Depth of field by subject distance#
16 mm at f/8 on Micro Four Thirds (17.3×13 mm), circle of confusion 15 µm. “Background blur” is the size of an out-of-focus light at infinity as a percentage of frame width.
| Focus distance | Near limit | Far limit | Total DoF | Front / behind | Background blur |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30.0 cm (0.98 ft) | 26.5 cm | 34.6 cm | 8.1 cm | 43% / 57% | 0.65% |
| 50.0 cm (1.64 ft) | 40.8 cm | 64.7 cm | 23.9 cm | 39% / 61% | 0.38% |
| 75.0 cm (2.46 ft) | 55.8 cm | 1.14 m | 58.5 cm | 33% / 67% | 0.25% |
| 1.00 m (3.28 ft) | 68.4 cm | 1.86 m | 1.17 m | 27% / 73% | 0.19% |
| 1.50 m (4.92 ft) | 88.5 cm | 4.93 m | 4.04 m | 15% / 85% | 0.12% |
| 2.00 m (6.56 ft) | 1.04 m | 28.6 m | 27.5 m | 3% / 96% | 0.09% |
| 3.00 m (9.84 ft) | 1.25 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.06% |
| 4.00 m (13.1 ft) | 1.39 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.05% |
| 5.00 m (16.4 ft) | 1.50 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.04% |
| 7.00 m (23.0 ft) | 1.64 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.03% |
| 10.0 m (32.8 ft) | 1.76 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.02% |
| 15.0 m (49.2 ft) | 1.87 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.01% |
| 20.0 m (65.6 ft) | 1.93 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.01% |
| 30.0 m (98.4 ft) | 1.99 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.01% |
| 50.0 m (164 ft) | 2.05 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.00% |
| 100 m (328 ft) | 2.09 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.00% |
Try other settings#
16 mm at other apertures (subject at 3 m)#
Other focal lengths at f/8#
| Focal length | Subject at | Total DoF |
|---|---|---|
| 14 mm | 3.00 m | ∞ |
| 16 mm | 3.00 m | ∞ |
| 20 mm | 3.00 m | 26.7 m |
| 24 mm | 3.00 m | 6.04 m |
| 28 mm | 3.00 m | 3.44 m |
| 35 mm | 3.00 m | 1.90 m |
| 40 mm | 3.00 m | 1.40 m |
| 50 mm | 3.00 m | 86.7 cm |
| 85 mm | 3.00 m | 29.1 cm |
| 105 mm | 3.00 m | 18.9 cm |
| 135 mm | 3.00 m | 11.3 cm |
| 200 mm | 10.0 m | 58.9 cm |
| 300 mm | 10.0 m | 25.9 cm |
| 400 mm | 10.0 m | 14.4 cm |
| 600 mm | 10.0 m | 6.3 cm |
Same lens settings on other formats#
When to use it#
At f/8, a 16 mm lens on Micro Four Thirds is a natural choice for landscapes and architecture where front-to-back sharpness matters. Focused at 3 m you get everything to infinity; for maximum front-to-back sharpness focus at 2.15 m and everything from 1.07 m to infinity will be acceptably sharp.
See also the f/8 aperture guide.
Frequently asked questions#
What is the depth of field of a 16mm lens at f/8?
On Micro Four Thirds, focused at 3 m, it is infinite (beyond the hyperfocal distance); at 1 m it is 1.17 m.
What is the hyperfocal distance for 16mm f/8?
2.15 m (7.05 ft) on Micro Four Thirds. Everything from 1.07 m to infinity is acceptably sharp.
Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources