Depth of field · APS-C

20 mm f/2.8 depth of field on APS-C

Exactly how much is sharp with a 20 mm lens at f/2.8 on an APS-C camera, from 30.0 cm to 100 m.

7.16 m
Hyperfocal distance
3.58 m
Sharp from (focused at hyperfocal)
31 mm f/4.3
Full-frame equivalent
70°
Diagonal angle of view

Depth of field by subject distance#

20 mm at f/2.8 on APS-C (23.5×15.6 mm), circle of confusion 20 µm. “Background blur” is the size of an out-of-focus light at infinity as a percentage of frame width.

Focus distanceNear limitFar limitTotal DoFFront / behindBackground blur
30.0 cm (0.98 ft)28.9 cm31.2 cm2.4 cm48% / 52%2.17%
50.0 cm (1.64 ft)46.9 cm53.6 cm6.8 cm47% / 53%1.27%
75.0 cm (2.46 ft)68.0 cm83.5 cm15.5 cm45% / 55%0.83%
1.00 m (3.28 ft)87.9 cm1.16 m28.0 cm43% / 57%0.62%
1.50 m (4.92 ft)1.24 m1.89 m64.9 cm40% / 60%0.41%
2.00 m (6.56 ft)1.57 m2.77 m1.20 m36% / 64%0.31%
3.00 m (9.84 ft)2.12 m5.15 m3.03 m29% / 71%0.20%
4.00 m (13.1 ft)2.57 m9.03 m6.46 m22% / 78%0.15%
5.00 m (16.4 ft)2.95 m16.5 m13.6 m15% / 85%0.12%
7.00 m (23.0 ft)3.54 m307 m303 m1% / 99%0.09%
10.0 m (32.8 ft)4.17 m∞∞—0.06%
15.0 m (49.2 ft)4.84 m∞∞—0.04%
20.0 m (65.6 ft)5.27 m∞∞—0.03%
30.0 m (98.4 ft)5.77 m∞∞—0.02%
50.0 m (164 ft)6.25 m∞∞—0.01%
100 m (328 ft)6.67 m∞∞—0.01%

Try other settings#

Near limit—
Far limit—
Depth of field—
Hyperfocal distance—
In front / behind—

20 mm at other apertures (subject at 3 m)#

ApertureTotal DoFHyperfocal
f/1.41.31 m14.3 m
f/1.81.73 m11.1 m
f/21.96 m10.0 m
f/2.83.03 m7.16 m
f/45.55 m5.02 m
f/5.616.5 m3.59 m
f/8∞2.52 m
f/11∞1.84 m
f/16∞1.27 m

Other focal lengths at f/2.8#

Focal lengthSubject atTotal DoF
14 mm3.00 m18.8 m
16 mm3.00 m6.82 m
20 mm3.00 m3.03 m
24 mm3.00 m1.89 m
28 mm3.00 m1.33 m
35 mm3.00 m82.8 cm
40 mm3.00 m62.8 cm
50 mm3.00 m39.8 cm
85 mm3.00 m13.6 cm
105 mm3.00 m8.8 cm
135 mm3.00 m5.3 cm
200 mm10.0 m27.4 cm
300 mm10.0 m12.1 cm
400 mm10.0 m6.7 cm

Same lens settings on other formats#

When to use it#

At f/2.8, a 20 mm lens on APS-C is a natural choice for environmental portraits, street and low light. Focused at 3 m you get 3.03 m of sharp zone; for maximum front-to-back sharpness focus at 7.16 m and everything from 3.58 m to infinity will be acceptably sharp.

See also the f/2.8 aperture guide.

Frequently asked questions#

What is the depth of field of a 20mm lens at f/2.8?

On APS-C, focused at 3 m, it is 3.03 m; at 1 m it is 28.0 cm.

What is the hyperfocal distance for 20mm f/2.8?

7.16 m (23.5 ft) on APS-C. Everything from 3.58 m to infinity is acceptably sharp.

Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources