Depth of field · Micro Four Thirds

40 mm f/16 depth of field on Micro Four Thirds

Exactly how much is sharp with a 40 mm lens at f/16 on a Micro Four Thirds camera, from 30.0 cm to 100 m.

6.71 m
Hyperfocal distance
3.35 m
Sharp from (focused at hyperfocal)
80 mm f/32.0
Full-frame equivalent
30°
Diagonal angle of view

Depth of field by subject distance#

40 mm at f/16 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)28.9 cm31.2 cm2.3 cm48% / 52%2.22%
50.0 cm (1.64 ft)46.8 cm53.7 cm6.9 cm47% / 53%1.26%
75.0 cm (2.46 ft)67.8 cm83.9 cm16.2 cm45% / 55%0.81%
1.00 m (3.28 ft)87.4 cm1.17 m29.4 cm43% / 57%0.60%
1.50 m (4.92 ft)1.23 m1.92 m69.0 cm39% / 61%0.40%
2.00 m (6.56 ft)1.55 m2.83 m1.29 m35% / 65%0.29%
3.00 m (9.84 ft)2.08 m5.40 m3.32 m28% / 72%0.20%
4.00 m (13.1 ft)2.51 m9.85 m7.34 m20% / 80%0.15%
5.00 m (16.4 ft)2.87 m19.5 m16.7 m13% / 87%0.12%
7.00 m (23.0 ft)3.42 m∞∞—0.08%
10.0 m (32.8 ft)4.01 m∞∞—0.06%
15.0 m (49.2 ft)4.62 m∞∞—0.04%
20.0 m (65.6 ft)5.01 m∞∞—0.03%
30.0 m (98.4 ft)5.46 m∞∞—0.02%
50.0 m (164 ft)5.89 m∞∞—0.01%
100 m (328 ft)6.25 m∞∞—0.01%

Try other settings#

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

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

ApertureTotal DoFHyperfocal
f/1.220.0 cm88.9 m
f/1.423.3 cm76.2 m
f/1.830.0 cm59.3 m
f/233.4 cm53.4 m
f/2.846.9 cm38.1 m
f/467.4 cm26.7 m
f/5.695.5 cm19.1 m
f/81.40 m13.4 m
f/112.02 m9.74 m
f/163.32 m6.71 m

Other focal lengths at f/16#

Focal lengthSubject atTotal DoF
14 mm3.00 m∞
16 mm3.00 m∞
20 mm3.00 m∞
24 mm3.00 m∞
28 mm3.00 m31.7 m
35 mm3.00 m5.26 m
40 mm3.00 m3.32 m
50 mm3.00 m1.85 m
85 mm3.00 m58.6 cm
105 mm3.00 m38.0 cm
135 mm3.00 m22.7 cm
200 mm10.0 m1.18 m

Same lens settings on other formats#

When to use it#

At f/16, a 40 mm lens on Micro Four Thirds is a natural choice for landscapes and architecture where front-to-back sharpness matters. Focused at 3 m you get 3.32 m of sharp zone; for maximum front-to-back sharpness focus at 6.71 m and everything from 3.35 m to infinity will be acceptably sharp.

See also the f/16 aperture guide.

Frequently asked questions#

What is the depth of field of a 40mm lens at f/16?

On Micro Four Thirds, focused at 3 m, it is 3.32 m; at 1 m it is 29.4 cm.

What is the hyperfocal distance for 40mm f/16?

6.71 m (22.0 ft) on Micro Four Thirds. Everything from 3.35 m to infinity is acceptably sharp.

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