Depth of field · APS-C

20 mm f/8 depth of field on APS-C

Exactly how much is sharp with a 20 mm lens at f/8 on an APS-C camera, from 30.0 cm to 100 m.

2.52 m
Hyperfocal distance
1.26 m
Sharp from (focused at hyperfocal)
31 mm f/12.3
Full-frame equivalent
70°
Diagonal angle of view

Depth of field by subject distance#

20 mm at f/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)27.0 cm33.8 cm6.8 cm44% / 56%0.76%
50.0 cm (1.64 ft)41.9 cm61.9 cm19.9 cm40% / 60%0.44%
75.0 cm (2.46 ft)58.0 cm1.06 m47.9 cm35% / 65%0.29%
1.00 m (3.28 ft)71.8 cm1.64 m92.6 cm30% / 70%0.22%
1.50 m (4.92 ft)94.2 cm3.68 m2.73 m20% / 80%0.14%
2.00 m (6.56 ft)1.12 m9.62 m8.50 m10% / 90%0.11%
3.00 m (9.84 ft)1.37 m∞∞—0.07%
4.00 m (13.1 ft)1.54 m∞∞—0.05%
5.00 m (16.4 ft)1.67 m∞∞—0.04%
7.00 m (23.0 ft)1.85 m∞∞—0.03%
10.0 m (32.8 ft)2.00 m∞∞—0.02%
15.0 m (49.2 ft)2.15 m∞∞—0.01%
20.0 m (65.6 ft)2.22 m∞∞—0.01%
30.0 m (98.4 ft)2.31 m∞∞—0.01%
50.0 m (164 ft)2.38 m∞∞—0.00%
100 m (328 ft)2.44 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/1.41.31 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/8#

Focal lengthSubject atTotal DoF
14 mm3.00 m∞
16 mm3.00 m∞
20 mm3.00 m∞
24 mm3.00 m15.7 m
28 mm3.00 m5.76 m
35 mm3.00 m2.73 m
40 mm3.00 m1.95 m
50 mm3.00 m1.17 m
85 mm3.00 m38.9 cm
105 mm3.00 m25.3 cm
135 mm3.00 m15.1 cm
200 mm10.0 m78.5 cm
300 mm10.0 m34.5 cm
400 mm10.0 m19.2 cm
600 mm10.0 m8.4 cm

Same lens settings on other formats#

20 mm f/8 on Full frame20 mm f/8 on Micro Four Thirds

When to use it#

At f/8, a 20 mm lens on APS-C 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 2.52 m and everything from 1.26 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 20mm lens at f/8?

On APS-C, focused at 3 m, it is infinite (beyond the hyperfocal distance); at 1 m it is 92.6 cm.

What is the hyperfocal distance for 20mm f/8?

2.52 m (8.27 ft) on APS-C. Everything from 1.26 m to infinity is acceptably sharp.

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