Depth of field calculator guide
Depth of Field Calculator: How to Calculate Near and Far Focus
A depth of field calculator tells you the area in front of and behind your focus point that will appear acceptably sharp. It is useful when you need a practical answer, not a vague guess.
Fast answer: Enter camera format, focal length, aperture and focus distance. Simple DoF Calculator updates the depth of field and hyperfocal distance in real time on iPhone and iPad.
What people searching this want to know
Most photographers search for a depth of field calculator when they are choosing settings for a real shot. The important outputs are near focus limit, far focus limit, total depth of field and hyperfocal distance.
How to use Simple DoF Calculator
- Open Simple DoF Calculator and choose your camera or film format.
- Set the focal length of the lens you are using.
- Set your aperture, such as f/2.8 for portraits or f/11 for landscapes.
- Enter the focus distance to your subject.
- Use the near and far focus results to decide whether to change aperture, lens or subject distance.
Best settings to test
Try your planned settings first, then change one variable at a time. Stop down the aperture for more depth of field, move closer for shallower depth of field, or compare lenses when framing allows.