Free Depth of Field Calculator
Near, far, DoF and hyperfocal distance.
What is the Depth of Field Calculator?
Depth of field — how much of a photo is sharp front to back — is one of the most powerful creative controls in photography, and one of the least intuitive. It depends on your sensor, focal length, aperture and how far away your subject is, all at once.
This calculator gives you the exact near and far focus limits, the total depth of field and the hyperfocal distance for any combination. It runs in your browser.
Last updated: Sep 1, 2026
What does this tool do?
You choose your sensor format and enter focal length, aperture and subject distance. Using the circle of confusion for that sensor, it computes the near focus limit, the far limit, the total depth of field, and the hyperfocal distance — plus how much sharp zone falls in front of and behind your subject.
It's the planning tool for getting exactly the sharpness — or the background blur — you want.
Key features
Near & far limits
Where sharpness begins and ends.
Total depth of field
The full in-focus range.
Hyperfocal distance
For front-to-back sharpness.
Sensor-accurate
Full frame, APS-C, M4/3, 1-inch, medium format.
Private
Runs in your browser.
Example
Common use cases
- Portrait photographers — Control background blur precisely.
- Landscape photographers — Use hyperfocal for front-to-back sharpness.
- Product & macro — Plan a tight, adequate focus zone.
- Videographers — Set focus with predictable falloff.
- Students — Learn how the variables interact.
- Anyone — Nail focus before the shoot.
Benefits
- Exact focus limits, not guesswork.
- Sensor-correct results for your camera.
- Hyperfocal distance for sharp landscapes.
- Free and private.
Tips
- For sharp landscapes, focus at the hyperfocal distance — everything from half that distance to infinity stays sharp.
- For creamy portrait backgrounds, use a wide aperture, longer focal length and closer subject — all shrink depth of field.
- Pick the right sensor format; the same lens and settings give different results on full frame vs APS-C.
- Stopping down (higher f-number) deepens focus but eventually softens the whole image to diffraction — don't overdo it.
- Distance matters most up close — depth of field is very shallow in macro, so focus stacking may be needed.
Common mistakes to avoid
Wrong sensor selected
Fix: Choose your actual format — it changes the circle of confusion and the result.
Chasing sharpness with tiny apertures
Fix: Past a point, diffraction softens everything; use hyperfocal instead of f/22.
Ignoring subject distance
Fix: Distance hugely affects DoF, especially up close — enter it accurately.
Expecting deep focus wide open
Fix: Wide apertures give shallow DoF by design; stop down for more depth.
How it works
- 1
Pick your sensor
Full frame, APS-C, Micro 4/3 and more.
- 2
Enter your settings
Focal length, aperture, distance.
- 3
See the range
Near, far, DoF and hyperfocal.
Frequently asked questions
It's the range of distance in a photo that appears acceptably sharp — from the near limit to the far limit around your subject. This tool calculates both plus the total depth.
The focus distance at which everything from half that distance to infinity is acceptably sharp — the trick landscape photographers use for front-to-back sharpness.
Depth of field depends on the circle of confusion, which scales with sensor size, so choosing the right format (full frame, APS-C, etc.) makes the result accurate.
The range of distance in a photo that appears acceptably sharp, from the near limit to the far limit around your subject. The tool gives both plus the total.
The focus distance at which everything from half that distance to infinity is acceptably sharp — used for front-to-back sharp landscapes.
Depth of field depends on the circle of confusion, which scales with sensor size, so choosing the right format keeps results accurate.
Yes — free, no sign-up.
Conclusion
Plan exactly how much of your shot will be sharp — near and far limits, total depth of field and the hyperfocal distance — for your specific camera and settings. Focus at the hyperfocal for landscapes, open up for portraits, and pick the right sensor for accurate numbers.
How-to guides
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