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Hyperfocal Distance Calculator

Focus once, keep everything sharp to infinity

How it is calculated

The tool computes

H = f² / (N × c) + f in millimetres, then H (m) = H / 1000 and near limit = H / 2

f is the lens focal length in mm, N the f-number (for f/8 enter 8) and c the circle of confusion in mm, the blur size you accept as sharp. Both answers are in metres with two decimals. If you focus at H, everything from H/2 to infinity is acceptably sharp. All three values must be above zero. The circle of confusion depends on your sensor and viewing size; a smaller value gives a longer, more demanding hyperfocal distance.

Worked example

A 24 mm lens at f/8 with a circle of confusion of 0.03 mm.

  1. f² = 576 and N × c = 8 × 0.03 = 0.24
  2. 576 / 0.24 = 2400, plus f (24) = 2424 mm
  3. In metres: 2.42; near limit = 2.42 / 2 = 1.21

Focus about 2.42 m away and everything from about 1.21 m to infinity should look sharp.

Try this example →

Common mistakes

  • Entering the focal length in metres or the circle of confusion in microns: both are in millimetres, such as 24 and 0.03.
  • Using the same circle of confusion on every camera: a full-frame value is about 0.03 mm, a smaller sensor needs a smaller one.
  • Using the equivalent focal length or equivalent aperture: enter the lens's real focal length and real f-number.
  • Reading the result in feet or millimetres: the output is in metres.

About this calculator

The hyperfocal distance is the closest focus point that still keeps infinity acceptably sharp, calculated as H = f²/(N·c) + f, where f is focal length, N is the f-number (aperture), and c is the circle of confusion — the largest blur spot the eye perceives as a sharp point, which depends on sensor size and viewing conditions. Focusing exactly at H puts the near edge of acceptable sharpness at roughly H/2, so everything from there to infinity falls within depth of field.

Landscape and architectural photographers use hyperfocal focusing to get front-to-back sharpness — say, from a foreground rock to a distant mountain — in a single exposure without stopping down to extremes that introduce diffraction softness. It's a staple technique taught alongside depth-of-field theory, and lets a photographer set focus once by distance markings or a quick calculation rather than guessing or relying on autofocus hunting near infinity.

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