Depth of field · Micro Four Thirds

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

Exactly how much is sharp with a 40 mm lens at f/8 on a Micro Four Thirds camera, from 30.0 cm to 100 m.

13.4 m
Hyperfocal distance
6.69 m
Sharp from (focused at hyperfocal)
80 mm f/16.0
Full-frame equivalent
30°
Diagonal angle of view

Depth of field by subject distance#

40 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)29.4 cm30.6 cm1.2 cm49% / 51%4.45%
50.0 cm (1.64 ft)48.3 cm51.8 cm3.5 cm48% / 52%2.51%
75.0 cm (2.46 ft)71.2 cm79.2 cm8.0 cm47% / 53%1.63%
1.00 m (3.28 ft)93.3 cm1.08 m14.5 cm46% / 54%1.20%
1.50 m (4.92 ft)1.35 m1.68 m33.2 cm45% / 55%0.79%
2.00 m (6.56 ft)1.74 m2.34 m60.1 cm43% / 57%0.59%
3.00 m (9.84 ft)2.45 m3.86 m1.40 m39% / 61%0.39%
4.00 m (13.1 ft)3.08 m5.69 m2.61 m35% / 65%0.29%
5.00 m (16.4 ft)3.64 m7.96 m4.32 m31% / 69%0.23%
7.00 m (23.0 ft)4.60 m14.6 m10.0 m24% / 76%0.17%
10.0 m (32.8 ft)5.72 m39.5 m33.8 m13% / 87%0.12%
15.0 m (49.2 ft)7.07 m∞∞—0.08%
20.0 m (65.6 ft)8.01 m∞∞—0.06%
30.0 m (98.4 ft)9.24 m∞∞—0.04%
50.0 m (164 ft)10.5 m∞∞—0.02%
100 m (328 ft)11.8 m∞∞—0.01%

Try other settings#

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

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

ApertureTotal DoFHyperfocal
f/1.220.0 cm88.9 m
f/1.423.3 cm76.2 m
f/1.830.0 cm59.3 m
f/233.4 cm53.4 m
f/2.846.9 cm38.1 m
f/467.4 cm26.7 m
f/5.695.5 cm19.1 m
f/81.40 m13.4 m
f/112.02 m9.74 m
f/163.32 m6.71 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 40 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 1.40 m of sharp zone; for maximum front-to-back sharpness focus at 13.4 m and everything from 6.69 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 40mm lens at f/8?

On Micro Four Thirds, focused at 3 m, it is 1.40 m; at 1 m it is 14.5 cm.

What is the hyperfocal distance for 40mm f/8?

13.4 m (43.9 ft) on Micro Four Thirds. Everything from 6.69 m to infinity is acceptably sharp.

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

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