Depth of field · APS-C

16 mm f/2.8 depth of field on APS-C

Exactly how much is sharp with a 16 mm lens at f/2.8 on an APS-C camera, from 30.0 cm to 100 m.

4.59 m
Hyperfocal distance
2.29 m
Sharp from (focused at hyperfocal)
25 mm f/4.3
Full-frame equivalent
83°
Diagonal angle of view

Depth of field by subject distance#

16 mm at f/2.8 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 distanceNear limitFar limitTotal DoFFront / behindBackground blur
30.0 cm (0.98 ft)28.2 cm32.0 cm3.7 cm47% / 53%1.37%
50.0 cm (1.64 ft)45.2 cm55.9 cm10.7 cm45% / 55%0.80%
75.0 cm (2.46 ft)64.6 cm89.3 cm24.7 cm42% / 58%0.53%
1.00 m (3.28 ft)82.3 cm1.27 m45.1 cm39% / 61%0.40%
1.50 m (4.92 ft)1.13 m2.22 m1.09 m34% / 66%0.26%
2.00 m (6.56 ft)1.39 m3.53 m2.14 m28% / 72%0.20%
3.00 m (9.84 ft)1.82 m8.64 m6.82 m17% / 83%0.13%
4.00 m (13.1 ft)2.14 m31.1 m29.0 m6% / 94%0.10%
5.00 m (16.4 ft)2.39 m∞∞—0.08%
7.00 m (23.0 ft)2.77 m∞∞—0.06%
10.0 m (32.8 ft)3.14 m∞∞—0.04%
15.0 m (49.2 ft)3.51 m∞∞—0.03%
20.0 m (65.6 ft)3.72 m∞∞—0.02%
30.0 m (98.4 ft)3.97 m∞∞—0.01%
50.0 m (164 ft)4.19 m∞∞—0.01%
100 m (328 ft)4.37 m∞∞—0.00%

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/1.42.19 m9.16 m
f/1.83.06 m7.13 m
f/23.57 m6.42 m
f/2.86.82 m4.59 m
f/442.9 m3.22 m
f/5.6∞2.30 m
f/8∞1.62 m
f/11∞1.18 m
f/16∞81.6 cm

Other focal lengths at f/2.8#

Focal lengthSubject atTotal DoF
14 mm3.00 m18.8 m
16 mm3.00 m6.82 m
20 mm3.00 m3.03 m
24 mm3.00 m1.89 m
28 mm3.00 m1.33 m
35 mm3.00 m82.8 cm
40 mm3.00 m62.8 cm
50 mm3.00 m39.8 cm
85 mm3.00 m13.6 cm
105 mm3.00 m8.8 cm
135 mm3.00 m5.3 cm
200 mm10.0 m27.4 cm
300 mm10.0 m12.1 cm
400 mm10.0 m6.7 cm

Same lens settings on other formats#

When to use it#

At f/2.8, a 16 mm lens on APS-C is a natural choice for environmental portraits, street and low light. Focused at 3 m you get 6.82 m of sharp zone; for maximum front-to-back sharpness focus at 4.59 m and everything from 2.29 m to infinity will be acceptably sharp.

See also the f/2.8 aperture guide.

Frequently asked questions#

What is the depth of field of a 16mm lens at f/2.8?

On APS-C, focused at 3 m, it is 6.82 m; at 1 m it is 45.1 cm.

What is the hyperfocal distance for 16mm f/2.8?

4.59 m (15.1 ft) on APS-C. Everything from 2.29 m to infinity is acceptably sharp.

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