Depth of field · APS-C

600 mm f/5.6 depth of field on APS-C

Exactly how much is sharp with a 600 mm lens at f/5.6 on an APS-C camera, from 1.32 m to 100 m.

3.2 km
Hyperfocal distance
1.6 km
Sharp from (focused at hyperfocal)
920 mm f/8.6
Full-frame equivalent
3°
Diagonal angle of view

Depth of field by subject distance#

600 mm at f/5.6 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
1.50 m (4.92 ft)1.50 m1.50 m0.1 cm50% / 50%303.95%
2.00 m (6.56 ft)2.00 m2.00 m0.2 cm50% / 50%195.40%
3.00 m (9.84 ft)3.00 m3.00 m0.4 cm50% / 50%113.98%
4.00 m (13.1 ft)4.00 m4.00 m0.8 cm50% / 50%80.46%
5.00 m (16.4 ft)4.99 m5.01 m1.4 cm50% / 50%62.17%
7.00 m (23.0 ft)6.99 m7.01 m2.8 cm50% / 50%42.74%
10.0 m (32.8 ft)9.97 m10.0 m5.8 cm50% / 50%29.10%
15.0 m (49.2 ft)14.9 m15.1 m13.4 cm50% / 50%19.00%
20.0 m (65.6 ft)19.9 m20.1 m24.1 cm50% / 50%14.10%
30.0 m (98.4 ft)29.7 m30.3 m54.9 cm50% / 50%9.30%
50.0 m (164 ft)49.2 m50.8 m1.54 m49% / 51%5.54%
100 m (328 ft)97.0 m103 m6.19 m48% / 52%2.75%

Try other settings#

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

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

ApertureTotal DoFHyperfocal
f/40.3 cm4.5 km
f/5.60.4 cm3.2 km
f/80.6 cm2.3 km
f/110.9 cm1.6 km

Other focal lengths at f/5.6#

Focal lengthSubject atTotal DoF
14 mm3.00 m∞
16 mm3.00 m∞
20 mm3.00 m16.5 m
24 mm3.00 m5.22 m
28 mm3.00 m3.11 m
35 mm3.00 m1.76 m
40 mm3.00 m1.30 m
50 mm3.00 m80.7 cm
85 mm3.00 m27.2 cm
105 mm3.00 m17.7 cm
135 mm3.00 m10.6 cm
200 mm10.0 m54.9 cm
300 mm10.0 m24.1 cm
400 mm10.0 m13.4 cm
600 mm10.0 m5.8 cm

Same lens settings on other formats#

When to use it#

At f/5.6, a 600 mm lens on APS-C is a natural choice for general photography. Focused at 3 m you get 0.4 cm of sharp zone; for maximum front-to-back sharpness focus at 3.2 km and everything from 1.6 km to infinity will be acceptably sharp.

See also the f/5.6 aperture guide.

Frequently asked questions#

What is the depth of field of a 600mm lens at f/5.6?

On APS-C, focused at 3 m, it is 0.4 cm; at 1 m it is not applicable (inside minimum focus).

What is the hyperfocal distance for 600mm f/5.6?

3.2 km (10548 ft) on APS-C. Everything from 1.6 km to infinity is acceptably sharp.

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