Depth of Field Calculator Tutorial

What This Tool Does

This calculator shows you the range of sharpness (Depth of Field, or DoF) in your photos/videos based on:

• Camera sensor size
• Lens focal length
• Aperture (f-stop or T-stop)
• Focus distance

How to Use It

1. Select Your Camera/Sensor

• Choose your camera model from the dropdown.
• Pro Tip: Smaller sensors (e.g., Micro Four Thirds) have deeper DoF than full-frame at the same settings.

2. Adjust Lens Settings

• Focal Length (mm): Slide to match your lens (e.g., 24mm for wide-angle, 85mm for portraits).
• Aperture: Lower f-numbers (e.g., f/1.8) give shallow DoF (blurry backgrounds), while higher f-numbers (e.g., f/16) keep more in focus.
  • Toggle between f-stop (photo lenses) and T-stop (cine lenses, accounts for light loss).

3. Set Your Focus Distance

• Drag the slider to match how far your subject is from the camera.
• Pro Tip: Focus beyond the hyperfocal distance (shown in results) to maximize sharpness from foreground to infinity.

4. Read the Results

• Near Limit: Closest distance that’s acceptably sharp.
• Far Limit: Farthest distance that’s sharp (8 means everything beyond is in focus).
• Total DoF: The total range of sharpness (e.g., “0.5m” means 50cm between near/far limits).

Understanding the Graphic

• Blue Zone: The depth of field (sharp area).
• Orange Line: Your exact focus point.
• Why are they close? With shallow DoF (wide apertures), the sharp zone is narrow, so the focus point appears near the near limit.

Practical Examples

1. Portrait (Shallow DoF)

• Settings: 85mm, f/1.8, focus at 2m
• Result: Very narrow blue zone ? blurred background

2. Landscape (Deep DoF)

• Settings: 24mm, f/11, focus at 5m
• Result: Wide blue zone ? everything from 1m to 8 is sharp

3. Hyperfocal Magic

• Settings: 35mm, f/8, focus at ~7m (hyperfocal distance)
• Result: Sharp from 3.5m to 8

Pro Tips

• Bokeh Simulator: Shows how aperture shape affects out-of-focus highlights (more blades = rounder bokeh).
• Unit Toggle: Switch between meters/feet for distance.
• Mobile-Friendly: Works on phones/tablets for on-set use.

Why It Matters

Mastering DoF helps you:

• ? Isolate subjects with creamy bokeh
• ? Keep entire scenes sharp (landscapes, architecture)
• ? Nail focus for video (e.g., pull focus between near/far limits)