1.4 km
Hyperfocal distance
714 m
Sharp from (focused at hyperfocal)
614 mm f/8.6
Full-frame equivalent
4°
Diagonal angle of view
Depth of field by subject distance#
400 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.00 m (3.28 ft) | 100.0 cm | 1.00 m | 0.1 cm | 50% / 50% | 202.63% |
| 1.50 m (4.92 ft) | 1.50 m | 1.50 m | 0.2 cm | 50% / 50% | 110.53% |
| 2.00 m (6.56 ft) | 2.00 m | 2.00 m | 0.4 cm | 50% / 50% | 75.99% |
| 3.00 m (9.84 ft) | 2.99 m | 3.01 m | 1.1 cm | 50% / 50% | 46.76% |
| 4.00 m (13.1 ft) | 3.99 m | 4.01 m | 2.0 cm | 50% / 50% | 33.77% |
| 5.00 m (16.4 ft) | 4.98 m | 5.02 m | 3.2 cm | 50% / 50% | 26.43% |
| 7.00 m (23.0 ft) | 6.97 m | 7.03 m | 6.5 cm | 50% / 50% | 18.42% |
| 10.0 m (32.8 ft) | 9.93 m | 10.1 m | 13.4 cm | 50% / 50% | 12.66% |
| 15.0 m (49.2 ft) | 14.8 m | 15.2 m | 30.7 cm | 49% / 51% | 8.33% |
| 20.0 m (65.6 ft) | 19.7 m | 20.3 m | 54.9 cm | 49% / 51% | 6.20% |
| 30.0 m (98.4 ft) | 29.4 m | 30.6 m | 1.24 m | 49% / 51% | 4.11% |
| 50.0 m (164 ft) | 48.3 m | 51.8 m | 3.48 m | 48% / 52% | 2.45% |
| 100 m (328 ft) | 93.5 m | 107 m | 14.0 m | 47% / 53% | 1.22% |
Try other settings#
Near limit—
Far limit—
Depth of field—
Hyperfocal distance—
In front / behind—
400 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 400 mm lens on APS-C is a natural choice for general photography. Focused at 3 m you get 1.1 cm of sharp zone; for maximum front-to-back sharpness focus at 1.4 km and everything from 714 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 400mm lens at f/5.6?
On APS-C, focused at 3 m, it is 1.1 cm; at 1 m it is 0.1 cm.
What is the hyperfocal distance for 400mm f/5.6?
1.4 km (4688 ft) on APS-C. Everything from 714 m to infinity is acceptably sharp.
Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources