Depth of field by subject distance#
50 mm at f/1.2 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 distance | Near limit | Far limit | Total DoF | Front / behind | Background blur |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30.0 cm (0.98 ft) | 29.9 cm | 30.1 cm | 0.1 cm | 50% / 50% | 48.17% |
| 50.0 cm (1.64 ft) | 49.8 cm | 50.2 cm | 0.3 cm | 50% / 50% | 26.76% |
| 75.0 cm (2.46 ft) | 74.6 cm | 75.4 cm | 0.8 cm | 50% / 50% | 17.20% |
| 1.00 m (3.28 ft) | 99.3 cm | 1.01 m | 1.4 cm | 50% / 50% | 12.68% |
| 1.50 m (4.92 ft) | 1.48 m | 1.52 m | 3.1 cm | 49% / 51% | 8.31% |
| 2.00 m (6.56 ft) | 1.97 m | 2.03 m | 5.6 cm | 49% / 51% | 6.18% |
| 3.00 m (9.84 ft) | 2.94 m | 3.07 m | 12.7 cm | 49% / 51% | 4.08% |
| 4.00 m (13.1 ft) | 3.89 m | 4.12 m | 22.8 cm | 49% / 51% | 3.05% |
| 5.00 m (16.4 ft) | 4.83 m | 5.18 m | 35.7 cm | 48% / 52% | 2.43% |
| 7.00 m (23.0 ft) | 6.67 m | 7.37 m | 70.2 cm | 47% / 53% | 1.73% |
| 10.0 m (32.8 ft) | 9.33 m | 10.8 m | 1.44 m | 46% / 54% | 1.21% |
| 15.0 m (49.2 ft) | 13.5 m | 16.8 m | 3.27 m | 45% / 55% | 0.81% |
| 20.0 m (65.6 ft) | 17.5 m | 23.4 m | 5.87 m | 43% / 57% | 0.60% |
| 30.0 m (98.4 ft) | 24.7 m | 38.2 m | 13.6 m | 39% / 61% | 0.40% |
| 50.0 m (164 ft) | 36.8 m | 78.1 m | 41.3 m | 32% / 68% | 0.24% |
| 100 m (328 ft) | 58.2 m | 357 m | 299 m | 14% / 86% | 0.12% |
Try other settings#
50 mm at other apertures (subject at 3 m)#
Other focal lengths at f/1.2#
Same lens settings on other formats#
When to use it#
At f/1.2, a 50 mm lens on Micro Four Thirds is a natural choice for portraits and subject isolation. Focused at 3 m you get 12.7 cm of sharp zone; for maximum front-to-back sharpness focus at 139 m and everything from 69.5 m to infinity will be acceptably sharp.
See also the f/1.2 aperture guide.
Frequently asked questions#
What is the depth of field of a 50mm lens at f/1.2?
On Micro Four Thirds, focused at 3 m, it is 12.7 cm; at 1 m it is 1.4 cm.
What is the hyperfocal distance for 50mm f/1.2?
139 m (456 ft) on Micro Four Thirds. Everything from 69.5 m to infinity is acceptably sharp.
Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources