Depth of field · Micro Four Thirds

16 mm f/1.8 depth of field on Micro Four Thirds

Exactly how much is sharp with a 16 mm lens at f/1.8 on a Micro Four Thirds camera, from 30.0 cm to 100 m.

9.50 m
Hyperfocal distance
4.75 m
Sharp from (focused at hyperfocal)
32 mm f/3.6
Full-frame equivalent
68°
Diagonal angle of view

Depth of field by subject distance#

16 mm at f/1.8 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 distanceNear limitFar limitTotal DoFFront / behindBackground blur
30.0 cm (0.98 ft)29.1 cm30.9 cm1.8 cm49% / 51%2.89%
50.0 cm (1.64 ft)47.6 cm52.7 cm5.1 cm47% / 53%1.70%
75.0 cm (2.46 ft)69.6 cm81.3 cm11.7 cm46% / 54%1.12%
1.00 m (3.28 ft)90.6 cm1.12 m21.0 cm45% / 55%0.84%
1.50 m (4.92 ft)1.30 m1.78 m48.1 cm42% / 58%0.55%
2.00 m (6.56 ft)1.65 m2.53 m87.5 cm40% / 60%0.41%
3.00 m (9.84 ft)2.28 m4.38 m2.10 m34% / 66%0.28%
4.00 m (13.1 ft)2.82 m6.90 m4.08 m29% / 71%0.21%
5.00 m (16.4 ft)3.28 m10.5 m7.26 m24% / 76%0.16%
7.00 m (23.0 ft)4.03 m26.6 m22.5 m13% / 87%0.12%
10.0 m (32.8 ft)4.87 m∞∞—0.08%
15.0 m (49.2 ft)5.81 m∞∞—0.05%
20.0 m (65.6 ft)6.44 m∞∞—0.04%
30.0 m (98.4 ft)7.21 m∞∞—0.03%
50.0 m (164 ft)7.97 m∞∞—0.02%
100 m (328 ft)8.66 m∞∞—0.01%

Try other settings#

Near limit—
Far limit—
Depth of field—
Hyperfocal distance—
In front / behind—

16 mm at other apertures (subject at 3 m)#

ApertureTotal DoFHyperfocal
f/1.41.56 m12.2 m
f/1.82.10 m9.50 m
f/22.39 m8.55 m
f/2.83.86 m6.11 m
f/48.21 m4.28 m
f/5.6142 m3.06 m
f/8∞2.15 m
f/11∞1.57 m
f/16∞1.08 m

Other focal lengths at f/1.8#

Focal lengthSubject atTotal DoF
14 mm3.00 m2.97 m
16 mm3.00 m2.10 m
20 mm3.00 m1.26 m
24 mm3.00 m85.4 cm
28 mm3.00 m62.1 cm
35 mm3.00 m39.4 cm
40 mm3.00 m30.0 cm
50 mm3.00 m19.1 cm
85 mm3.00 m6.5 cm
105 mm3.00 m4.3 cm
135 mm3.00 m2.5 cm

Same lens settings on other formats#

When to use it#

At f/1.8, a 16 mm lens on Micro Four Thirds is a natural choice for environmental portraits, street and low light. Focused at 3 m you get 2.10 m of sharp zone; for maximum front-to-back sharpness focus at 9.50 m and everything from 4.75 m to infinity will be acceptably sharp.

See also the f/1.8 aperture guide.

Frequently asked questions#

What is the depth of field of a 16mm lens at f/1.8?

On Micro Four Thirds, focused at 3 m, it is 2.10 m; at 1 m it is 21.0 cm.

What is the hyperfocal distance for 16mm f/1.8?

9.50 m (31.2 ft) on Micro Four Thirds. Everything from 4.75 m to infinity is acceptably sharp.

Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources