Depth of field by subject distance#
85 mm at f/1.4 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) | 30.0 cm | 30.0 cm | 0.0 cm | 50% / 50% | 138.75% |
| 50.0 cm (1.64 ft) | 49.9 cm | 50.1 cm | 0.1 cm | 50% / 50% | 71.88% |
| 75.0 cm (2.46 ft) | 74.9 cm | 75.1 cm | 0.3 cm | 50% / 50% | 44.86% |
| 1.00 m (3.28 ft) | 99.7 cm | 1.00 m | 0.5 cm | 50% / 50% | 32.60% |
| 1.50 m (4.92 ft) | 1.49 m | 1.51 m | 1.2 cm | 50% / 50% | 21.08% |
| 2.00 m (6.56 ft) | 1.99 m | 2.01 m | 2.2 cm | 50% / 50% | 15.58% |
| 3.00 m (9.84 ft) | 2.97 m | 3.03 m | 5.1 cm | 50% / 50% | 10.23% |
| 4.00 m (13.1 ft) | 3.95 m | 4.05 m | 9.1 cm | 49% / 51% | 7.62% |
| 5.00 m (16.4 ft) | 4.93 m | 5.07 m | 14.3 cm | 49% / 51% | 6.07% |
| 7.00 m (23.0 ft) | 6.86 m | 7.14 m | 28.1 cm | 49% / 51% | 4.31% |
| 10.0 m (32.8 ft) | 9.72 m | 10.3 m | 57.7 cm | 49% / 51% | 3.01% |
| 15.0 m (49.2 ft) | 14.4 m | 15.7 m | 1.30 m | 48% / 52% | 2.00% |
| 20.0 m (65.6 ft) | 18.9 m | 21.2 m | 2.32 m | 47% / 53% | 1.50% |
| 30.0 m (98.4 ft) | 27.6 m | 32.9 m | 5.26 m | 46% / 54% | 1.00% |
| 50.0 m (164 ft) | 43.7 m | 58.5 m | 14.8 m | 43% / 57% | 0.60% |
| 100 m (328 ft) | 77.5 m | 141 m | 63.4 m | 35% / 65% | 0.30% |
Try other settings#
85 mm at other apertures (subject at 3 m)#
Other focal lengths at f/1.4#
Same lens settings on other formats#
When to use it#
At f/1.4, a 85 mm lens on Micro Four Thirds is a natural choice for portraits and subject isolation. Focused at 3 m you get 5.1 cm of sharp zone; for maximum front-to-back sharpness focus at 344 m and everything from 172 m to infinity will be acceptably sharp.
See also the f/1.4 aperture guide.
Frequently asked questions#
What is the depth of field of a 85mm lens at f/1.4?
On Micro Four Thirds, focused at 3 m, it is 5.1 cm; at 1 m it is 0.5 cm.
What is the hyperfocal distance for 85mm f/1.4?
344 m (1129 ft) on Micro Four Thirds. Everything from 172 m to infinity is acceptably sharp.
Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources