Hyperfocal Distance Calculator: Near Limit and Focal Table

How to use it

Type the Focal length of the lens in millimetres and the Aperture as an f-number, such as 8.
Choose your camera's Sensor.
Read the Hyperfocal distance and the Near limit when focused there in metres.
Use the table to compare common focal lengths and apertures on the same sensor.

What the hyperfocal distance is

The hyperfocal distance H is the focus distance at which the far limit of sharpness reaches infinity. Focused there, everything from H / 2 to infinity looks acceptably sharp. The Hyperfocal distance article on Wikipedia gives H = f² / (N × c) + f, where f is the focal length, N the f-number and c the circle of confusion.

The circle of confusion is the sensor diagonal divided by 1500, the rule of the Circle of confusion article. For full frame it is 0.029 mm. The article notes that the second, shorter definition, f² / (N × c) without the + f term, is about half a percent smaller in its 50 mm example.

H = f² ÷ (N × c) + f
Near limit when focused at H = H ÷ 2
c = sensor diagonal ÷ 1500

What the calculator does not cover

Focus distances other than H: for a subject at a chosen distance, use the Depth of field calculator, which gives the near and far limits.
Very small apertures, where diffraction softens the image, and the lens's own sharpness: the figure uses only the circle of confusion.
Print size and viewing distance: the circle of confusion is a convention, so another print size gives another hyperfocal distance.

Worked example: 35 mm at f/8 on full frame

The circle of confusion of a full-frame sensor is 43.27 ÷ 1500 = 0.02884 mm. The hyperfocal distance is 35² ÷ (8 × 0.02884) + 35 = 5,344 mm, or 5.34 m.

Focused at 5.34 m, everything from half that distance, 2.67 m, to infinity looks acceptably sharp. The 35 mm row of the table shows 5.34 m at f/8.

Question	Answer
Circle of confusion, full frame	0.02884 mm (0.029 mm)
Hyperfocal distance	5.34 m
Near limit when focused there	2.67 m

Frequently asked questions

What is the hyperfocal distance?

The hyperfocal distance is the focus distance at which the far limit of sharpness reaches infinity. Focused there, everything from half that distance to infinity looks acceptably sharp, as the Hyperfocal distance article on Wikipedia explains.

Why is the near limit half the hyperfocal distance?

The article states that focusing at the hyperfocal distance keeps everything from half of it out to infinity acceptably sharp. The near limit is therefore exactly H / 2, whatever the lens or sensor.

Does a smaller aperture make the hyperfocal distance shorter?

Yes. The f-number is in the denominator of H = f² / (N × c) + f, so a higher f-number, a smaller aperture, gives a shorter hyperfocal distance and a closer near limit. The table shows the change across the apertures.

Does the sensor size change the hyperfocal distance?

Yes. The circle of confusion is the sensor diagonal divided by 1500, so a smaller sensor has a smaller circle and a longer hyperfocal distance at the same focal length and aperture. Choosing a smaller sensor in this calculator shows the change.

Is focusing at infinity the same as focusing at the hyperfocal distance?

No. The Hyperfocal distance article notes that focusing on infinity makes the closest acceptable object lie at the hyperfocal distance, while focusing at H makes the closest object lie at H / 2.

Why does the calculator not use the shorter formula f² / (N × c)?

The article gives two definitions. The calculator uses the first one, H = f² / (N × c) + f, which is the one the article calls the general form. For a 50 mm lens at f/8 the second definition is about half a percent shorter.

Sources

Figures and text last checked on Tuesday, November 10, 2026.

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