Free Online Depth of Field Calculator

This online Depth of Field Calculator will help you find the perfect settings.

Getting your focus exactly right can make or break a shot. Whether you want a blurry “bokeh” background for a portrait or a sharp, clear mountain range, our

helps you find the perfect settings. This tool is built for both photographers and videographers to help you visualize what will be in focus before you even press the record button.

How to use the calculator

To get an accurate measurement of your “zone of sharpness,” you need to tell the calculator about your gear and your environment.

Understanding the inputs

To use the calculator, you will need to enter five key pieces of information:

• Sensor Size: This is the physical size of the digital sensor inside your camera (like Full Frame, APS-C, or Micro Four Thirds). Because smaller sensors “crop” the image, they change how much of the photo stays sharp.
• Focal Length: This is the number on your lens (like 35mm or 50mm). Longer lenses (telephoto) create a thinner slice of focus, while wider lenses make more of the scene look sharp.
• Aperture (f-stop): This is how wide your lens is open. A small number like ( f/1.8 ) creates a very shallow depth of field, while a large number like ( f/16 ) keeps almost everything in focus.
• Subject Distance: This is how far away the person or object you are focusing on is from your camera. The closer you stand to your subject, the blurrier the background will become.
• Units: You can choose between Imperial (feet and inches) or Metric (meters and centimeters) to make measuring your distance easier.

What is the “Circle of Confusion”?

This sounds like a funny name, but it is an important math value used in the background of the calculator. It represents the maximum size a point of light can be before our eyes stop seeing it as a “sharp point” and start seeing it as a “blurry circle.” The calculator uses this to decide exactly where your photo stops being sharp and starts being blurry. Most people don’t need to change this setting, as the calculator picks the best number based on your sensor size!