Select the actual focal length
of the lens. For instance, if the focal length
of your lens is 50 mm, select 50 mm in the calculator.
The calculator will adjust for any focal
length multiplier or field
of view crop when the appropriate camera
or film format is selected.
Select your camera or film format. For digital
"point and shoot" cameras, select "Compact digital".
Select an f/stop. The list includes full,
half, and one-third f/stops.
The depth of field and hyperfocal distance
are calculated each time one of the inputs changes.
Click the "HD" button to set the focus distance
at the hyperfocal distance for the selected
lens and f/stop.
See
Circles of Confusion for Digital Cameras
for a list of the circles of confusion (CoC) used
in this calculator. The circle of confusion
for the "Compact digital" selection is 0.006
mm.
Circles of confusion (CoC) for cinematography are:
16mm : 0.015mm
Super 16 : 0.015mm
35mm : 0.025mm
Because of the wide variation of circles of confusion used in cinematography, other options
(1/1000 inch, 1/500 inch, etc.) can be selected also. For more information about circles
of confusion as applied in cinematography, see Peter Gray's
website.
See the articles at the
DOFMaster website for more information about
depth of field and hyperfocal distance.
Depth of Field Definition
Hyperfocal, near, and far distances are calculated using these
equations.
Circles of confusion for digital cameras are listed here.
Depth of Field: The zone, or range of distances, within a scene that will record as sharp ... It is one of the most creative and profound effects available to photographers.
Image clarity or sharpness is not just a matter of focusing a lens on the subject. There is an area in front of and behind the sharp focus plane
that is also sharp or clear, and the extent of this area changes, depending on the focal length of the lens, the focusing distance, and the
aperture used. This three-dimensional area of sharp focus is called depth of field.
... the hyperfocal distance setting ... is simply a fancy term that means the distance setting at any aperture that produces the greatest depth of field.
How to Use Your Camera, New York Institute of Photography, 2000.
When the lens is focused on the hyperfocal distance, the depth of field extends from half the hyperfocal distance to infinity.
