Hyperfocal distance calculator
Find the focus distance that keeps everything acceptably sharp from near to infinity for your lens, aperture and sensor - the classic landscape-technique number.
Lens & sensor
Presets fill the circle of confusion automatically.
Result
Focus here for max depth
Focused at H, the near limit of acceptable sharpness is H/2 and the far limit is infinity.
How it works
The hyperfocal distance H depends on focal length f, aperture N and the circle of confusion c for your sensor. The classic formula (all lengths in mm) is:
When you focus at H, everything from H/2 out to infinity falls inside the acceptable-sharpness zone. Focusing closer pushes the far limit back inside the frame; focusing farther just wastes near sharpness for no gain at infinity.
Example
A 24 mm lens at f/8 on full frame: H = 24² ÷ (8 × 0.030) + 24 = 576 ÷ 0.24 + 24 ≈ 2424 mm ≈ 2.4 m. Focus at ~2.4 m and everything from ~1.2 m to infinity is acceptably sharp - handy for handheld street and travel shots. At 50 mm and f/8 the same maths gives H ≈ 10.5 m.
When to use it
- Landscapes where you want everything sharp and can\'t rely on autofocus on distant detail.
- Group shots and events where subjects move in and out of a narrow focus zone.
- Star and night shots where you want infinity sharp but must focus in the dark.
Related tools
See the full picture of near and far limits around any focus point in the depth of field calculator. Hyperfocal distance grows with focal length - explore the link with the focal length calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is hyperfocal distance?
It is the nearest focus distance at which the far limit of acceptable sharpness reaches infinity. Focus at the hyperfocal distance and everything from roughly half that distance to infinity appears acceptably sharp.
What is the hyperfocal distance for a 50mm lens at f/8?
On full frame with a 0.030 mm circle of confusion it is about 10.5 m. Focus at 10.5 m and everything from about 5.2 m to infinity is acceptably sharp.
How do I use the hyperfocal distance for landscapes?
Focus your lens on a point at the hyperfocal distance for your focal length and aperture, or use the lens's distance scale. Anything from half the hyperfocal distance out to the mountains stays sharp, so you can shoot at the best aperture without hunting for focus.
Why is hyperfocal distance shorter on smaller sensors?
Because to get the same field of view on a smaller sensor you use a shorter physical focal length, and hyperfocal distance grows with the square of focal length. A 12mm lens at f/8 has a hyperfocal distance of roughly 1.2 m on Micro Four Thirds, while a 24mm lens giving similar framing on full frame needs about 2.4 m.