Hyperfocal Distance Calculator
Find the focus distance that keeps everything from half that point to infinity acceptably sharp. Pre-set to Micro Four Thirds (CoC 0.015mm).
Hyperfocal distance
Near limit (½ hyperfocal)
Far limit
∞
Reference table — M43 hyperfocal distances
| Focal length | f/2.8 | f/4 | f/5.6 | f/8 | f/11 | f/16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7mm | 1.2m | 82cm | 59cm | 42cm | 30cm | 21cm |
| 8mm | 1.5m | 1.1m | 77cm | 54cm | 40cm | 27cm |
| 9mm | 1.9m | 1.4m | 97cm | 68cm | 50cm | 35cm |
| 12mm | 3.4m | 2.4m | 1.7m | 1.2m | 88cm | 61cm |
| 14mm | 4.7m | 3.3m | 2.3m | 1.6m | 1.2m | 83cm |
| 17mm | 6.9m | 4.8m | 3.5m | 2.4m | 1.8m | 1.2m |
| 20mm | 9.5m | 6.7m | 4.8m | 3.4m | 2.4m | 1.7m |
| 25mm | 14.9m | 10.4m | 7.5m | 5.2m | 3.8m | 2.6m |
All values for Micro Four Thirds (CoC = 0.015mm). Focus at the hyperfocal distance for maximum depth of field.
What is hyperfocal distance?
Hyperfocal distance is the closest point you can focus at while keeping everything from half that distance all the way to infinity acceptably sharp. Focus any closer and you lose infinity sharpness. Focus at exactly the hyperfocal distance and you get the maximum possible depth of field for your lens and aperture settings.
How to use it
Enter your focal length and aperture. The result tells you where to set your focus. Everything from the near limit to infinity will be within the acceptable sharpness range — you do not need to touch focus again until your settings change.
This is especially useful for landscape, street, and documentary photography where you want to shoot quickly without hunting for focus on individual subjects.
Why M43 has shorter hyperfocal distances
M43 uses a circle of confusion of 0.015mm, smaller than APS-C (0.020mm) or full frame (0.030mm). The smaller the CoC, the shorter the hyperfocal distance — meaning you get everything sharp from closer in. A 12mm lens at f/8 on M43 has a hyperfocal distance of about 1.2m, which means everything from 60cm to infinity is sharp. The same focal length on full frame would need a much smaller aperture to achieve similar results.
The formula
H = f² / (N × c) + f
Where H is hyperfocal distance, f is focal length in mm, N is the f-number, and c is the circle of confusion in mm. The near limit is always H / 2. The far limit is always infinity when focused at H.