJI Mini 4 Pro (1/1.3″ sensor) | 9.6 × 7.2 mm | 0.006 |
CoC values are practical guidelines for DoF calculations and may vary slightly with print size, viewing distance, and personal sharpness standards.
Hyperfocal Distance
Hyperfocal distance is the closest point you can focus your lens so that everything from half that distance to infinity appears sharp. By focusing at this distance, you maximize depth of field, which is especially useful in landscape photography where both the foreground and background need to stay in focus.