Depth of field
What is depth of field?
Depth of field (DoF) is the range of distance within a scene where objects appear acceptably sharp in an image. Anything outside this range will appear blurred or out of focus.
Factors affecting depth of field
Depth of field is influenced by three main factors:
1. Lens aperture (f-stop)
- A smaller aperture (higher f-stop number) increases depth of field.
- A larger aperture (lower f-stop number) decreases depth of field.
Example: f/2.8 creates a shallower DoF than f/11, assuming all other settings remain the same.
2. Distance from subject
- A greater subject distance increases depth of field.
- A closer subject distance decreases depth of field.
Example: A subject 15m away will have a shallower DoF than a subject 15m away, given the same settings.
3. Lens focal length
- A wider focal length (shorter lens) increases depth of field.
- A longer focal length (telephoto lens) decreases depth of field.
Example: A 200mm lens produces a shallower DoF than a 100mm lens at the same aperture and subject distance.
Calculating depth of field
To estimate the depth of file for a particular lens setup, use the calculator below.
Depth of Field of roughly 38mm
mm