Depth of field by subject distance#
85 mm at f/16 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) | 29.8 cm | 30.2 cm | 0.4 cm | 50% / 50% | 12.14% |
| 50.0 cm (1.64 ft) | 49.3 cm | 50.7 cm | 1.4 cm | 49% / 51% | 6.29% |
| 75.0 cm (2.46 ft) | 73.4 cm | 76.7 cm | 3.3 cm | 49% / 51% | 3.93% |
| 1.00 m (3.28 ft) | 97.1 cm | 1.03 m | 6.1 cm | 48% / 52% | 2.85% |
| 1.50 m (4.92 ft) | 1.43 m | 1.57 m | 14.1 cm | 48% / 52% | 1.84% |
| 2.00 m (6.56 ft) | 1.88 m | 2.14 m | 25.5 cm | 47% / 53% | 1.36% |
| 3.00 m (9.84 ft) | 2.74 m | 3.32 m | 58.6 cm | 45% / 55% | 0.90% |
| 4.00 m (13.1 ft) | 3.54 m | 4.60 m | 1.06 m | 43% / 57% | 0.67% |
| 5.00 m (16.4 ft) | 4.30 m | 5.98 m | 1.68 m | 42% / 58% | 0.53% |
| 7.00 m (23.0 ft) | 5.69 m | 9.09 m | 3.39 m | 39% / 61% | 0.38% |
| 10.0 m (32.8 ft) | 7.52 m | 14.9 m | 7.39 m | 34% / 66% | 0.26% |
| 15.0 m (49.2 ft) | 10.0 m | 29.7 m | 19.7 m | 25% / 75% | 0.18% |
| 20.0 m (65.6 ft) | 12.0 m | 59.1 m | 47.1 m | 17% / 83% | 0.13% |
| 30.0 m (98.4 ft) | 15.0 m | 4.8 km | 4.8 km | 0% / 100% | 0.09% |
| 50.0 m (164 ft) | 18.8 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.05% |
| 100 m (328 ft) | 23.2 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.03% |
Try other settings#
85 mm at other apertures (subject at 3 m)#
Other focal lengths at f/16#
Same lens settings on other formats#
When to use it#
At f/16, a 85 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 58.6 cm of sharp zone; for maximum front-to-back sharpness focus at 30.2 m and everything from 15.1 m to infinity will be acceptably sharp.
See also the f/16 aperture guide.
Frequently asked questions#
What is the depth of field of a 85mm lens at f/16?
On Micro Four Thirds, focused at 3 m, it is 58.6 cm; at 1 m it is 6.1 cm.
What is the hyperfocal distance for 85mm f/16?
30.2 m (99.0 ft) on Micro Four Thirds. Everything from 15.1 m to infinity is acceptably sharp.
Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources