For a full frame Camera, focal length 14mm and aperture f/2.8 the hyperfocal distance is 7.62ft (2.32m). Let's see what happens with depth of field when you focus at a slightly shorter distance 7.12ft (2.17m), at just the hyperfocal distance 7.62ft (2.32m) and at a slightly longer distance 8.12ft (2.47m). Plug the numbers in the DoF calculator to get the following results:

As you look at it, you have the impression that the image had been taken using a wide angle lens but with little depth of field. This photo is the result of 57 frames stitched together with the software PTGui Pro. The hardest part of the job was for Aina, my little daughter, who had to stay the whole session without moving.

The diameter of the airy disk determines the smallest point to which a lens can focus a beam of light. It defines the theoretical maximum resolution for a lens. When the airy disk is larger than the circle of confusion or 2.5 times the pixel size in the camera, your image will start to suffer from diffraction.

Due to the fact that a camera can precisely focus the lens at only one distance at a time, sharpness gradually decreases on each side of the focused distance or, if you prefer, the plane of focus (PoF).

In the following image, you see the effect of diffraction produced inside the black square region shown in the images above. The photo taken with an aperture of f/32 looks more softened and less sharp. This is caused by diffraction.

Common sense says that if we accept larger defocused spots to be acceptably sharp (larger CoC), then, we'll see in focus a larger area of the image and, therefore, depth of field will increase too. The numbers in the table don't lie:

A teleconverter is a secondary lens mounted between the camera and the lens. Its job is to enlarge the central part of an image. Unfortunately, it also reduces the amount of light reaching the film or sensor in a camera.

This combination of short subject distance and long focal length produces a very shallow depth of field. Therefore, apertures of f/11, f/16, f/22 and even f/32 are great to try to maximize depth of field considering the short leeway determined by the compulsory subject distance (short) and focal length (long) choice.

Subject distance, the distance at which you're focusing the lens, has a great impact on depth to field. The further you are from your subject the deeper the depth of field will be. Conversely, the closer the shallower.

The Nikon 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom has a harsh bokeh, whereas the Nikon 85mm f/1.4 lens has a very smooth looking out of focus background.

To tell Maria's story, the challenge was that I needed both Maria's face and hands to be in the plane of focus (in sharp focus). At the same time I wanted the body, where her cancer was growing, completely out of focus. How did I take it?

Additionally, as you increase viewing distance you're missing detail in the image. So the circle of confusion could be larger and you'd still notice the same level of sharpness. On the contrary, when print size (image enlargement compared with the camera sensor) increases, the circle of confusion needs to be smaller in order to keep the image perceived as sharp.

Notice that without determining the value of the circle of confusion (what you consider to be acceptably sharp), you cannot calculate the depth of field you'll have in your image, because you won't know the maximum size that a blur spot can have to be perceived as a point.

In other words, you're about to gain the power to decide how much depth of field you want and where you want it, so you can reach the highest level of self expression through photography. Or like the Masters say, your photos will begin to have a great depth of feeling.

The aperture that causes the effects of diffraction is called the diffraction limited f-stop. But keep in mind that we're not talking about rigid boundaries here. The diffraction limited aperture gives you an approximation. It doesn't mean that larger apertures won't produce diffraction and smaller apertures will produce it. It only gives you an idea of what apertures are diffraction limited.

Digital cameras allow us to quickly take a trial shot and check the depth of field directly on the image. That's why I don't really use the preview depth of field button of my digital camera. But I couldn't write an article about DoF without quickly mentioning it.

In other words, if you're using a 2x converter on a 100mm lens (equalling 200mm) at f/5.6, the depth of field is the same as if you're using a straight 200mm lens at f/11.

If you wish to achieve the same photo with both cameras, you will have to use a larger focal length (effective focal length) on the full frame camera or get closer to the subject, either of which will affect the depth of field.

Sometimes, you'd rather to use a shallow depth of field to direct the viewer's attention to a specific area in order to separate your subject from a busy background. This is very common in portraits. But it also comes very handy when shooting landscapes, street photography, products, events, close-ups and macro photography.

Since this camera has a crop factor of 1.5x, its effective focal length is 50mm (1.5×35mm). In other words, 50mm is the focal length you need to use on a full frame camera to get the same field of view than a focal length of 35mm on a camera with a crop factor of 1.5x.

In photography, the blur spots you see in the image are an enlargement of the blur spots captured by the sensor of the camera. This enlargement is given by the proportion between the sensor size and the final image size (print size). From now on, every time I'll use the term circle of confusion, I'm referring to the size of a blur spot on the camera sensor, not of the final printed image.

Depending on the photo, there will be other factors that will limit your aperture choice. For example, in wildlife photography, when shooting an animal in motion, you'll need to take into account shutter speed and ISO, if you want to freeze the movement and get an image correctly exposed.

If you're using a wide angle lens (14-35mm), focusing at the hyperfocal distance will maximize depth of field no matter the aperture you use. In this case, depending on the effect you want to create, your aperture choice will be a trade-off with shutter speed in order to get an image exposed correctly. For example, you might want to use long exposures to capture the movement of running water, which will force you to close aperture, reducing the amount of light collected, to get the right exposure.

Of course, these are just a few examples of depth of field practical use. Feel free to apply it to any type of photography and situation you desire... Just be as much creative as possible!

Focusing the lens at exactly the hyperfocal distance is very difficult. Sometimes, it's not even necessary. Once you've calculated the hyperfocal distance, make sure you focus the lens at a distance that is a little bit longer (2-3ft - 0.5-1m) than the hyperfocal distance. If you focus at a shorter distance than the hyperfocal distance, even by an inch (2.5cm), the subjects at the horizon (e.g. stars) won't be in focus!

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By having a closer look at these depth of field examples, you'll get an idea of both "where to focus" and "what settings to use" depending on the type of photography and goal you have in mind.

Occasionally, when you least expect it, nature offers you a great scene. This water snake was quietly resting in a cattle trough in a nearby oak grove. After 10 minutes of "try and fail", it allowed me to focus on its eyes and I managed take this picture.

A 2x converter duplicates the focal length by 2, but it also reduces by 2 stops the light collected. For example, using an aperture of f/5.6 and a 2x converter, the sensor would capture the same light as if you were shooting with twice the focal length and an aperture of f/11. In both cases you'll get the same depth of field.

Let me give you a different example. I'll assume that you have good visual acuity, that you're seeing perfectly well. Now, go to a gallery in your town and stand in front of any of the paintings.

In conclusion, the circle of confusion is just a variable used to reach consensus on how much a point needs to be blurred in order to be perceived as unsharp for a given camera sensor and viewing conditions (print size, viewing distance and visual acuity). Its value is not a dogma, it's just a convention.

One possible workaround is to push the ISO up. Depending on the camera you have, it's a good idea to shoot with the ISO setting in auto mode. For example, shooting at 1/1000s, f/8 and ISO auto mode between 400 and 12800 will work perfectly well in many cases.

After a PhotoPills' nightscape, It's always a good idea to take a photo of the team: Germán (the Architect), Joan (the Rock Star), Rafael (the Bard) and myself with the glorious Milky Way crossing the sky. For obvious reasons, you'll notice that it was taken after shooting a Star Wars Tribute.

But when animals move, you need a fast shutter speed (exposure times under 1/1000s) to freeze most movements and avoid blur. As a consequence, you are forced to use the widest aperture possible in your lens if you want to get a correctly exposed photo.

Let's say you need more depth of field because you'd like include interesting background elements that are close to the subject. Here, an aperture of f/8 would be a fantastic choice.

How can you shoot shallow depth of field? Or deep depth of field? When should you use one approach or the other? Where should you focus the lens? What camera settings should you use?

20181025 — Photo by Ori F in Philosophy Salon Toronto.

Again, if you input these settings into the PhotoPills DoF Calculator, the numbers show the tiny depth of field difference between both sensor sizes.

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Finally, to conclude, I'd like you to answer the following question, just to check if you understood the meaning of the circle of confusion:

By stitching 11 pictures with little depth of field, you can create a panorama where the overall depth of field is quite considerable. Using the technique of focus stacking to create beautiful panoramas is another way to control the areas of the image you want to be sharp.

Here, the augmented reality of the PhotoPills DoF calculator comes in very handy to visualize where the hyperfocal distance lays.

Bokeh is the Japanese word for "blur". In photography, it is used to describe the quality of the blur produced in the out of focus areas of an image produced by a lens. Bokeh and shallow depth of field are not the same.

"Macro" refers to the magnification of the image as it appears on the sensor. For example, 1:1 magnification means that the image of a subject cast onto the image sensor will be the same size as the subject. If the image is 5 times the real size of the subject, then magnification is 5:1.

Let's see the numbers! Take a look at the following screenshots of PhotoPills' DoF calculator. In both cases, I'm using a 85mm focal length at f/2 on my Nikon D4s. In the first screenshot, I'm 6.56ft (2m) from my subject, getting a total DoF of 0.19ft (0.06m). Whereas, in the second screenshot, I'm 32.8ft (10m) from it, getting a total DoF of 5.44ft (1.66m).

I shot this picture outside, where the light was enhanced with a golden reflector. The focus is precisely placed on Júlia's left eye (on my right hand side). Consequently, all the attention is directed to the eye, which is placed right in the center of the image. I didn't follow any rule, but I made sure sure the eye's line was placed at one third from the top of the frame.

One of the moments students love is when I take my iPhone and use the augmented reality view of PhotoPills DoF calculator app to answer one of the most common questions:

In my courses, I explain depth of field together with camera aperture, just after the exposure triangle (aperture-shutter speed-ISO). I support the theory class with many examples and online tools, including the PhotoPills online depth of field calculator, to help students visualize which settings come into play when shooting both shallow and deep depths of field.

The roof of the Cathedral of Ciutadella is a unique place. As it is unique to live a sunset from such a privileged position above the village. Again, focusing at the hyperfocal distance allowed me to have everything in focus, from the roof adornment located in the foreground to the sun.

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That's right! You can artificially produce beautiful background blur effects by making a bokeh template for your lens. All you have to do is:

In this case, the device is intended to be used at a distance of one to three meters in anti-collision sensors in low-speed robots and automatically-guided vehicles.

The crop factor (CF) of a DSLR camera is the ratio of the diagonal of a 35mm frame to the diagonal of the image sensor of the camera. Remember that a 35mm frame has a size of 36×24mm, resulting into a diagonal of 43.3mm.

Note: This DoF calculator considers the following hypothesis to define what's "acceptably sharp": given the sensor size, the circle of confusion is calculated assuming a print size of 8"×10" (20cm×25cm), a viewing distance of 10" (25cm) and the manufacturers standard visual acuity. PhotoPills includes a depth of field chart and an advanced DoF calculator where you can change these hypothesis to adjust the circle of confusion you need.

Now, let me use the PhotoPills Advanced Depth of Field calculator to figure out the total depth of field. I took the fisherman photo with my Nikon D700, focusing at the fisherman (492ft - 150m), using a focal length of 200mm and an aperture of f/2.8.

Depth of fieldsimulator

In order to help you better assess the depth of field you'll get in the final image, almost all DSLR cameras include what is called the depth of field preview button. This button reduces the lens aperture to the set value, giving you a preview of the parts of the image that will be in sharp focus. That way you can reduce the trial and error when adjusting the aperture according to the depth of field you have in mind. This is particularly useful when shooting in film, where the cost of wasting a photo is very high.

"For a given subject framing and focus distance, depth of field is controlled by aperture size: the smaller the aperture (large f-numbers), the deeper the depth of field."

Mastering depth of field will give you the creative control over what's in sharp focus in your images, turning you into a better storyteller.

So, depth of field is a great tool that you can use to turn your thoughts into real stunning pictures. Internalize the concept, learn it and I promise that by controlling the area(s) of your images that are sharp you'll become a great storyteller and, thus, a better communicator.

In most of your captures, you'll be looking to maximize depth of field in order to get stars in sharp focus. But you'll also want to capture as many stars as possible.

Use a long focal length (50mm or more). Select a wide aperture (f/1.4, f/1.8, f/2.8). Get close to the subject. Focus the lens on the subject you want to be sharp. Put your subject far from the background that you want blurred out. Make sure that there are small background highlights, such as specular reflections or light sources (artificial or natural).

This image was taken during a photographic session with my friend and master José Benito Ruiz. Twenty minutes prior to this shot, the sky was flat with no clouds. Nothing presaged the twilight of lights and colors that we enjoyed minutes later. Once again, Ansel Adams was on our side.

One option is to ignore depth of field and change the perspective. If you shoot the subject from a direction which allows you to fit most of the interesting parts of the insect along a single plane of focus, then you'll get all you need in sharp focus. You just need to make sure the focus plane is parallel to the insect body when shooting!

The aperture is the setting that beginners typically use to control depth of field. The wider the aperture (smaller f-number f/1.4 to f/4), the shallower the depth of field. On the contrary, the smaller the aperture (large f-number: f/11 to f/22), the deeper the depth of field. However, as you read through this article, you'll find out that other options allow you to make the most out of your depth of field creative decisions, not only by changing the aperture.

As opposed to the previous picture, this one was taken while the Buzzard (Buteo buteo) was in motion. I had to widen the aperture a little bit to increase shutter speed and, thus, freeze the bird. A few seconds before I was shooting with my Nikon D300s with a 1.4x teleconverter attached to my 500mm lens. As I saw that the bird was approaching me, I decided to switch to my Nikon D700 and 500mm lens. Notice that I didn't crop the photo, so changing the gear was a great decision. I was pretty lucky!

Once you have decided the focal length you're going to use and the composition you want, select the aperture that will give you the desired level of sharpness. Usually, you'll want to maximize depth of field to keep the elements at the horizon in focus (mountains, trees...).

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Produce more DoF: small apertures (f/8-f/22), short focal lengths (10-35mm), longer focus distances, smaller camera sensors (crop).

If you don't find an answer here, you'll find it in the following sections. But if you still have a question, please, feel free to use the "Comments" area at the bottom of this article to ask us!

No! Why? Because diffraction will decrease the resolution of your photography and thus will reduce sharpness. Diffraction puts a limit to the aperture choice.

How does the circle of confusion affect depth of field? Or in other words, how does the convention of what's considered to be "acceptably sharp" affects depth of field values? Have a look at the following numbers. They have been calculated by only changing the CoC and keeping the rest of settings constant (focus distance 3 m, focal length 85 mm, aperture f/1.4).

When focusing at the hyperfocal distance, everything falling from half of this distance to infinity will be in focus. It depends on aperture, focal length and circle of confusion. It does not depend on focus distance (subject distance).

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Throughout time, life has taught me that the only way to improve is by putting the theory into practice, by walking the path. It's only when you plunge into the real world that you realize you actually don't know how to apply it. You thought it was crystal clear, but it's far from it.

Notice that, for a given focus distance, the percentage of depth of field in front of the focus point decreases and increases behind it as you close the aperture.

Depth of fieldcalculator

The truth is that there is no reason to fear the circle of confusion. The CoC is simply the maximum size that a blur spot, on the image captured by the camera sensor, will be seen as a point in the final image by a viewer for a given viewing conditions (print size, viewing distance and viewer's visual acuity).

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For a given focal length, the nearer you focus the more evenly distributed your DoF will be (50%-50%). On the contrary, the furthest you focus the less evenly distributed.

Finally, in landscape photography, you'll be using a wide angle lens focused at the hyperfocal distance in most cases. Composition will define the position of the subject in your frame, not depth of field.

This photo is related to seamen stories and legends. I tried to connect Heaven and Hell with a stair made of stars. Focusing at the hyperfocal distance was essential to maximize depth of field. If you want to know what inspired me and how I took it, take a look at our Milky Way photography guide.

To do so, I'll give you everything you need, from theoretical concepts (depth of field, hyperfocal distance, circle of confusion, etc.) to practical tools like PhotoPills and its free online calculators (DoF calculator, hyperfocal distance chart, circle of confusion calculator, diffraction calculator, etc.), together with a large number of inspiring images and tips.

For a shallow depth of field effect, wide apertures like f/2.8 and f/4 are great. Using them will help you keep your subject sharp while blurring all background elements.

As a result, depth of field (DoF) is the distance between the nearest and furthest elements in a scene that appear to be "acceptably sharp" in an image.

It's important to point out that all macro lenses (50-60mm, 90-105mm and 150-200mm) have the same reproduction ratio of 1:1. What changes is the working distance. The longer the focal length, the longer the working distance can be allowing you to work more comfortably. As you have guessed, the price goes up as well!

As a result, you'll need to get very close to the subject, from even less than an inch (∼2.5 cm) to one or two feet (30-50cm) depending on the macro lens you use.

The figures from the table above state that if you fall short when focusing at the hyperfocal distance, even by a few inches (a few cm), your DoF far limit will not be at infinity, it'll be much closer. Therefore, you won't get the furthest background elements (stars) in sharp focus.

Once at home, you can use a software like Helicon Focus or Photoshop stacking to automatically select the focused parts of each images and stack them together into the final image that displays.

What's the acceptable circle of confusion you need to use when doing your depth of field calculations (total DoF) before the shot, if you're using your full frame camera (in my case a Nikon D700)?

Let's work with an example. Imagine that your mother's birthday is approaching and you want to surprise her. What about giving her a large format picture of her favourite landscape as birthday present? You know that she loves a little hut in the bay of Fornells (Menorca). A print size of 2.29x4.92ft (70×150cm) would made for an amazing present!

Surprisingly enough, I don't get many questions during the theory class. It seems that everyone has properly assimilated the concept. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth.

When the subject distance is so reduced that approaches focal length, for example shooting with a 100mm macro lens at a working distance of 4 inches (10cm), the classic depth of field calculator doesn't give correct values. This is due to not taking into account magnification and pupil magnification. If you want a good approximation to total depth of field you'll get in a macro shot, use the PhotoPills Macro DoF calculator.

Imagine that you're shooting with a Nikon D7100 (sensor size 23.5×15.6mm, crop factor 1.5x), using a focal length of 35mm, an aperture of f/1.8 and a focus distance of 10ft (3m).

The first limitation is the exposure triangle. While you choose the aperture, you also need to take into account shutter speed and ISO in order to get a photo correctly exposed. Small apertures reduce the amount of light collected by the sensor. Consequently, you need to reduce shutter speed (select a longer exposure time) to maintain a consistent exposure, forcing you to use a tripod to prevent motion blur. The best solution here is increasing ISO instead of decreasing shutter speed.

For a given sensor size and focal length, the effective focal length (also known as the 35mm equivalent focal length) is the focal length that would produce the same field of view on a 35mm camera. It's calculated by multiplying the actual focal length of the lens by the crop factor of the sensor.

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And it's true – using depth of field the right way is very powerful. It can radically transform good photos into images that win hearts and minds.

If this is happening to you, you're surely focusing your lens at a distance slightly shorter than the hyperfocal... Numbers don't lie!

On the contrary, if you're using a wide angle lens (8-35mm), you can maximize depth of field by focusing at the hyperfocal distance. In most cases however, these focal lengths are not a good choice for portraits because its large field of view will force you to get too close to the subject, which might deform it. For example, if the subject fills the frame when shooting with a wide angle lens, the nose and the forehead might appear disproportionate and unreal.

Introducing also a circle of confusion of 0.005mm in the calculator, I get a total DoF of 52.26ft (15.93 m), larger than 16.4ft (5m). Therefore, now, I'm sure that, with this settings, I'll get both the fisherman and the hut in focus.

Notice that if you focus at a distance that is shorter than the hyperfocal distance, the depth of field far limit will not be at infinite. This will result into blurring the elements at the horizon (or furthest background elements like mountains or stars).

It's not until the following day, while I'm heldig the practical class, that problems quickly arise. These obstacles fill the atmosphere with frustration and despair, reminding me exactly what I felt when I first started studying and using depth of field.

In portrait photography, where you are shooting static subjects, you'll be relatively close to the subject 10-20 ft (3-6m). In wildlife photography, you should get as close as you can! In this case, a telephoto lens becomes compulsory.

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When you look through the viewfinder of your DSLR camera, you're actually looking through the lens at its widest aperture.

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However, it can be a pretty useless one if you don't know how to put it to creative use. Let's face it, at the end of the day, what will really make your photos stand out from the crowd is your creative mind: the idea, the message, the story you're willing to tell.

This happens because you're stopping down the aperture and, thus, cutting down the light that's being collected. This is one of the main reasons why many photographers think that the depth of field preview button is useless.

Notice that the hyperfocal distance does not depend on subject distance. It remains equal when you change subject distance in the DoF calculator. Hyperfocal distance only depends on aperture, focal length, camera sensor and the hypothesis behind what is considered to be acceptable sharp.

Diffraction is the result of light dispersion caused by the edges of the diaphragm blades in the lens. The smaller the aperture the more light rays are scattered, and more negatively will the photo be affected.

It's the camera button that reduces the lens aperture to the set value giving you a preview of the image area(s) that will be sharp. I don't really use it!

But knowing the path is never enough. It won't help you improve your photography. It won't help you improve in life. The secret is to start walking it!

Keeping all the settings equal (focus distance, aperture, sensor size, CoC), larger focal lengths produce a much shallower depth of field. For example, a 100mm lens focused at 20ft (6m) will have much less depth of field than a 24mm lens focused at 20ft (6m). Compare the depth of field values in the following images.

This picture represents the beginning of a terrible disease: cancer. It immortalizes the very first moment Maria, now totally recovered, looked at her falling hair and realized that her life would turn into a real nightmare. She was suffering but also pulling all her strength and energy to fight back the disease.

You should try sometime the Brenizer method (Ryan Brenizer). This method consists in creating portraits by shooting several pictures with the same depth of field using a fast telephoto lens to finally build a panorama.

My goal with this step-by-step depth of field tutorial is to help you easily overcome all the difficulties you'll come across when shooting for a desired depth of field, regardless of your level of expertise (beginner, advanced or professional).

35mm equivalentfocal length

In section 4, I'll explain in detail the hyperfocal distance and its applications. You'll see that knowing the hyperfocal distance is very useful to maximize depth of field when shooting a landscape with a wide angle lens (14mm-35mm).

You know that only at the focus distance, a point object will be reproduced as a point image on the sensor. And, as you move away from the plane of focus, any point object will be defocused, producing a blur spot in the image. The "diameter" of this blur spot or blur circle increases with distance from the point of focus.

Hyperfocal distance increases dramatically with larger focal lengths. As a result it is impossible to precisely focus at such long distances. That's the reason you won't focus at the hyperfocal distance when using long focal lengths to maximize depth of field: the focus point defined by the hyperfocal distance is too far away!

Shooting macro photography with the reverse lens technique can become an addiction: abstraction to create art. In this case, I was able to reach a rate of magnification of 4:1 using a Cosina wide-angle with a lens reversing ring.

The good news is that, as I'll explain in detail in this tutorial, if you're shooting with a wide angle lens (10-35 mm), you just need to focus at the hyperfocal distance to maximize depth of field.

Focal length does have an impact on the percentage of depth of field in front of and behind the plane of focus. Long focal lengths produce a more evenly distributed depth of field around the plane of focus than short focal lengths. Again, numbers don't lie (Nikon D4s, aperture f/2.8):

Sant Joan is one of the best traditional festivals in the world. Celebrated in Ciutadella at the end of June, it includes the popular horse races. The horses and riders run among the crowd, making it an incredibly dangerous moment for both the riders and spectators. Here, I shaked the camera to give a sense of speed to the image. Learn more about this great festival reading 'Dreaming of Sant Joan'.

The second limitation is diffraction. As you stop down the aperture, the light passing through the lens tends to diffract more and more, decreasing the resolution of your photography and thus losing sharpness. I'll talk a little bit more about diffraction in section 7.

I love using good bokeh as a way of making the backgrounds more interesting. When shooting at shallow depth of field, good bokeh is important so that the subject stands out sharply against a pleasantly blurred background.

Focal length

In this case, when focusing at 7.12ft (2.17m) the DoF far limit is just 107ft (32.57m) away from the camera. Anything beyond this distance will appear to be out of focus in the photo.

On the other hand, the wider the aperture (small f-number: f/1.4, f/2.8, etc.), the shallower the depth of field, resulting into a smaller portion of your image completely sharp.

Another option is a technique called focus stacking, especially if you don't want to change the perspective. It consists in shooting a series of images with an identical composition, each one focused on a plane of different depth on the body of the insect. The goal is that all the parts you want in focus in the final image must be in sharp focus in at least one image of the series.

Also, the following table will help you visualize how print size and viewing distance influence CoC values, when using a full frame camera (sensor size of 36×24mm) like the Nikon D4s, and the viewer is assumed to have the manufacturer's visual acuity.

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Other potential applications for the device are face authentication for access control and payment terminals, physical volume measurement for logistics chains and gesture detection in consumer products for gaming, home gym and device control.

Again, let's have a look at the numbers! Keeping constant the camera (I'm still using my Nikon D4s), aperture (f/8) and focus distance (20ft - 6m), the following table shows us that long focal lengths produce shallower depth of field.

In macro photography, depth of field is also influenced by a new variable: magnification. As you magnify a subject, depth of field becomes shallower (it can even reach less than 1mm!), which makes controlling depth of field very challenging.

It's a convention used to establish what we consider to be acceptably sharp in a photo. It's the maximum diameter (mm) that a blur spot on the camera sensor will be seen as a point (in focus) in the final printed photo. You need to decide its value to calculate depth of field values.

Special thanks to Sandra Vallaure, a great photographer and friend, for her tremendous help in making this article possible.

But, in fact, a person with 20/20 vision can distinguish objects 1/3 this size, and so the circle of confusion has to be even smaller than this to achieve an acceptable sharpness. Thus, the better visual acuity you have the smaller the circle of confusion should be.

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Therefore, full frame cameras produce shallower depth of field than APS-C cameras at the same effective focal length and aperture. Shooting portraits using a full frame camera results in more pleasant images, since it gives you more control over shallow depth of field.

As soon as you feel this "aha" moment, take a deep breath, show character and say to yourself: "I'm going to do it, no matter what it takes. I'm not giving up!"

Finally, imagine that you shot a portrait using a 85mm lens at f/2 on your Nikon D7100 (crop sensor). And now you'd like to find out the aperture and focal length you need to use on a Nikon D4s (full frame) to replicate the same depth of field shooting from the same position (same perspective).

In this situation, the aperture choice doesn't involve depth of field. It's all about the amount of light collected. So, you'll need the widest aperture possible (f/1.4, f/2.8, etc.) and the longest exposure time possible to allow the sensor the collect the most light it can and, thus, capture the greatest number of stars.

Decide the amount of depth of field you need and get close to the subject, use wide apertures (f/1.4-f/5.6) and long focal lengths (from 70mm or larger). Finally, focus the lens on the part of the subject you want to direct the viewer's attention.

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The calculator is telling you that, when shooting with a full frame camera (Nikon D4s), you need to use a 130mm lens and an aperture of f/3.2 to have the same DoF and FoV. Therefore, you need to increase focal length and close a little bit the aperture.

So go, move around and find the right shooting position. The right spot is where everything makes sense and where all the elements you need come together in a superb image.

But, before we plunge ourselves into the exciting universe of depth of field, let me share a few examples with you... seeking inspiration.

The reason I didn't focus at the hyperfocal distance is because I didn't have any interesting foreground or background elements in the frame. Since the rocks were at a distance larger than the hyperfocal distance (16.86 ft - 5.14m), the easiest thing to do in this case was to directly focus on the main rock.

Life's too short to take it too seriously. A little bit of crazy fun is always more than welcome. So, for now, I'll leave you with the Bard.

There is not such a good or bad CoC in general, it depends on the sensor size of your camera, the print size you're going to use, the viewing distance you want people to look at the image and the viewer's visual acuity. Depending on these conditions, you'll need the blur spots forming the image to be smaller or, on the contrary, you'll accept them to be larger.

No matter the type of photo you're shooting (landscape, night, seascapes, cityscapes, architecture...), when your goal is to maximize depth of field shooting with a wide angle lens (under 35mm), you just need to follow these steps:

Yes! Feel free to use the PhotoPills online free depth of field charts and calculators. And, if you prefer a depth of field app, check our PhotoPills app. It includes everything you need as a photographer or filmmaker ;)

2015528 — I can create a sun-soaked, low contrast dreamy image or even a dramatic, moody image with emphasis on shadows. Here are some examples and how to achieve the ...

Take a look at the following picture. Notice that only the eye and part of one leg of the mantis is in focus, leaving out of focus other interesting parts of the insect (antennae, body, etc.).

Finally, if you want to go for a deep depth of field, use smaller apertures like f/11, f/16 or less. Don't forget to always keep an eye to avoid diffraction.

Additionally, I'd like to show you the relationship between depth of field and aperture numerically. If you use the PhotoPills DoF calculator to work out the depth of field for different apertures, the numbers will also show that depth of field increases as you decrease the aperture.

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Produce less DoF: wide apertures (f/1.4-f/5.6), long focal lengths (70-600mm), short focus distances, larger camera sensors (full frame).

Getting close to capture animals is very difficult. Wildlife photographers generally use telephoto lenses (300-600mm), whose depth of field is extremely shallow.

This picture was taken during a traditional slaughter of pigs in a small village in Mallorca. A raging backlight of the rising Sun impacted the scene outlining the butcher's silhouette. The product in the foreground is a typical spirit from Mallorca.

To obtain a shallow depth of field you'll generally get closer to the subject, focus on the part of the subject that you want to be perfectly sharp and use large focal lengths (from 70mm) with wide apertures (f/1.4-f/5.6).

To increase depth of field and capture the whole animal in focus, you may be tempted to use small apertures (f/8, f/11). In practice, the truth is that the aperture choice will depend on whether the animal is in motion or staying still.

At larger apertures, only a small percentage of light is scattered. But as the aperture decreases, the percentage increases making the effect more visible – the size of the aperture gets roughly comparable to the light wavelength, increasing the amount of light rays scattered around the edges of the lens.

Bokeh is the Japanese word for "blur". In photography, it is used to describe the quality of the blur produced in the out of focus areas of an image produced by a lens. Bokeh and shallow depth of field are not the same.

If you press the depth of field preview button and then look through the viewfinder, you'll see that the DoF has increased compared to when using the widest aperture. However, you'll also find out that the viewfinder image is darker, making very hard to accurately judge the depth of field.

Depth of field (DoF) is the distance between the nearest and furthest elements in a scene that appear to be "acceptably sharp" in an image.

Why most cameras keep the widest aperture until the shutter is pressed? Because it allows the camera to collect enough light for you to properly focus and frame the shot.

Then, I can confirm that, for this given viewing conditions (viewing distance 16ft, painting size and your visual acuity), the circle of confusion of the painting is 0.039 inches (1mm) because you'd see any blur spot bigger than 0.039 inches (1mm) to be out of focus.

One final word on how to use the DoF preview button. Pay attention on the out of focus areas of the composition. It's in this area that you'll see the big change as you set different apertures.

depth offield中文

Therefore, as you are going through your depth of field calculations, you need to know and use the diameter of the circle of confusion together with the other shooting settings that affect DoF (aperture, focal length and focus distance).

Another way to get great magnifications is by using the reverse lens technique. Just turn the lens around so that the rear element points outwards, and the front element faces the camera body. Then, attach it to the camera using a special adapter. A lens has been designed to fit large subjects into the tiny sensor. So, if you reverse it, you can use it as a macro lens. For example, a 50mm lens will give you a magnification of 1:1. The wider the lens the larger the magnification.

Antoni Cladera is a landscape photographer commited to the environment. Artist of the Spanish Confederation of Photography and member of the Spanish Association of Nature Photographers (AEFONA). He's part of the PhotoPills Team.

Depth of field is a function of the camera type (sensor size or film), aperture, focus distance, focal length and the subjective assumptions behind what is considered to be "acceptably sharp", which I'll explain in section 5 (circle of confusion). Depending on the settings and assumptions you use, you'll get a depth of field or another.

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Depth of field depends on aperture, focus distance, focal length and circle of confusion (CoC). The latter depends on camera sensor size, final image print size, image viewing distance and viewer's visual acuity.

In other words, while shallow depth of field refers to the part of the image that is acceptably sharp, bokeh refers to the quality of the background and foreground blur, whether it is smooth or harsh.

"It depends! What's the sensor size? What's the printing size of the photo? How far will people be viewing it from? What's people visual acuity assumed to be?"

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There is a DoF fact to which I specially want you to pay attention. I believe that it'll help you better understand depth of field and its creative use:

Since using small apertures increases depth of field, one of the most common questions I get in my classes and workshops is:

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It's all about depth of feeling! William Eugene Smith wisely reminds us that depth of field by itself is just another tool more at our service.

Yes, you've read correctly, the lens is not set at the one you've chosen for the picture. This aperture that you chose will only be set at the right moment of taking the picture. As a consequence, the depth of field you're observing is shallower than the one you'll get in the image. Obviously, the exception is when you're shooting at the maximum aperture.

Usually, beginners use a 50-60mm macro lens, amateurs a 90-105mm, and pros 150-200mm, which allows to comfortably shoot from a larger distance (30-50cm or even more).

Let's type the numbers into the PhotoPills DoF calculator for both images and you'll see that given the same aperture and effective focal length, a full frame camera produces a shallower depth of field.

Shallowdepth of field

Since you'd be focusing at the hut, you need the total depth of field to be larger than the size of the hut, which is 16.4ft (5m) wide.

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Ciutadella de Menorca, the village where I live is pure magic. The image above includes streetlights, lighthouses, the Moon and, at the horizon, Mallorca, the biggest piece of land in the Balearic Islands, to complete a great scene during the blue hour.

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The hyperfocal distance depends on the selected aperture, focal length, camera sensor size and circle of confusion assumptions, or what is considered to be "acceptably sharp" (explained in detail in section 5).

"How do I focus at the hyperfocal distance? The hyperfocal distance for my shot is 7.62 ft (2.32 m). I believe that I'm focusing at it, but I don't get the stars in sharp focus. What am I doing wrong?"

This last infinite depth of field situation occurs when you focus the lens at what is called the hyperfocal distance or at any distance larger than the hyperfocal distance.

The following images show the same field of view. The first one shot with a Nikon D7100 (1.5x) and focal length 35mm. The second one shot with a Nikon D4s (full frame) and focal length 50mm.

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In other words, it's the size (diameter) of the largest blur spot in the camera sensor that is indistinguishable from a point on the final image. It's a parameter that defines what's considered to be acceptably sharp in a photo.

Note: This calculator considers the following hypothesis to define what's "acceptably sharp": given the sensor size, the circle of confusion is calculated assuming a print size of 8"×10" (20cm×25cm), a viewing distance of 10" (25cm) and the manufacturers standard visual acuity.

The good news is that now you know everything you need to put depth of field at your service. You are capable of shooting pictures that will surprise the world. You can capture images that will give goosebumps.

Therefore, one way to reduce depth of field is by getting closer to your subject. That's what you would do while shooting a portrait. You want the subject to be in focus while blurring distracting elements in the foreground and background.

The distance between the camera and the first element that is considered to be acceptably sharp is called DoF near limit. Similarly, the distance between the camera and the furthest element that is considered to be acceptably sharp is called DoF far limit. Notice that the limits of depth of field are not hard boundaries between sharp and unsharp since defocus is produced gradually.

It seems that photographers know how to calculate the hyperfocal distance using a DoF calculator or a hyperfocal table, but when it's time to put it to practical use, they fail to get the background elements in focus (for example, the stars).

In general, these assumptions work pretty well. But if you need to change them (print size, viewing distance and visual acuity), use an adjusted value of the circle of confusion (CoC) when doing your DoF calculations. The typical example is when you want to print an image in large format.

I focused on the mantis' eye, the best choice when photographing insects (and people). As you can see, I got most of the mantis blurred, not due to poor focusing but because of shallow depth of field.

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In other words, depth of field variations are due to the different fields of view produced by different sensor sizes. As the sensor gets larger, you need to get closer to the subject (changing perspective) or use a longer focal length in order to fill the frame with that subject. Therefore, if you want to keep the same depth of field on larger sensors than on cropped sensors, you'll need to use smaller aperture sizes.

This image is the result of a great photo session with the bee-eater (Merops apiaster) in one of Menorca's breeding colonies. In wildlife photography, you must focus very precisely because long focal lengths produce a very shallow depth of field. The photo was taken from inside a hide. The colors and beauty of the plumage of these birds makes photography an art.

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Before I get into detail explaining depth of field, I thought that, for those of you that are looking for fast answers, it would be more useful to start with this question-answer summary:

When you look at it from a certain distance, the painting appears to be in sharp focus. But, as you get closer, the image turns blurry. If you get close enough, you'll be able to see the detail of the traces or "blur spots" forming the painting.

Depending on the lens design, the blur in the image can be soft and pleasant or harsh and distracting to the eye. That's the difference between good or bad bokeh. For example, compare the background blur of these two crops. Do you see the difference?

Therefore, you need to find the right balance between aperture (depth of field) and shutter speed (ability to freeze movement).

In similar fashion, for a given focus distance, a telephoto lens will give you a more evenly distributed DoF than a wide angle lens.

Usually, most depth of field calculators use a circle of confusion that is the result of assuming a print size of 8"×10" (20cm×25cm), a viewing distance of 10" (25cm) and the manufacturers standard visual acuity. That's the reason you don't need to plug it when using the typical DoF calculator.

If you plug all these settings in the Circle of Confusion Calculator, you'll find out that only blur spots with size under 0.005mm will be seen as points in the final printed image. So you must use this specific CoC or a smaller one when doing your depth of field calculations.

Two emblematic buildings of my village gave me the opportunity to play with my 80-200mm lens. In this image the façade of the City Hall is blurred becoming the ideal background for the famous statue placed on top of the manor house Torre-Saura. Both details melt together in the frame.

When you're shooting outdoors, focusing exactly at the hyperfocal distance is very difficult. You don't usually measure distances with a ruler when you're in the field. Actually, you don't have to!

In addition to this, when you're close to the subject, depth of field is rather evenly distributed around the focus point. But, as you move away from it, the percentage of depth of field in front of the focus point decreases while increases behind it.

Believe it or not, you've just gone through more than 17.000 words on depth of field. This is the kind of material that would destroy Superman, even worse than kryptonite. But look at you, here you are, safe and sound.

Now, using the same camera (my Nikon D4s), focal length (85mm), and aperture (f/2), but changing the subject distance, I get the following depth of field table:

How do you calculate the circle of confusion? This calculator will help with the math for any given combination of sensor/film size, visual acuity, viewing distance, and print size:

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Keep in mind that diffraction is not always a bad thing to have. Do not sacrifice a great photo idea because of diffraction. The idea you want to get across, the story you wanna tell is more important than the "negative" effect of diffraction. So, push aperture, don't be afraid.

Many photographers use the aperture to get the desired depth of field because it can be easily controlled by simply changing the aperture. Subject distance (focus distance) and focal length are more influenced by the image composition choice.

Of course, talking about circles is a simplification. In reality, the circle of confusion is not a circle. It has the same shape as the lens aperture, normally rendered as a polygonal shape. To keep things simple it is typically assumed to be circular, which is accurate when it is very small.

Now that you have an idea about the results you can get applying depth of field, it's time to dig deeper into the concept itself.

The blades define the shape and size of your bokeh. The wider the aperture the wider your bokeh, and the more blades are used to produce the aperture the better. Expensive lenses may have 8 diaphragm blades whereas cheaper ones have only 5, producing a poorer bokeh.

The acceptable circle of confusion is influenced by sensor/film size, viewer's visual acuity, viewing distance and print size. Camera manufacturers assume the diameter of the circle of confusion to be 0.01 inch (0.254 mm) when providing lens depth of field markers (shown below for a Zuiko 50mm f/1.8 lens).

