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Universal Depth Of Field Tables

The universal depth of field tables permit you to figure out your depth of field for virtually any lens at any distance, from three feet to 400 feet. Although most lenses have depth-of-field scales marked on the mounts, they are not really precise enough.

To use this table, first determine the hyperfocal distance for the lens you are using from Table 1 (the green Table). The hyperfocal distance is the zone of sharpness when your lens is set for infinity (). It extends from infinity towards your camera. the shorter the focal length and the smaller your lens aperture (f/number), the greater the hyperfocal distance. This is indicated by the zone of sharpness moving closer to your camera.

Then take the nearest value of the hyperfocal distance and check the depth of field using Table 2 (the red Table) to find your zone of sharpness at the distance setting of your lens.

For example, if you are using a standard 50 mm (2-inch) lens on your 35 mm camera and the f/stop is 11, your hyperfocal distance is 15¼ (feet). On the depth of field chart, the nearest value is 15. If your camera is focused for 10 feet, your depth of field will extend from 6-0 (6 feet 0 inches) to 30 feet. If your camera is focused for 20 feet, your depth of field will extend from 8-7 (8 feet 7 inches) to infinity ().

To convert measurements from feet and/or inches to metres, just multiply the amount of feet by 0.3048 and inches by 0.0254. So 8 feet 7 inches are (8 * 0.3048)+(7 * 0.0254) = 2.616 metres.

Table 1: Approximate Hyperfocal Distances (Feet and Inches)

Focal Length of Lens

Hyperfocal Distance at Aperture f

in

mm

1.5

2

2.2

2.8

3.5

4

4.5

5.6

6.3

8

9

11

12.5

16

18

22

25

32

1 25.0
55½
42 38 30 24 21 18½ 15 13¼ 10½ 9-3 7-7 6-8 5-3 4-7 3-9 3-4 2-7

1½ 37.5 83½ 62½ 57 44½ 36 31 28 22 20 15½ 14 11½ 10 7-9 7-0 5-9 5-0 3-10

2 50.0 111 83½ 76 59½ 47½ 42 37 30 26½ 21 18½ 15¼ 13¼ 10½ 9-3 7-7 6-8 5-3

2½ 62.5 139 104 95 74½ 59½ 52 46½ 37 33 26 23 19 16¾ 13 11¾ 9-6 8-5 6-6

3 75.0 167 125 113 89½ 71½ 62½ 55½ 44½ 40 31 28 23 20 15½ 13¼ 11½ 10 7-9

3½ 90.0 195 146 133 104 83½ 73 65 52 46 36½ 32½ 26½ 23 18¼ 16¼ 13¼ 11¾ 9-2

4 100.0 222 167 151 119 95 83½ 74 59½ 53 41½ 37 30½ 27 21 18½ 15¼ 13¼ 10½

4½ 112.0 250 187 170 134 107 94 83½ 67 59½ 47 42 34 30 23½ 21 17 15 11½

5 125.0 278 208 189 149 119 104 92½ 74½ 66 52½ 46 38 33½ 26 23 19 16¾ 13

5½ 137.0 - 230 208 164 131 114 102 82 73 57½ 51 41½ 37 29 25½ 21 18½ 14¼

6 160.0 - 250 227 179 143 125 111 89 79 62½ 55½ 45½ 40 31 28 23 20 15¾

7 175.0 - 290 265 208 167 146 130 104 92½ 73 65 53 46½ 36½ 32½ 26½ 23 18¼

8 200.0 - 333 305 238 190 167 148 119 106 83 74 61 53½ 41½ 37 30½ 27 21

10 250.0 - - 380 298 238 208 185 149 132 104 92 76 67 52 46½ 38 33½ 26

12 300.0 - - 455 357 285 250 222 179 159 125 111 91 80 62½ 55½ 45½ 40 31

Standard of sharpness: circle of confusion = 1/1000 of the focal length. For a circle of confusion 1/1500 of the focal length or for a 1½ x long focus or telephoto lens used with the same camera multiply the hyperfocal distance by 1½; for 1/2000 of the focal length or a 2 x long focus or telephoto lens multiply by 2 and so on.

Table 2: Approximate Depths of Field (Feet and Inches)
Hyperfocal Distance (Feet)	Depth of field at a Distance Setting of
Hyperfocal Distance (Feet)	2 ft. (0.6 m)	3 ft. (0.9 m)	4 ft. (1.2 m)	5 ft (1.5 m)	6 ft. (1.8 m)	8 ft (2.4 m)	10 ft. (3 m)	12 ft. (3.6 m)
3	1-2½ to 6-0	1-6 to	1-8½ to	1-10½ to	2-0 to	2-2¼ to	2-3½ to	2-5 to
4	1-4 to 4-0	1-8½ to 12	2-0 to	2-2 3/4 to	2-5 to	2-8 to	2-10 to	3-0 to
6	1-6 to 3-0	2-0 to 9-0	2-5 to 12	2-9 to 30	3-0 to	3-5 to	3-9 to	4-0 to
8	1-7¼ to 3-8	2-2¼ to 4-10	2-8 to 8-0	3-1 to 13¼	3-5 to 24	4-0 to	4-5 to	4-9 to
12	1-8½ to 2-4¾	2-5 to 4-0	3-0 to 6-0	3-6 to 8-6	4-0 to 12	4-10 to 24	5-5 to 60	6-0 to
15	1-9 to 2-3½	2-6 to 3-9	3-2 to 5-5	3-9 to 7-6	4-3½ to 10	5-3 to 17¼	6-0 to 30	6-8 to 60
20	1-9¾ to 2-2½	2-7 to 3-6½	3-4 to 5-0	4-0 to 6-8	4-7½ to 9-4	5-9 to 13½	6-8 to 20	7-6 to 30
25	1-10¼ to 2-2	2-8 to 3-5	3-5½ to 4-9	4-2 to 6-3	4-10 to 7-11	6-1 to 11¾	7-2 to 16¾	8-1 to 23
40	1-11 to 2-1¼	2-9½ to 3-3	3-7½ to 4-5½	4-5½ to 5-9	5-2 to 7-1	6-8 to 10	8-0 to 13¼	9-3 to 17¼
50	1-11¼ to 2-1	2-10 to 3-2½	3-8½ to 4-4	4-6½ to 5-6	5-4 to 6-10	6-11 to 9-6	8-4 to 12½	9-8 to 15¾
75	1-11½ to 2-0¾	2-10½ to 3-1½	3-9½ to 4-3	4-8 to 5-4	5-7 to 6-6	7-3 to 8-11	8-10 to 11½	10¼ to14¼
100	1-11½ to 2-0½	2-11 to 3-1	3-10 to 4-2	4-9 to 5-3	5-8 to 6-5	7-5 to 8-8	9-1 to 11½	10 ¾ to 13½
150	1-11¾ to 2-0½	2-11 to 3-1	3-11 to 4-1½	4-10 to 5-2	4-9 to 6-3	7-7 to 8-6	9-4 to 10¾	11 to 13
200	1-11¾ to 2-0¼	2-11½ to 3-0½	3-11 to 4-1	4-10½ to 5-2	5-10 to 6-2	7-8 to 8-4	9-6 to 10½	11¼ to 12¾
300	2-0 to 2-0	2-11½ to 3-0½	3-11½ to 4-0½	4-11 to 5-1	5-10 to 6-2	7-9 to 8-3	9-8 to 10½	11½ to 12½
400	2-0 to 2-0	3-0 to 3-0½	3-11½ to 4-0½	4-11 to 5-1	5-11 to 6-1	7-10 to 8-2	9-9 to 10¼	11 ¾ to 12¼

Hyperfocal Distance (Feet)	Depth of field at a Distance Setting of
Hyperfocal Distance (Feet)	15 ft. (4.5 m)	20 ft. (6 m)	25 ft. (7.5 m)	50 ft. (15 m)	100 ft. (30 m)	200 ft. (60 m)
3	2-6 to	2-7 to	2-8½ to	2-9½ to	2-11 to	2-11½ to	3-0 to
4	3-2 to	3-4 to	3-5½ to	3-8½ to	3-10 to	3-11 to	4-0 to
6	4-3½ to	4-7½ to	4-10 to	5-4 to	5-8 to	5-10 to	6-0 to
8	5-3 to	5-8½ to	6-1 to	6-11 to	7-5 to	7-8 to	8-0 to
12	6-8 to	7-6 to	8-1 to	9-8 to	10¾ to	11¼ to	12 to
15	7-6 to	8-7 to	9-4 to	11½ to	13 to	14 to	15 to
20	8-7 to 60	10 to	11¼ to	14¼ to	16¾ to	18¼ to	20 to
25	9-4 to 37½	11 to 100	12½ to	16¾ to	20 to	21¼ to	25 to
40	11 to 24	13¼ to 40	15½ to 67	22½ to	28½ to	33½ to	40 to
50	11½ to 21½	14¼ to 33½	16¾ to 50	25 to	33½ to	40 to	50 to
75	12½ to 18¾	15¾ to 27	18¾ to 37½	30 to 150	43 to	54½ to	75 to
100	13 to 17¼	16¾ to 25	20 to 33½	33½ to 10	50 to	67 to	100 to
150	13¾ to 16¾	17¾ to 23	21½ to 30	37½ to 75	60 to 300	86 to	150 to
200	14 to 16¼	18¼ to 22	22½ to 28½	40 to 67	67 to 200	100 to	200 to
300	14¼ to 15¾	18¾ to 21½	23 to 27	43 to 60	75 to 150	120 to 600	300 to
400	14½ to 15½	19 to 21	23½ to 26½	44½ to 57	80 to 133	133 to 400	400 to

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Last modified on May 4, 2005

Table 1: Approximate Hyperfocal Distances (Feet and Inches)
Focal Length of Lens		Hyperfocal Distance at Aperture f
in	mm	1.5	2	2.2	2.8	3.5	4	4.5	5.6	6.3	8	9	11	12.5	16	18	22	25	32
1	25.0	55½	42	38	30	24	21	18½	15	13¼	10½	9-3	7-7	6-8	5-3	4-7	3-9	3-4	2-7
1½	37.5	83½	62½	57	44½	36	31	28	22	20	15½	14	11½	10	7-9	7-0	5-9	5-0	3-10
2	50.0	111	83½	76	59½	47½	42	37	30	26½	21	18½	15¼	13¼	10½	9-3	7-7	6-8	5-3
2½	62.5	139	104	95	74½	59½	52	46½	37	33	26	23	19	16¾	13	11¾	9-6	8-5	6-6
3	75.0	167	125	113	89½	71½	62½	55½	44½	40	31	28	23	20	15½	13¼	11½	10	7-9
3½	90.0	195	146	133	104	83½	73	65	52	46	36½	32½	26½	23	18¼	16¼	13¼	11¾	9-2
4	100.0	222	167	151	119	95	83½	74	59½	53	41½	37	30½	27	21	18½	15¼	13¼	10½
4½	112.0	250	187	170	134	107	94	83½	67	59½	47	42	34	30	23½	21	17	15	11½
5	125.0	278	208	189	149	119	104	92½	74½	66	52½	46	38	33½	26	23	19	16¾	13
5½	137.0	-	230	208	164	131	114	102	82	73	57½	51	41½	37	29	25½	21	18½	14¼
6	160.0	-	250	227	179	143	125	111	89	79	62½	55½	45½	40	31	28	23	20	15¾
7	175.0	-	290	265	208	167	146	130	104	92½	73	65	53	46½	36½	32½	26½	23	18¼
8	200.0	-	333	305	238	190	167	148	119	106	83	74	61	53½	41½	37	30½	27	21
10	250.0	-	-	380	298	238	208	185	149	132	104	92	76	67	52	46½	38	33½	26
12	300.0	-	-	455	357	285	250	222	179	159	125	111	91	80	62½	55½	45½	40	31
Standard of sharpness: circle of confusion = 1/1000 of the focal length. For a circle of confusion 1/1500 of the focal length or for a 1½ x long focus or telephoto lens used with the same camera multiply the hyperfocal distance by 1½; for 1/2000 of the focal length or a 2 x long focus or telephoto lens multiply by 2 and so on.