Depth of Field Calculator

Calculate depth of field for your camera setup. Enter focal length, aperture, distance and sensor to see near and far focus limits and hyperfocal distance.

Input

Hyperfocal – Quick Actions

Auto-fill one value for hyperfocal shooting. The highlighted field is the one that gets computed.

Results

  • Near limit —
  • Far limit —
  • Total DoF —
  • Hyperfocal —

Related Tools

How Depth of Field Works

Mastering Your Focus: The DoF Calculator

In cinematography, Depth of Field (DoF) is one of your most powerful storytelling tools. It is the distance between the nearest and farthest objects in a scene that appear "acceptably sharp" in your image.

Whether you’re aiming for that creamy, out-of-focus background (shallow DoF) to isolate a protagonist, or keeping a wide landscape sharp from foreground to infinity (deep DoF), this tool helps you nail your technical settings before you roll camera.

How It Works

The calculator uses four key variables to determine your focus limits:

1. Focal Length (mm): Longer lenses (telephoto) compress the image and shrink your DoF; wider lenses expand it.

2. Aperture (f/stop): Opening up (e.g., f/1.4) creates a shallow "slice" of focus. Stopping down (e.g., f/11) increases the depth.

3. Focus distance (m): The closer you are to your subject, the thinner your depth of field becomes.

4. Sensor Size (CoC): Different sensors (Full Frame, S35, MFT) have different "Circles of Confusion." This tool includes presets to handle that math for you.

Key Terms for the Crew

Near & Far Limits: The exact points where focus starts and ends.

Hyperfocal Distance: The "sweet spot" focus distance. When you focus here, your DoF extends from half this distance all the way to infinity—perfect for deep-focus shots.

Total DoF: The total "budget" of sharpness you have to work with in your frame.

Pro Examples

The "Bokehliscious" Portrait: Setup: 85mm lens at f/1.8, subject 2 meters away.

Result: Tiny DoF (only a few centimeters). Great for interviews, but the AC will have a tough time keeping the eyes sharp!

The Wide Master: Setup: 24mm lens at f/8, subject 5 meters away.

Result: Deep DoF. Most of your scene from the foreground to the background will be sharp...

DP Tip: Use the Hyperfocal - Quick Actions in the sidebar to instantly find the best settings for maximum sharpness when shooting landscapes or complex blocking.