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In 2012, a very rare phenomenon took place in Menorca: it snowed! This photo shows the white landscape and, in the background, El Toro – our highest hill.

As for depth of field, the effect is the same as if you were using a lens equivalent to the combination of the lens and the teleconverter.

Diffraction is the result of light dispersion caused by the edges of the diaphragm blades in the lens. This causes the images to look more softened and less sharp, with less detail.

To do so, you'll need at least a basic manual focus slider to move the camera after each shot or to slowly turn the focus ring. Alternatively, if you're a more advanced photographer, I recommend you an automated system like the StakShot.

Since you'll be using small apertures to try to increase total depth of field (f/16, f/22, f/32), diffraction will make your photos look more softened and less sharp. It'll reduce the resolution of your images. In this case, you should look for the trade-off between your aperture choice and diffraction.

Take a look at the following two images shot with a full frame camera (Nikon D4s in this case). Focus distance is kept constant at 8.2ft (2.5m) and focal length at 85mm, while aperture is changed from f/1.4 to f/16. Notice how depth of field increases as aperture decreases.

If you choose a lens with the goal of achieving great bokeh, pay attention to its design. Look for lenses that have been corrected to compensate for optical aberrations, and that have aperture blades with curved edges to make the aperture more closely approximate a circle rather than a polygon.

Usually, the maximum size that a blur spot on an image will be seen as a point (in focus), is generally accepted to be the largest on-film/sensor circle (blur spot) that a person with good vision would see as a well defined point on an 8"×10" (20cm×25cm) print when viewed from a "normal" viewing distance of 10" (25 cm). This point in focus is commonly known as the acceptable circle of confusion, or simply the circle of confusion (CoC). Anything larger would be seen as a small circle, not as a point, and would be therefore perceived as out of focus.

Similarly, if you want to maximize depth of field depending on the print size, viewing distance and visual acuity, you'll need to use an adjusted circle of confusion when calculating the hyperfocal distance, so you know where to focus exactly. Using the wrong CoC can lead you to have a blurry image when printed.

Therefore, if you want to see the painting in sharp focus from a closer distance, you need the traces or blur spots forming it to be smaller. This means that the acceptable circle of confusion needs to be smaller too.

What you see in the image is the crop effect. Place your tripod in a determined spot and take a photo with a crop sensor camera with the subject filling the frame. Then, take the same photo in exactly the same position with a full frame camera. You will have more space around the subject but depth of field variation is neglectable.

On the one hand, you'll need to get pretty close to the subject, from an inch (2.5cm) to one or two feet (30-50cm) depending on the focal length you use. On the other hand, you'll be using a macro lens (50-60mm, 90-105mm, 150-200mm). Both settings will lead you to get a very shallow depth of field.

Get further from the subject, use small apertures (f/8, f/11, f/16), and focus on a point located in the lower third of the scene.

Similarly, the following image shows how depth of field increases when aperture is progressively decreased, while camera type (Nikon D4s), focus distance (8.2ft - 2.5m) and focal length (85mm) are kept constant.

Depth of fieldgithub

"Depth of field is a key compositional element in many, if not most, photographs. It is one of the most important tools a photographer can use to create striking images."

Later on in this tutorial, I'll explain that focusing at a distance larger than the hyperfocal distance ensures that the depth of field far limit stays at infinity. Thus, all the elements in the horizon or further away will be in sharp focus (e.g. stars). The only downside is that you lose depth of field in front of the focus plane.

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OK! I know, there is a tiny variation for the smaller focal lengths, but it can be ignored compared to the effects of aperture and focus distance (subject distance).

Both, happiness and the beautiful background bokeh seems to hold Anna in the air. The forest brings so many fantastic opportunities to shoot portraits. Take advantage of it!

In practice, as I explain in our Milky Way photography guide, focusing exactly at the hyperfocal distance is very difficult. So you need to make sure that you're focusing at a distance that is a bit larger than the hyperfocal. Actually, not much larger, one foot (30cm) will do the job. It's better to have a little bit less depth of field in front of the focus point rather than blurring the background elements.

But, if you keep the same aperture, focal length (nominal, not effective) and focus distance and just change sensor size, depth of field won't be significantly affected. Let me prove it with a real example.

In other words, when the lens is focused at the hyperfocal distance, everything that falls at any given distance from half of this distance out to infinity will be acceptably sharp, which is the maximum depth of field you can have. Therefore, calculating the hyperfocal distance is a "must" in landscape and night photography essentially.

In practice, the subject distance choice is not only based on the desired depth of field criteria. Depending on the type of photography, this choice is also influenced by other photography decisions like the elements you want in the frame when composing the image or whether it's possible to get close to the subject or not (e.g. when photographing wildlife).

Compare the photos I took with the settings I used in the PhotoPills' screenshots. Do you notice that I got a shallower depth of field when I got closer to the subject?

Now, I'd like to explain you one interesting detail regarding focal length when focus distance is much shorter than hyperfocal distance but longer than what is considered a Macro distance (macro photography).

On the contrary, if you're using longer focal lengths (more than 70mm), and you still want to maximize depth of field, you must use smaller apertures (f/11, f/16), and focus on a point located in the lower third of the scene.

A good macro lens is key in macro photography because it is capable of focusing at amazingly short distances where non macro lenses fail.

When focus distance is adjusted to match field of view, total depth of field is virtually the same whether you're shooting with a wide-angle or a telephoto lens.

Once you've decided the focal length and aperture, focus the lens at the hyperfocal distance, always making sure that you're not falling short. It's better to focus a little bit further than the hyperfocal distance. This will ensure that everything at the horizon is in focus. Falling short will blur all the elements at the horizon (mountains, stars, etc.).

From time to time, I like to detox from the digital system using my film cameras. I still keep in perfect conditions my first Olympus OM-10, a Yashica mat 124-G, a few Polaroid Land and my preferred Fm2n. All of them still work perfectly well! In the picture you see, Aina is sitting on a chair, waiting for her mother while she's shopping. Without a doubt, the grain from analogic cameras is unbeatable, artistically speaking.

Have a look at the following images. I used a 85mm lens (not effective) at f/2 on both, my Nikon D7100 (sensor size 23.5×15.6; 1.5x) and Nikon D4s (full frame). The subject is 10 ft (3m) away from the camera.

Finally, watch this Bokeh Master Kit video review by the guys at DigitalRev TV. It is a little bit crazy, but it's so fun. I love these guys!

On the contrary, in landscape photography, when you're using a telephoto lens (200mm, 300mm, 500mm), the hyperfocal distance is so large that you cannot focus at it. Since you'll be using small apertures (f/11, f/16, etc.) to maximize depth of field, the rule of the thumb is to focus on a point located in the lower third of the scene. This trick works because when you are using these small apertures and long focal lengths, depth of field usually is distributed 1/3 (33.33%) in front of the focus point and 2/3 (66.66%) behind it. Make sure you're not focusing at infinity, because you'll get blur in the foreground.

In portrait photography, your aperture choice will depend on the desired level of shallow depth of field, combined with the focal length choice (usually more than 70mm).

For example, in macro photography, you need to be very close to the subject. The distance can go from just an inch (2.5cm) to one or two feet (30-50 cm) depending on your macro lens.

Finally, you can use the PhotoPills Diffraction Calculator to assess the aperture at which your camera starts to produce images affected by diffraction.

In macro photography, diffraction can be used in a positive way to create beautiful shapes that produce different and authentic backgrounds.

Aperture! Why? Because it's the easiest way to achieve the depth of field you need. Use wider apertures to reduce DoF and smaller ones to increase it. But, it's not always possible to choose an aperture based on a depth of field criteria.

Depending on the settings used for the shot, the area that is considered to be acceptably sharp in your image can go from less than a millimeter (Macro Photography) to kilometers, and even to infinity (Landscape or Astrophotography).

Imagine that the diameter of the blur spots forming the painting is 0.039 inches (1mm). Walk away from the painting. There'll be a distance from where you'll start to see it perfectly in focus, without noticing the traces. Let's assume that this distance is 16ft (5m).

When learning depth of field, the circle of confusion (CoC) is the particular photographer's Bogeyman. Like the imaginary monster that is used to frighten children, the CoC has no specific form or shape, and the idea of it varies dramatically from photographer to photographer. In many cases, it has no set appearance in the photographer's mind – it's just a non-specific embodiment of terror.

When light waves are scattered, they start to interact with each other, adding in some places and canceling out in others. These waves form a diffraction pattern known as the Airy disk.

Most of the students start to realize how their creativity is limited by the incapacity of shooting the desired level of depth of field. This is mainly due to two causes:

First, I used a subject distance (focus distance) of 4.92 ft (1.5m), a focal length of 85mm and an aperture of f/1.4 to minimize my depth of field. Then, I asked Maria to separate her hands from the body. I climbed on top of a ladder and focused the lens on Maria's eyes. Finally, I shot in a direction perpendicular to the plane formed by Maria's face and hands, getting both in sharp focus (in the plane of focus).

I was able to close the aperture because the bee-eater was staying still, which in turn allowed me to have the whole bird in focus!

On the contrary, if you focus the lens at a distance slightly longer than the hyperfocal distance 8.12ft (2.47m), the DoF far limit will stay at infinity. In other words, you'll get the background elements (e.g. stars) in focus.

On the one hand, when you close the aperture (large f-number: f/11 to f/22, etc.) the rays of light are forced to get through a smaller hole, narrowing the light beam. This increases the distance between the last two points that are considered to be acceptable sharp in front and behind the plane of focus, thus, allowing you to get a deeper depth of field.

For example, in night photography, if you focus at a shorter distance than the hyperfocal, the depth of field far limit will not be at infinite, which will blur the stars. By focusing at a slightly larger distance, the depth of field near limit will be a bit further from the camera, but the stars will be perfectly in focus.

Finally, before I explain in detail how each one of these settings influences depth of field and how you can take advantage of it, let me insert here the PhotoPills depth of field calculator. It'll help you assess which camera settings you require to achieve a desired level of sharpness.

The question then is "Where to focus?". Again, since you want the stars in focus, and you'll be using a wide angle lens (14-35mm), focusing at the hyperfocal distance will maximize depth of field.

Depth of field

Macro photography is about photographing at close distances small subjects whose image on the sensor or film is as large as, or larger than, the subjects themselves.

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For a given camera sensor and viewing conditions (print size, viewing distance, viewer's visual acuity), when this blur spot is small enough, we see it as a point in the image and it appears to be in focus. So we say that it is rendered as "acceptably sharp". On the contrary, when this blur spot surpases a certain size, it appears to be out of focus to us.

After reading it, you will quickly get the creative control over what is in sharp focus in your images, and what is not.

Consequently, small apertures like f/11, f/14, f/16 and f/22 are a great choice to try to maximize depth of field considering the short leeway determined by the compulsory subject distance (short) and focal length (long) choice.

Your mother's vision is perfect, she's still young. So you want the main subjects in the printed photo to be sharp, even from a viewing distance of 10" (25cm). This means that you need the fisherman and the hut to be in focus.

The hyperfocal distance is commonly used in landscape and night photography to maximize depth of field when shooting with a wide angle lens (10-35mm).

Just to mention one example. Photography master and author, Harold Davis, in his great book, 'Creative Composition: Digital Photography Tips and Techniques', maintains:

Another new variable that affects depth of field is pupil magnification. This is the result of dividing the diameter of the exit pupil of a lens by its entrance pupil diameter.

Take a look at the following photos taken with a camera Nikon D4s. The first photo was shot with an aperture of f/8. I took the second one using an aperture of f/32. Can you see the effects of diffraction? Well, it's not that easy.

Have a look at the following photo I took using a focal length of 22mm, an aperture of f/11 and my Nikon D4s (full frame). To shoot it, I used the DoF calculator to figure out the hyperfocal distance, which resulted to be 4.75ft (1.45m). Then, I used the automatic focus system of the camera to focus a little bit further than the hyperfocal distance, let's say at 5.24ft (1.60m). Finally, I set back the camera to manual focus, pointed and shot.

Depth of field is not equally distributed in front (near) and behind (far) your focus point. Usually, the far DoF is larger than the near DoF.

I'll begin by explaining two important concepts that will help you understand the relationship between sensor size and depth of field: crop factor and effective focal length.

Don't worry about calculations, you don't have to work out the numbers with the hyperfocal distance equations, just use PhotoPills or the following hyperfocal distance chart that works for Nikon, Canon and any other brand (35mm and cropped sensors).

Small apertures might work when animals stay still, because you'll be able to freeze them and maintain a correct exposure by slowing the shutter speed (increasing exposure time).

As a result, many well-intentioned photographers are spending their precious time trying to apply depth of field without even completely understanding the concept itself nor knowing how to properly use it.

The ratio of the subject size on the sensor plane to the real subject size is called the reproduction ratio (1:1, 2:1, 3:1, etc.). Lenses that are capable of reproduction ratios of 1:1 or greater are called macro lenses.

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To sum up, what you really need to know is that for the same focus distance and aperture, long focal lengths (telephoto lenses) produce shallower depth of field than short focal lengths (wide angle lenses).

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Sometimes, you'll want to maximize depth of field in order to keep everything sharp. A classic example is when you're photographing the Milky Way, where you typically want to capture detail from the foreground to the horizon while capturing stars as big bright spots. Commonly, you'll use deep depth of field when photographing landscapes (daytime and at night), seascapes, cityscapes and architecture.