Depth of field · APS-C

600 mm f/8 depth of field on APS-C

Exactly how much is sharp with a 600 mm lens at f/8 on an APS-C camera, from 1.32 m to 100 m.

2.3 km
Hyperfocal distance
1.1 km
Sharp from (focused at hyperfocal)
920 mm f/12.3
Full-frame equivalent
3°
Diagonal angle of view

Depth of field by subject distance#

600 mm at f/8 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%212.77%
2.00 m (6.56 ft)2.00 m2.00 m0.2 cm50% / 50%136.78%
3.00 m (9.84 ft)3.00 m3.00 m0.6 cm50% / 50%79.79%
4.00 m (13.1 ft)3.99 m4.01 m1.2 cm50% / 50%56.32%
5.00 m (16.4 ft)4.99 m5.01 m2.0 cm50% / 50%43.52%
7.00 m (23.0 ft)6.98 m7.02 m4.0 cm50% / 50%29.92%
10.0 m (32.8 ft)9.96 m10.0 m8.4 cm50% / 50%20.37%
15.0 m (49.2 ft)14.9 m15.1 m19.2 cm50% / 50%13.30%
20.0 m (65.6 ft)19.8 m20.2 m34.5 cm50% / 50%9.87%
30.0 m (98.4 ft)29.6 m30.4 m78.4 cm49% / 51%6.51%
50.0 m (164 ft)48.9 m51.1 m2.20 m49% / 51%3.88%
100 m (328 ft)95.8 m105 m8.85 m48% / 52%1.93%

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/8#

Focal lengthSubject atTotal DoF
14 mm3.00 m∞
16 mm3.00 m∞
20 mm3.00 m∞
24 mm3.00 m15.7 m
28 mm3.00 m5.76 m
35 mm3.00 m2.73 m
40 mm3.00 m1.95 m
50 mm3.00 m1.17 m
85 mm3.00 m38.9 cm
105 mm3.00 m25.3 cm
135 mm3.00 m15.1 cm
200 mm10.0 m78.5 cm
300 mm10.0 m34.5 cm
400 mm10.0 m19.2 cm
600 mm10.0 m8.4 cm

Same lens settings on other formats#

When to use it#

At f/8, a 600 mm lens on APS-C is a natural choice for landscapes and architecture where front-to-back sharpness matters. Focused at 3 m you get 0.6 cm of sharp zone; for maximum front-to-back sharpness focus at 2.3 km and everything from 1.1 km to infinity will be acceptably sharp.

See also the f/8 aperture guide.

Frequently asked questions#

What is the depth of field of a 600mm lens at f/8?

On APS-C, focused at 3 m, it is 0.6 cm; at 1 m it is not applicable (inside minimum focus).

What is the hyperfocal distance for 600mm f/8?

2.3 km (7384 ft) on APS-C. Everything from 1.1 km to infinity is acceptably sharp.

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