Depth of field by subject distance#
85 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 distance | Near limit | Far limit | Total DoF | Front / behind | Background blur |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30.0 cm (0.98 ft) | 29.9 cm | 30.1 cm | 0.3 cm | 50% / 50% | 17.87% |
| 50.0 cm (1.64 ft) | 49.5 cm | 50.5 cm | 0.9 cm | 50% / 50% | 9.26% |
| 75.0 cm (2.46 ft) | 73.9 cm | 76.1 cm | 2.2 cm | 49% / 51% | 5.78% |
| 1.00 m (3.28 ft) | 98.0 cm | 1.02 m | 4.1 cm | 49% / 51% | 4.20% |
| 1.50 m (4.92 ft) | 1.45 m | 1.55 m | 9.4 cm | 48% / 52% | 2.72% |
| 2.00 m (6.56 ft) | 1.92 m | 2.09 m | 17.0 cm | 48% / 52% | 2.01% |
| 3.00 m (9.84 ft) | 2.82 m | 3.21 m | 38.9 cm | 47% / 53% | 1.32% |
| 4.00 m (13.1 ft) | 3.68 m | 4.38 m | 69.9 cm | 46% / 54% | 0.98% |
| 5.00 m (16.4 ft) | 4.51 m | 5.61 m | 1.10 m | 45% / 55% | 0.78% |
| 7.00 m (23.0 ft) | 6.07 m | 8.27 m | 2.20 m | 42% / 58% | 0.56% |
| 10.0 m (32.8 ft) | 8.20 m | 12.8 m | 4.61 m | 39% / 61% | 0.39% |
| 15.0 m (49.2 ft) | 11.3 m | 22.4 m | 11.1 m | 33% / 67% | 0.26% |
| 20.0 m (65.6 ft) | 13.9 m | 35.8 m | 21.9 m | 28% / 72% | 0.19% |
| 30.0 m (98.4 ft) | 18.0 m | 88.9 m | 70.8 m | 17% / 83% | 0.13% |
| 50.0 m (164 ft) | 23.7 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.08% |
| 100 m (328 ft) | 31.1 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.04% |
Try other settings#
85 mm at other apertures (subject at 3 m)#
Other focal lengths at f/8#
Same lens settings on other formats#
When to use it#
At f/8, a 85 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 38.9 cm of sharp zone; for maximum front-to-back sharpness focus at 45.2 m and everything from 22.6 m to infinity will be acceptably sharp.
See also the f/8 aperture guide.
Frequently asked questions#
What is the depth of field of a 85mm lens at f/8?
On APS-C, focused at 3 m, it is 38.9 cm; at 1 m it is 4.1 cm.
What is the hyperfocal distance for 85mm f/8?
45.2 m (148 ft) on APS-C. Everything from 22.6 m to infinity is acceptably sharp.
Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources