Depth of field · Micro Four Thirds

20 mm f/2.8 depth of field on Micro Four Thirds

Exactly how much is sharp with a 20 mm lens at f/2.8 on a Micro Four Thirds camera, from 30.0 cm to 100 m.

9.54 m
Hyperfocal distance
4.77 m
Sharp from (focused at hyperfocal)
40 mm f/5.6
Full-frame equivalent
57°
Diagonal angle of view

Depth of field by subject distance#

20 mm at f/2.8 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%2.95%
50.0 cm (1.64 ft)47.6 cm52.7 cm5.1 cm47% / 53%1.72%
75.0 cm (2.46 ft)69.7 cm81.2 cm11.6 cm46% / 54%1.13%
1.00 m (3.28 ft)90.7 cm1.11 m20.8 cm45% / 55%0.84%
1.50 m (4.92 ft)1.30 m1.78 m47.8 cm42% / 58%0.56%
2.00 m (6.56 ft)1.66 m2.52 m86.9 cm40% / 60%0.42%
3.00 m (9.84 ft)2.29 m4.37 m2.08 m34% / 66%0.28%
4.00 m (13.1 ft)2.82 m6.87 m4.05 m29% / 71%0.21%
5.00 m (16.4 ft)3.28 m10.5 m7.20 m24% / 76%0.17%
7.00 m (23.0 ft)4.04 m26.2 m22.2 m13% / 87%0.12%
10.0 m (32.8 ft)4.88 m∞∞—0.08%
15.0 m (49.2 ft)5.83 m∞∞—0.06%
20.0 m (65.6 ft)6.46 m∞∞—0.04%
30.0 m (98.4 ft)7.23 m∞∞—0.03%
50.0 m (164 ft)8.00 m∞∞—0.02%
100 m (328 ft)8.70 m∞∞—0.01%

Try other settings#

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

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

ApertureTotal DoFHyperfocal
f/1.496.2 cm19.1 m
f/1.81.26 m14.8 m
f/21.41 m13.4 m
f/2.82.08 m9.54 m
f/43.35 m6.69 m
f/5.66.17 m4.78 m
f/826.7 m3.35 m
f/11∞2.44 m
f/16∞1.69 m

Other focal lengths at f/2.8#

Focal lengthSubject atTotal DoF
14 mm3.00 m6.50 m
16 mm3.00 m3.86 m
20 mm3.00 m2.08 m
24 mm3.00 m1.37 m
28 mm3.00 m98.0 cm
35 mm3.00 m61.6 cm
40 mm3.00 m46.9 cm
50 mm3.00 m29.8 cm
85 mm3.00 m10.2 cm
105 mm3.00 m6.6 cm
135 mm3.00 m4.0 cm
200 mm10.0 m20.6 cm
300 mm10.0 m9.1 cm
400 mm10.0 m5.0 cm

Same lens settings on other formats#

When to use it#

At f/2.8, a 20 mm lens on Micro Four Thirds is a natural choice for environmental portraits, street and low light. Focused at 3 m you get 2.08 m of sharp zone; for maximum front-to-back sharpness focus at 9.54 m and everything from 4.77 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 20mm lens at f/2.8?

On Micro Four Thirds, focused at 3 m, it is 2.08 m; at 1 m it is 20.8 cm.

What is the hyperfocal distance for 20mm f/2.8?

9.54 m (31.3 ft) on Micro Four Thirds. Everything from 4.77 m to infinity is acceptably sharp.

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