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Depth of Field Calculator

Calculate depth of field from focal length, aperture, focus distance and sensor size, for sharper planned shots.

Depth of field

Enter the shooting setup. Results update live.

Total depth of field
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Enter the setup to calculate depth of field.

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How depth of field is calculated

First the hyperfocal distance is found from focal length squared divided by f-number times circle of confusion. Then the near limit is s(H-f)/(H+s-2f) and the far limit is s(H-f)/(H-s), where s is the focus distance. The difference between the limits is the total depth of field.

What changes depth of field most

Focus distance dominates: halving the distance roughly quarters the depth of field. Wider apertures and longer focal lengths also shrink it, while smaller sensors with their smaller circle of confusion give deeper depth of field at the same framing.

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Depth of Field Calc FAQs

What is depth of field in photography?
The zone in front of and behind the focus point that looks acceptably sharp. Portraits use shallow depth of field to blur backgrounds; landscapes use deep depth of field for front to back sharpness.
How do I get a blurry background?
Use a wide aperture (small f-number), a longer focal length and get close to the subject. The calculator shows how shallow the sharp zone becomes.
What is the circle of confusion?
The largest blur spot that still looks like a sharp point in the final image. Smaller sensors use a smaller value, which is why the calculator asks for your sensor.
Why is depth of field split unevenly?
About one third of the depth of field falls in front of the focus point and two thirds behind it. Focusing slightly into the scene maximizes usable sharpness.
When does the far limit become infinity?
When you focus at or beyond the hyperfocal distance. The calculator shows the far limit as infinity in that case, which is the goal for landscape shots.
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