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Hyperfocal Distance Calculator

Find a lens's hyperfocal distance.

Result

3.75 m

How it is calculated

The hyperfocal distance is H = f² / (N × c) + f, where f is the focal length in millimetres, N the f-number (aperture) and c the circle of confusion in millimetres. The calculation is done in millimetres and divided by 1000, so the result is in metres, to two decimals. All three inputs must be greater than zero.

If you focus the lens at H, everything from about half of H to infinity is acceptably sharp. The circle of confusion is the largest blur you accept as sharp, and it depends on the sensor size and how big you print or view the image. The figure 0.03 mm is a common choice for full-frame; smaller sensors use smaller values, so use the value for your own camera. Enter the real focal length of the lens, not the 35 mm-equivalent.

Worked example

A 35 mm lens at f/11 with a circle of confusion of 0.03 mm. Square the focal length: 35² = 1,225. Multiply the aperture by the circle: 11 × 0.03 = 0.33. Divide: 1,225 / 0.33 = 3,712.1 mm. Add the focal length: 3,712.1 + 35 = 3,747.1 mm, which is 3.75 m. Focused at 3.75 m, the picture is acceptably sharp from roughly 1.87 m to infinity.

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Common mistakes

  • Entering the circle of confusion in the wrong unit. It is in millimetres, so 0.03 is right and 30 is 1,000 times too large.
  • Using the 35 mm-equivalent focal length of a cropped sensor. Use the true focal length printed on the lens, together with a circle of confusion for that sensor.
  • Focusing at infinity instead of at the hyperfocal distance. Focusing at H is what brings the foreground back in.
  • Entering a shutter speed such as 1/125 in the aperture field. Aperture here is the f-number (for example 1.4 or 11), and a bigger number means a smaller opening and a nearer hyperfocal distance.
  • Expecting crisp detail across the whole range. 'Acceptably sharp' depends on the circle of confusion, so large prints or pixel peeping may need a stricter value.

About this calculator

The hyperfocal distance is the closest focus point that keeps everything from half that distance to infinity acceptably sharp. It's calculated as H = f²/(N·c) + f, where f is focal length, N is the aperture (f-number), and c is the circle of confusion — the largest blur spot the human eye perceives as a sharp point, which depends on sensor size (typically around 0.03mm for full-frame).

Landscape and architectural photographers use hyperfocal distance to maximize depth of field in a single shot: focusing at the hyperfocal distance instead of at infinity gets both close foreground elements and distant scenery in acceptable focus, a technique especially important with wide-angle lenses at moderate apertures.

Landscape photographers planning a shot's focus point, cinematographers setting pull-focus marks, and photography students learning depth-of-field theory all use this calculator, entering focal length, aperture, and circle of confusion (often preset by camera/sensor type).

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Comments (1)

  • Editorial team

    The circle of confusion is the setting that changes the answer most, and it follows the sensor and the print size. Using the 35 mm lens at f/11, 0.03 mm gives about 3.75 m, while a stricter 0.015 mm gives about 7.46 m. Focus at that distance and sharpness runs from half of it out to infinity. Which camera sensor and print size are you planning for?

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