Cinema DOF Calculator
Calculate depth of field and hyperfocal distance for cinema cameras.
About this calculator
Depth of field is the zone in front of and behind your focus point that still reads as acceptably sharp on screen, and it's controlled by four things at once: focal length, aperture, subject distance, and sensor size. This calculator converts your sensor width into an approximate circle of confusion — the largest blur spot the eye still perceives as a sharp point at normal viewing distance — then uses that figure along with focal length and aperture to compute the hyperfocal distance, the focus distance beyond which everything out to infinity stays acceptably sharp. From the hyperfocal distance and your subject distance, it derives the near and far limits of acceptable focus and reports the total depth of field between them.
Stopping down to a higher f-number narrows the aperture and increases depth of field, while a longer focal length or a closer subject narrows it. Sensor size matters because a larger sensor at the same focal length and aperture produces a shallower depth of field for an equivalent framing — part of why full-frame cinema cameras are prized for a "cinematic" shallow-focus look compared to smaller Super 35 or Micro Four Thirds sensors. The circle-of-confusion figure here is an approximation based on sensor width, not a per-camera-model published spec, so treat the results as a planning estimate rather than a guaranteed focus-pull mark.
Inputs
Results
Total DOF
1.95 ft
≈ 7 credit cards
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter Focal Length in millimeters — the lens focal length you are using on set.
- Set Aperture (f-stop) — wider apertures (lower f-numbers) produce shallower depth of field.
- Enter Sensor Width in millimeters (36mm for full frame, 23.5mm for Super 35) to apply the correct circle of confusion.
- Input Subject Distance in feet — the distance from lens to your primary subject.
- Read Total DOF (ft) to know the range in which subjects will appear acceptably sharp.
- Use Near Limit (ft), Far Limit (ft), and Hyperfocal Distance (ft) to plan focus pulls.
How the result changes with Focal Length
| Focal Length | Total DOF |
|---|---|
| 25 | 9.2 ft |
| 38 | 3.46 ft |
| 75 | 0.86 ft |
| 125 | 0.3 ft |
What each input means
- Focal Length
- Lens focal length in millimeters.
- Aperture (f-stop)
- Lens aperture f-number (e.g., 2.8).
- Subject Distance
- Distance from camera to subject in feet.
- Sensor Width
- Camera sensor width (36mm = full frame, 23.5mm = Super 35).
How this is calculated
Worked example, using the default values
- Identify Input Parameters4 parametersFocal Length = 50, Aperture (f-stop) = 2.8, Subject Distance = 10, Sensor Width = 36 = 4 input(s) provided
- Calculate Total DOFTotal DOF1.95 = 1.95
- Calculate Near LimitNear Limit9.12 = 9.12
- Calculate Far LimitFar Limit11.07 = 11.07
Engine last updated . Checked against 1 independently-derived test — how we verify calculators. Built by Paul Gunder, a software engineer, not a licensed financial, medical, or legal professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does aperture affect depth of field?
Stopping down to a higher f-number (like f/8 instead of f/2.8) narrows the lens opening and increases total depth of field, giving you a larger zone of acceptable sharpness in front of and behind your subject. Opening up to a lower f-number widens the lens opening and narrows depth of field, which is why cinematographers use wide apertures for shallow, subject-isolating focus and narrow apertures for deep-focus shots where more of the frame needs to read as sharp.
Why does sensor size change the depth of field result?
A wider sensor requires a larger circle of confusion to appear equally sharp at the same viewing distance, and that larger circle of confusion shifts the hyperfocal distance and near/far limits in the calculation. In practice, a full-frame sensor produces shallower depth of field than a smaller Super 35 or APS-C sensor at matching focal length, aperture, and subject distance — part of why full-frame cameras are associated with a more subject-isolating look.
What is hyperfocal distance used for on set?
Hyperfocal distance is the focus distance at which everything from half that distance out to infinity stays acceptably sharp — focusing at the hyperfocal distance maximizes your depth of field for a given aperture and focal length. It's commonly used for landscape or deep-focus shots where you want both a nearby element and the background in focus without racking focus during the shot.
Is the circle of confusion used here an exact camera spec?
No — it's approximated from your entered sensor width using a standard sensor-diagonal formula, not pulled from a specific camera model's published circle-of-confusion value. Different manufacturers and post-production pipelines sometimes use slightly different circle-of-confusion conventions for the same sensor, so treat the near and far limits here as a planning estimate rather than a guaranteed focus-pull mark on set.
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