Stopping down widens the sharp zone, but where that zone starts and ends only shows up as numbers. Enter the focal length, the f-number, the distance to the subject and your circle of confusion, and the near and far limits come back in feet with the sharp depth in front of and behind the subject split apart.
The hyperfocal distance is the focal length squared divided by the f-number times the circle of confusion. The near and far limits use the widely applied approximation built from that hyperfocal distance and the subject distance. The circle of confusion has no official standard because it shifts with sensor and print size, so it is an input. Front and rear depths are taken from the rounded limits so they always add up to the total. Current as of October 2026.
The approximation assumes a thin lens, so error grows at macro distances. Exposure, shutter speed and ISO pairings are not covered, and neither angle of view, perspective compression nor the shape of the bokeh is reduced to a number. Treat the results as a reference and confirm focus with magnified view on anything that matters.
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on sensor size, final print size and viewing distance, so no single official standard exists. Enter whatever figure the system you work in treats as its reference. A smaller value returns a narrower depth of field.
Once the subject distance minus the focal length reaches the hyperfocal distance, the rear depth never closes. Focus there and everything beyond falls inside your circle of confusion.
No. This calculator deals only in distances. The same f-number still needs its own exposure pairing worked out from the scene brightness.