3.59 m
Hyperfocal distance
1.80 m
Sharp from (focused at hyperfocal)
31 mm f/8.6
Full-frame equivalent
70°
Diagonal angle of view
Depth of field by subject distance#
20 mm at f/5.6 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) | 27.8 cm | 32.6 cm | 4.7 cm | 46% / 54% | 1.09% |
| 50.0 cm (1.64 ft) | 44.1 cm | 57.8 cm | 13.7 cm | 43% / 57% | 0.63% |
| 75.0 cm (2.46 ft) | 62.3 cm | 94.3 cm | 32.0 cm | 40% / 60% | 0.42% |
| 1.00 m (3.28 ft) | 78.5 cm | 1.38 m | 59.3 cm | 36% / 64% | 0.31% |
| 1.50 m (4.92 ft) | 1.06 m | 2.56 m | 1.50 m | 29% / 71% | 0.21% |
| 2.00 m (6.56 ft) | 1.29 m | 4.49 m | 3.20 m | 22% / 78% | 0.15% |
| 3.00 m (9.84 ft) | 1.64 m | 18.1 m | 16.5 m | 8% / 92% | 0.10% |
| 4.00 m (13.1 ft) | 1.89 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.08% |
| 5.00 m (16.4 ft) | 2.09 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.06% |
| 7.00 m (23.0 ft) | 2.37 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.04% |
| 10.0 m (32.8 ft) | 2.64 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.03% |
| 15.0 m (49.2 ft) | 2.89 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.02% |
| 20.0 m (65.6 ft) | 3.03 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.02% |
| 30.0 m (98.4 ft) | 3.19 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.01% |
| 50.0 m (164 ft) | 3.33 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.01% |
| 100 m (328 ft) | 3.45 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.00% |
Try other settings#
Near limit—
Far limit—
Depth of field—
Hyperfocal distance—
In front / behind—
20 mm at other apertures (subject at 3 m)#
Other focal lengths at f/5.6#
| Focal length | Subject at | Total DoF |
|---|---|---|
| 14 mm | 3.00 m | ∞ |
| 16 mm | 3.00 m | ∞ |
| 20 mm | 3.00 m | 16.5 m |
| 24 mm | 3.00 m | 5.22 m |
| 28 mm | 3.00 m | 3.11 m |
| 35 mm | 3.00 m | 1.76 m |
| 40 mm | 3.00 m | 1.30 m |
| 50 mm | 3.00 m | 80.7 cm |
| 85 mm | 3.00 m | 27.2 cm |
| 105 mm | 3.00 m | 17.7 cm |
| 135 mm | 3.00 m | 10.6 cm |
| 200 mm | 10.0 m | 54.9 cm |
| 300 mm | 10.0 m | 24.1 cm |
| 400 mm | 10.0 m | 13.4 cm |
| 600 mm | 10.0 m | 5.8 cm |
Same lens settings on other formats#
When to use it#
At f/5.6, a 20 mm lens on APS-C is a natural choice for general photography. Focused at 3 m you get 16.5 m of sharp zone; for maximum front-to-back sharpness focus at 3.59 m and everything from 1.80 m to infinity will be acceptably sharp.
See also the f/5.6 aperture guide.
Frequently asked questions#
What is the depth of field of a 20mm lens at f/5.6?
On APS-C, focused at 3 m, it is 16.5 m; at 1 m it is 59.3 cm.
What is the hyperfocal distance for 20mm f/5.6?
3.59 m (11.8 ft) on APS-C. Everything from 1.80 m to infinity is acceptably sharp.
Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources