Depth of field · Full frame

20 mm f/8 depth of field on full frame

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

1.69 m
Hyperfocal distance
84.3 cm
Sharp from (focused at hyperfocal)
20 mm f/8.0
Full-frame equivalent
94°
Diagonal angle of view

Depth of field by subject distance#

20 mm at f/8 on full frame (36×24 mm), circle of confusion 30 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)25.7 cm36.1 cm10.4 cm42% / 58%0.50%
50.0 cm (1.64 ft)38.8 cm70.2 cm31.4 cm36% / 64%0.29%
75.0 cm (2.46 ft)52.2 cm1.33 m81.3 cm28% / 72%0.19%
1.00 m (3.28 ft)63.0 cm2.43 m1.80 m21% / 79%0.14%
1.50 m (4.92 ft)79.4 cm13.4 m12.6 m6% / 94%0.09%
2.00 m (6.56 ft)91.4 cm∞∞—0.07%
3.00 m (9.84 ft)1.08 m∞∞—0.05%
4.00 m (13.1 ft)1.18 m∞∞—0.03%
5.00 m (16.4 ft)1.25 m∞∞—0.03%
7.00 m (23.0 ft)1.35 m∞∞—0.02%
10.0 m (32.8 ft)1.43 m∞∞—0.01%
15.0 m (49.2 ft)1.50 m∞∞—0.01%
20.0 m (65.6 ft)1.54 m∞∞—0.01%
30.0 m (98.4 ft)1.58 m∞∞—0.00%
50.0 m (164 ft)1.61 m∞∞—0.00%
100 m (328 ft)1.64 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/1.42.08 m9.54 m
f/1.82.88 m7.43 m
f/23.35 m6.69 m
f/2.86.17 m4.78 m
f/426.7 m3.35 m
f/5.6∞2.40 m
f/8∞1.69 m
f/11∞1.23 m
f/16∞85.3 cm

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 m∞
28 mm3.00 m31.7 m
35 mm3.00 m5.26 m
40 mm3.00 m3.32 m
50 mm3.00 m1.85 m
85 mm3.00 m58.6 cm
105 mm3.00 m38.0 cm
135 mm3.00 m22.7 cm
200 mm10.0 m1.18 m
300 mm10.0 m51.8 cm
400 mm10.0 m28.8 cm
600 mm10.0 m12.5 cm

Same lens settings on other formats#

When to use it#

At f/8, a 20 mm lens on full frame 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 1.69 m and everything from 84.3 cm 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 full frame, focused at 3 m, it is infinite (beyond the hyperfocal distance); at 1 m it is 1.80 m.

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

1.69 m (5.53 ft) on full frame. Everything from 84.3 cm to infinity is acceptably sharp.

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