Depth of field · Micro Four Thirds

20 mm f/5.6 depth of field on Micro Four Thirds

Exactly how much is sharp with a 20 mm lens at f/5.6 on a Micro Four Thirds camera, from 30.0 cm to 100 m.

4.78 m
Hyperfocal distance
2.39 m
Sharp from (focused at hyperfocal)
40 mm f/11.2
Full-frame equivalent
57°
Diagonal angle of view

Depth of field by subject distance#

20 mm at f/5.6 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 distanceNear limitFar limitTotal DoFFront / behindBackground blur
30.0 cm (0.98 ft)28.3 cm31.9 cm3.5 cm47% / 53%1.47%
50.0 cm (1.64 ft)45.4 cm55.6 cm10.2 cm45% / 55%0.86%
75.0 cm (2.46 ft)65.0 cm88.6 cm23.5 cm42% / 58%0.57%
1.00 m (3.28 ft)82.9 cm1.26 m43.0 cm40% / 60%0.42%
1.50 m (4.92 ft)1.14 m2.18 m1.03 m34% / 66%0.28%
2.00 m (6.56 ft)1.41 m3.42 m2.01 m29% / 71%0.21%
3.00 m (9.84 ft)1.85 m8.02 m6.17 m19% / 81%0.14%
4.00 m (13.1 ft)2.18 m24.4 m22.2 m8% / 92%0.10%
5.00 m (16.4 ft)2.44 m∞∞—0.08%
7.00 m (23.0 ft)2.84 m∞∞—0.06%
10.0 m (32.8 ft)3.23 m∞∞—0.04%
15.0 m (49.2 ft)3.62 m∞∞—0.03%
20.0 m (65.6 ft)3.85 m∞∞—0.02%
30.0 m (98.4 ft)4.11 m∞∞—0.01%
50.0 m (164 ft)4.35 m∞∞—0.01%
100 m (328 ft)4.55 m∞∞—0.00%

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/1.496.2 cm19.1 m
f/1.81.26 m14.8 m
f/21.41 m13.4 m
f/2.82.08 m9.54 m
f/43.35 m6.69 m
f/5.66.17 m4.78 m
f/826.7 m3.35 m
f/11∞2.44 m
f/16∞1.69 m

Other focal lengths at f/5.6#

Focal lengthSubject atTotal DoF
14 mm3.00 m∞
16 mm3.00 m142 m
20 mm3.00 m6.17 m
24 mm3.00 m3.21 m
28 mm3.00 m2.13 m
35 mm3.00 m1.27 m
40 mm3.00 m95.5 cm
50 mm3.00 m60.1 cm
85 mm3.00 m20.4 cm
105 mm3.00 m13.2 cm
135 mm3.00 m7.9 cm
200 mm10.0 m41.2 cm
300 mm10.0 m18.1 cm
400 mm10.0 m10.1 cm
600 mm10.0 m4.4 cm

Same lens settings on other formats#

When to use it#

At f/5.6, a 20 mm lens on Micro Four Thirds is a natural choice for general photography. Focused at 3 m you get 6.17 m of sharp zone; for maximum front-to-back sharpness focus at 4.78 m and everything from 2.39 m to infinity will be acceptably sharp.

See also the f/5.6 aperture guide.

Frequently asked questions#

What is the depth of field of a 20mm lens at f/5.6?

On Micro Four Thirds, focused at 3 m, it is 6.17 m; at 1 m it is 43.0 cm.

What is the hyperfocal distance for 20mm f/5.6?

4.78 m (15.7 ft) on Micro Four Thirds. Everything from 2.39 m to infinity is acceptably sharp.

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