The calculator
Hyperfocal distance for your lens
Change any input and results update instantly. Focus your lens at the hyperfocal distance shown and everything from the near sharp limit to infinity will appear acceptably sharp.
Lens & aperture
In millimeters — the number printed on your lens (e.g. 24, 35, 50).
The f-stop you are shooting at — e.g. 5.6, 8, 11.
Sensor format
Selects the circle-of-confusion constant for your sensor — see the CoC table below.
Hyperfocal distance:
How it works — the formula in full
These are the exact equations the calculator runs — the standard thin-lens approximations used in optical engineering and photography references. Every variable is defined; every constant is labeled. All lengths are in millimeters; the calculator converts to meters for display.
Variable definitions
What each symbol means
f — focal length, in millimeters (mm). The number printed on your lens.
N — the f-number (aperture). A dimensionless ratio of focal length to entrance pupil diameter.
c — circle of confusion (CoC) in millimeters. The maximum diameter of a blur spot on the sensor that still reads as a sharp point when the image is viewed at a normal distance. Depends on sensor size — see the CoC table below.
H — hyperfocal distance, in millimeters. The focus distance that places the far limit of DoF at infinity.
Equations
H = f² / (N × c) + f
All lengths in mm. Focusing at H places the far limit of depth of field at infinity and the near limit at H/2. This is the maximum-DoF focus point for a given focal length and aperture.
Near limit = H / 2
When your lens is focused at the hyperfocal distance H, everything from H/2 to infinity falls within acceptable depth of field. H/2 is the closest point that appears sharp; focusing any closer than H pulls the far limit back from infinity.
Far limit = ∞
By definition, focusing at the hyperfocal distance places the far limit of depth of field at optical infinity. All distances from the near limit onward appear sharp.
Circle of confusion by sensor format
The CoC value is derived from the sensor's diagonal dimension divided by a conventional enlargement factor (typically around 1500, accounting for a standard print viewed at a normal distance). These are the industry-standard values used by major DoF calculators and optical references. The calculator uses the CoC for the format you select — the active row is highlighted.
| Sensor format | Crop factor | Sensor diagonal (approx.) | CoC (mm) — used by this calculator |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full frame (35 mm) | 1× | 43.3 mm | 0.029 mm |
| APS-C 1.5× (Nikon, Sony, Fuji) | 1.5× | 28.4 mm | 0.019 mm |
| Canon APS-C 1.6× | 1.6× | 26.7 mm | 0.018 mm |
| Micro Four Thirds 2× | 2× | 21.6 mm | 0.015 mm |
| 1-inch sensor 2.7× | 2.7× | 15.9 mm | 0.011 mm |
CoC values are industry-standard constants derived from each sensor's diagonal. Smaller sensors require a tighter CoC, which results in a longer hyperfocal distance — meaning you must focus farther away to achieve front-to-infinity sharpness.
Worked example — step by step
A 24 mm lens at f/8 on a full-frame camera. These are the calculator's default inputs; every figure below can be reproduced by hand.
Inputs
24 mm · f/8 · Full frame (CoC 0.029 mm)
f = 24 mm | N = 8 | c = 0.029 mm (full frame)
Step 1 — Compute f²
f² = 24² = 576 mm²
Step 2 — Compute N × c (the denominator)
N × c = 8 × 0.029 = 0.232 mm
Step 3 — Apply the hyperfocal formula
H = f² / (N × c) + f
H = 576 / 0.232 + 24
H = 2482.76 + 24
H = 2506.76 mm ≈ 2.51 m
Step 4 — Find the near sharp limit
Near limit = H / 2
Near limit = 2506.76 / 2 = 1253.38 mm ≈ 1.25 m
Step 5 — Interpret the result
Focus your 24 mm lens at approximately 2.51 m (about 8.2 feet). Everything from 1.25 m (roughly 4 feet) onward — all the way to the horizon — will appear acceptably sharp. This is why wide-angle lenses at moderate apertures are the landscape photographer's go-to combination: the hyperfocal distance is close enough to set easily, and the near limit is close enough to include a strong foreground.
Common mistakes with hyperfocal distance
Hyperfocal shooting looks simple — focus at H and you're done. In practice, these are the errors that cause blurry landscapes and missed shots.
Confusing the hyperfocal distance with the near sharp limit
The hyperfocal distance H is where you focus your lens. The near sharp limit — H/2 — is the closest point that will appear sharp in the final image. They are not the same. If you focus at H/2, you are focusing closer than the hyperfocal distance, and the far limit of depth of field will pull back from infinity — distant objects will not be sharp. Always focus at H, not at the near limit.
Not recalculating when you change aperture or focal length
The hyperfocal distance changes every time you change your f-stop or zoom your lens. Stopping down from f/8 to f/11 shortens the hyperfocal distance; zooming from 24 mm to 35 mm lengthens it substantially. Many photographers memorize one value and apply it across a shoot — which only works if they stay on one focal length and aperture. Recalculate (or bookmark the calculator on your phone) whenever you change either setting.
Chasing hyperfocal sharpness at very small apertures, triggering diffraction
Stopping down to f/22 or f/32 gives a very short hyperfocal distance — it looks ideal on paper. But those apertures introduce diffraction softness that affects the entire frame regardless of focus distance. On a full-frame camera, diffraction becomes noticeable around f/16 and progressively degrades sharpness beyond that. On smaller sensors the threshold is even lower. The practical sweet spot for hyperfocal shooting is usually f/8 to f/11 on full frame — enough depth of field without sacrificing lens resolution to diffraction.
Using the wrong CoC for your sensor format
The circle-of-confusion constant depends on your sensor size. Using the full-frame CoC (0.029 mm) for a Micro Four Thirds camera (which needs 0.015 mm) will underestimate the hyperfocal distance by nearly half — meaning you will focus too close and lose infinity sharpness. Always select your actual sensor format in the calculator.
Expecting pixel-level sharpness throughout the entire depth of field
"Acceptably sharp" in the DoF formula means sharp enough when printed and viewed at a normal distance using the conventional CoC derivation. At 100% pixel-level zoom on a high-resolution sensor, points near the edges of the depth of field will show visible softness. The hyperfocal technique is calibrated for real-world print and display viewing, not for pixel-peeping. If you are delivering for large-format prints at close viewing distances, you may need to stop down further or accept a more conservative effective CoC.