Depth of field by subject distance#
20 mm at f/11 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) | 26.0 cm | 35.5 cm | 9.5 cm | 42% / 58% | 0.55% |
| 50.0 cm (1.64 ft) | 39.6 cm | 67.9 cm | 28.4 cm | 37% / 63% | 0.32% |
| 75.0 cm (2.46 ft) | 53.5 cm | 1.25 m | 71.8 cm | 30% / 70% | 0.21% |
| 1.00 m (3.28 ft) | 65.0 cm | 2.17 m | 1.52 m | 23% / 77% | 0.16% |
| 1.50 m (4.92 ft) | 82.7 cm | 8.06 m | 7.24 m | 9% / 91% | 0.10% |
| 2.00 m (6.56 ft) | 95.7 cm | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.08% |
| 3.00 m (9.84 ft) | 1.14 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.05% |
| 4.00 m (13.1 ft) | 1.25 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.04% |
| 5.00 m (16.4 ft) | 1.34 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.03% |
| 7.00 m (23.0 ft) | 1.45 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.02% |
| 10.0 m (32.8 ft) | 1.54 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.02% |
| 15.0 m (49.2 ft) | 1.62 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.01% |
| 20.0 m (65.6 ft) | 1.67 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.01% |
| 30.0 m (98.4 ft) | 1.72 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.01% |
| 50.0 m (164 ft) | 1.76 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.00% |
| 100 m (328 ft) | 1.79 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.00% |
Try other settings#
20 mm at other apertures (subject at 3 m)#
Other focal lengths at f/11#
Same lens settings on other formats#
When to use it#
At f/11, a 20 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 everything to infinity; for maximum front-to-back sharpness focus at 1.84 m and everything from 91.9 cm to infinity will be acceptably sharp.
See also the f/11 aperture guide.
Frequently asked questions#
What is the depth of field of a 20mm lens at f/11?
On APS-C, focused at 3 m, it is infinite (beyond the hyperfocal distance); at 1 m it is 1.52 m.
What is the hyperfocal distance for 20mm f/11?
1.84 m (6.03 ft) on APS-C. Everything from 91.9 cm to infinity is acceptably sharp.
Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources