953 m
Hyperfocal distance
476 m
Sharp from (focused at hyperfocal)
400 mm f/5.6
Full-frame equivalent
6°
Diagonal angle of view
Depth of field by subject distance#
400 mm at f/5.6 on full frame (36×24 mm), circle of confusion 30 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) | 99.9 cm | 1.00 m | 0.1 cm | 50% / 50% | 132.28% |
| 1.50 m (4.92 ft) | 1.50 m | 1.50 m | 0.3 cm | 50% / 50% | 72.15% |
| 2.00 m (6.56 ft) | 2.00 m | 2.00 m | 0.7 cm | 50% / 50% | 49.60% |
| 3.00 m (9.84 ft) | 2.99 m | 3.01 m | 1.6 cm | 50% / 50% | 30.53% |
| 4.00 m (13.1 ft) | 3.98 m | 4.02 m | 3.0 cm | 50% / 50% | 22.05% |
| 5.00 m (16.4 ft) | 4.98 m | 5.02 m | 4.8 cm | 50% / 50% | 17.25% |
| 7.00 m (23.0 ft) | 6.95 m | 7.05 m | 9.7 cm | 50% / 50% | 12.03% |
| 10.0 m (32.8 ft) | 9.90 m | 10.1 m | 20.2 cm | 49% / 51% | 8.27% |
| 15.0 m (49.2 ft) | 14.8 m | 15.2 m | 46.0 cm | 49% / 51% | 5.44% |
| 20.0 m (65.6 ft) | 19.6 m | 20.4 m | 82.4 cm | 49% / 51% | 4.05% |
| 30.0 m (98.4 ft) | 29.1 m | 31.0 m | 1.87 m | 48% / 52% | 2.68% |
| 50.0 m (164 ft) | 47.5 m | 52.7 m | 5.22 m | 47% / 53% | 1.60% |
| 100 m (328 ft) | 90.5 m | 112 m | 21.1 m | 45% / 55% | 0.80% |
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#
Same lens settings on other formats#
When to use it#
At f/5.6, a 400 mm lens on full frame is a natural choice for general photography. Focused at 3 m you get 1.6 cm of sharp zone; for maximum front-to-back sharpness focus at 953 m and everything from 476 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 full frame, focused at 3 m, it is 1.6 cm; at 1 m it is 0.1 cm.
What is the hyperfocal distance for 400mm f/5.6?
953 m (3126 ft) on full frame. Everything from 476 m to infinity is acceptably sharp.
Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources