Hyperfocal Distance Calculator
Find the focus distance that gives you the maximum possible depth of field.
Results
- Hyperfocal distance
- 2.42 m
- Resulting sharp range
- 1.21 m to infinity
Focus here to get the maximum possible depth of field for this focal length and aperture.
Once focused at the hyperfocal distance above, everything from half that distance out to infinity will appear acceptably sharp.
How it works
The hyperfocal distance is the closest you can focus while still keeping infinity acceptably sharp. Focus there and your depth of field runs from half that distance all the way to the horizon, which is the largest sharp zone any given focal length and aperture can produce.
It is the standard technique for landscapes, street photography with a manual lens, and any situation where you want everything from the near foreground to the far background usable without hunting for focus.
One practical caution: focusing exactly at the hyperfocal distance puts infinity right on the edge of acceptable sharpness. If distant detail matters more to you than the nearest foreground, focus slightly beyond the hyperfocal distance and give up a little depth at the near end.
The formula
H = f² / (N × c) + f
f is the focal length, N the f-number, and c the circle of confusion for the sensor. Focusing at H puts the near limit at approximately H/2 and the far limit at infinity.
Frequently asked questions
- Where exactly do I focus?
- At the hyperfocal distance from the camera, which the calculator gives you in metres. In practice, pick something in the scene at roughly that distance, focus on it, then switch to manual focus so it does not shift.
- Why does a wider lens have a closer hyperfocal distance?
- The distance scales with the square of the focal length, so halving the focal length brings the hyperfocal distance down to roughly a quarter. This is why wide-angle lenses feel like they hold everything in focus.
- Should I just stop down to f/22 to get the closest hyperfocal distance?
- No. Past your lens's diffraction limit, stopping down softens the whole frame faster than the extra depth of field helps. On full frame that limit sits around f/16 to f/22 for print-sized viewing, and earlier if you pixel-peep. Check the diffraction calculator.
Read more about this
- Hyperfocal focusing in practiceThe technique works. The way it is usually taught puts infinity right on the edge of acceptable, which is the one place you do not want it.
- Why your depth of field calculator disagrees with your photographsThe calculator said the whole scene was sharp. At 100% on screen, half of it clearly is not. Both things are true, and the reason is a number nobody mentions.