Depth of field · Micro Four Thirds

20 mm f/8 depth of field on Micro Four Thirds

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

3.35 m
Hyperfocal distance
1.68 m
Sharp from (focused at hyperfocal)
40 mm f/16.0
Full-frame equivalent
57°
Diagonal angle of view

Depth of field by subject distance#

20 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 distanceNear limitFar limitTotal DoFFront / behindBackground blur
30.0 cm (0.98 ft)27.7 cm32.8 cm5.1 cm46% / 54%1.03%
50.0 cm (1.64 ft)43.7 cm58.4 cm14.7 cm43% / 57%0.60%
75.0 cm (2.46 ft)61.5 cm96.0 cm34.5 cm39% / 61%0.40%
1.00 m (3.28 ft)77.3 cm1.42 m64.4 cm35% / 65%0.29%
1.50 m (4.92 ft)1.04 m2.70 m1.66 m28% / 72%0.20%
2.00 m (6.56 ft)1.25 m4.93 m3.67 m20% / 80%0.15%
3.00 m (9.84 ft)1.58 m28.3 m26.7 m5% / 95%0.10%
4.00 m (13.1 ft)1.82 m∞∞—0.07%
5.00 m (16.4 ft)2.00 m∞∞—0.06%
7.00 m (23.0 ft)2.26 m∞∞—0.04%
10.0 m (32.8 ft)2.50 m∞∞—0.03%
15.0 m (49.2 ft)2.73 m∞∞—0.02%
20.0 m (65.6 ft)2.86 m∞∞—0.01%
30.0 m (98.4 ft)3.00 m∞∞—0.01%
50.0 m (164 ft)3.13 m∞∞—0.01%
100 m (328 ft)3.23 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/8#

Focal lengthSubject atTotal DoF
14 mm3.00 m∞
16 mm3.00 m∞
20 mm3.00 m26.7 m
24 mm3.00 m6.04 m
28 mm3.00 m3.44 m
35 mm3.00 m1.90 m
40 mm3.00 m1.40 m
50 mm3.00 m86.7 cm
85 mm3.00 m29.1 cm
105 mm3.00 m18.9 cm
135 mm3.00 m11.3 cm
200 mm10.0 m58.9 cm
300 mm10.0 m25.9 cm
400 mm10.0 m14.4 cm
600 mm10.0 m6.3 cm

Same lens settings on other formats#

When to use it#

At f/8, a 20 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 26.7 m of sharp zone; for maximum front-to-back sharpness focus at 3.35 m and everything from 1.68 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 Micro Four Thirds, focused at 3 m, it is 26.7 m; at 1 m it is 64.4 cm.

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

3.35 m (11.0 ft) on Micro Four Thirds. Everything from 1.68 m to infinity is acceptably sharp.

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