Hyperfocal Distance Calculator
Maximize your depth of field (sharpness) in landscape photography.
Mastering Depth: The Science of Hyperfocal Distance
The Hyperfocal Distance Calculator is a fundamental tool for maximizing the Depth of Field (DoF) in photography, ensuring both the immediate foreground and the distant infinity remain acceptably sharp. This technique is especially critical in landscape and architectural photography where capturing a wide, sharp scene is the primary goal.
What is Hyperfocal Distance (H)?
The Hyperfocal Distance is the closest point at which you can set your focus while simultaneously ensuring that everything from that point all the way to infinity (∞) remains sharp. When you focus at H, your depth of field actually begins at half that distance (H/2) and extends to infinity. This provides the deepest possible DoF for a given lens, aperture, and sensor format.
The Calculation
The Hyperfocal Distance (H) is determined by three variables: the lens’s Focal Length (f), the chosen Aperture (N), and the Circle of Confusion (c), which is tied to the camera sensor's size. All units must be consistent (e.g., millimeters for focal length and Circle of Confusion).
The standard formula for calculating the Hyperfocal Distance (H) is:
H=N×cf2+f
Components of the Formula:
Focal Length (f): Measured in millimeters (mm). Using a wider angle (smaller f) drastically reduces the required Hyperfocal Distance, making it easier to keep a large scene sharp.
Aperture (N): The f-number (e.g., f/8.0). A smaller aperture number (larger opening, like f/2.8) results in a greater H (harder to achieve full sharpness), while a larger aperture number (smaller opening, like f/16) results in a shorter H (easier to achieve full sharpness).
Circle of Confusion (c): Measured in millimeters (mm). This is the acceptable diameter of a focused light point that still appears sharp to the human eye. Full-frame sensors have a larger c (typically 0.030mm) than crop sensors (e.g., APS-C at 0.020mm), impacting the final H.
By inputting these three values, the calculator provides the exact distance (usually in meters) where you must set your focus ring to achieve maximum scene sharpness.