Hyperfocal Distance Chart
Focus at the hyperfocal distance and everything from half that distance to infinity is acceptably sharp. Find your format, focal length and aperture below. For example, a 24 mm lens at f/11 on full frame has a hyperfocal distance of about 1.84 m, so focusing there keeps everything from about 0.92 m to infinity sharp. The figures come from the same formula as the depth of field calculator.
Full frame
Circle of confusion 0.0288 mm (sensor diagonal ÷ 1500).
| Focal length | f/5.6 | f/8 | f/11 | f/16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 mm | 1.23 m 4.0 ft | 0.86 m 2.8 ft | 0.63 m 2.1 ft | 0.44 m 1.4 ft |
| 16 mm | 1.60 m 5.3 ft | 1.13 m 3.7 ft | 0.82 m 2.7 ft | 0.57 m 1.9 ft |
| 20 mm | 2.50 m 8.2 ft | 1.75 m 5.8 ft | 1.28 m 4.2 ft | 0.89 m 2.9 ft |
| 24 mm | 3.59 m 11.8 ft | 2.52 m 8.3 ft | 1.84 m 6.0 ft | 1.27 m 4.2 ft |
| 28 mm | 4.88 m 16.0 ft | 3.43 m 11.2 ft | 2.50 m 8.2 ft | 1.73 m 5.7 ft |
| 35 mm | 7.62 m 25.0 ft | 5.34 m 17.5 ft | 3.90 m 12.8 ft | 2.69 m 8.8 ft |
| 50 mm | 15.5 m 50.9 ft | 10.9 m 35.7 ft | 7.93 m 26.0 ft | 5.47 m 17.9 ft |
APS-C (Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm)
Circle of confusion 0.0187 mm (sensor diagonal ÷ 1500).
| Focal length | f/5.6 | f/8 | f/11 | f/16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 mm | 0.96 m 3.2 ft | 0.68 m 2.2 ft | 0.49 m 1.6 ft | 0.34 m 1.1 ft |
| 12 mm | 1.38 m 4.5 ft | 0.97 m 3.2 ft | 0.71 m 2.3 ft | 0.49 m 1.6 ft |
| 16 mm | 2.45 m 8.1 ft | 1.72 m 5.7 ft | 1.26 m 4.1 ft | 0.87 m 2.9 ft |
| 18 mm | 3.10 m 10.2 ft | 2.18 m 7.1 ft | 1.59 m 5.2 ft | 1.10 m 3.6 ft |
| 23 mm | 5.06 m 16.6 ft | 3.55 m 11.6 ft | 2.59 m 8.5 ft | 1.79 m 5.9 ft |
| 24 mm | 5.51 m 18.1 ft | 3.86 m 12.7 ft | 2.82 m 9.2 ft | 1.94 m 6.4 ft |
| 35 mm | 11.7 m 38.4 ft | 8.20 m 26.9 ft | 5.97 m 19.6 ft | 4.12 m 13.5 ft |
Micro Four Thirds
Circle of confusion 0.0144 mm (sensor diagonal ÷ 1500).
| Focal length | f/5.6 | f/8 | f/11 | f/16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 mm | 0.61 m 2.0 ft | 0.43 m 1.4 ft | 0.32 m 1.0 ft | 0.22 m 0.7 ft |
| 9 mm | 1.01 m 3.3 ft | 0.71 m 2.3 ft | 0.52 m 1.7 ft | 0.36 m 1.2 ft |
| 12 mm | 1.79 m 5.9 ft | 1.26 m 4.1 ft | 0.92 m 3.0 ft | 0.64 m 2.1 ft |
| 14 mm | 2.44 m 8.0 ft | 1.71 m 5.6 ft | 1.25 m 4.1 ft | 0.86 m 2.8 ft |
| 17 mm | 3.59 m 11.8 ft | 2.52 m 8.3 ft | 1.84 m 6.0 ft | 1.27 m 4.2 ft |
| 20 mm | 4.97 m 16.3 ft | 3.48 m 11.4 ft | 2.54 m 8.3 ft | 1.75 m 5.7 ft |
| 25 mm | 7.75 m 25.4 ft | 5.43 m 17.8 ft | 3.96 m 13.0 ft | 2.73 m 9.0 ft |
How to use the chart
Set the aperture, focus at the distance in the chart, and everything from half that distance to infinity is within the standard depth of field. If you cannot focus at an exact distance, focus a little beyond it rather than short of it: focusing short loses infinity, while focusing long only moves the near limit back slightly. Canon APS-C sensors are a little smaller than other APS-C sensors, with a circle of confusion of about 0.0179 mm, so add about 5 percent to the APS-C figures.
The chart uses the standard circle of confusion for an 8×10 inch print viewed from about 25 cm. For large prints or a pixel-level standard on a high-resolution sensor, a smaller circle of confusion is more realistic. Halving it doubles every hyperfocal distance in the chart. The hyperfocal distance guide and the circle of confusion guide explain both ideas, and the diffraction guide explains why f/16 is softer than f/8 or f/11 even though it gives the shortest distance.
To print the chart, use your browser's print command. The page prints in black on white without the menu.