Depth of field by subject distance#
40 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30.0 cm (0.98 ft) | 29.2 cm | 30.8 cm | 1.6 cm | 49% / 51% | 3.05% |
| 50.0 cm (1.64 ft) | 47.7 cm | 52.5 cm | 4.8 cm | 48% / 52% | 1.73% |
| 75.0 cm (2.46 ft) | 69.8 cm | 81.0 cm | 11.2 cm | 46% / 54% | 1.12% |
| 1.00 m (3.28 ft) | 90.8 cm | 1.11 m | 20.4 cm | 45% / 55% | 0.83% |
| 1.50 m (4.92 ft) | 1.30 m | 1.77 m | 47.1 cm | 42% / 58% | 0.54% |
| 2.00 m (6.56 ft) | 1.66 m | 2.52 m | 86.0 cm | 40% / 60% | 0.40% |
| 3.00 m (9.84 ft) | 2.29 m | 4.35 m | 2.06 m | 34% / 66% | 0.27% |
| 4.00 m (13.1 ft) | 2.83 m | 6.85 m | 4.02 m | 29% / 71% | 0.20% |
| 5.00 m (16.4 ft) | 3.29 m | 10.4 m | 7.15 m | 24% / 76% | 0.16% |
| 7.00 m (23.0 ft) | 4.04 m | 26.0 m | 22.0 m | 13% / 87% | 0.11% |
| 10.0 m (32.8 ft) | 4.89 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.08% |
| 15.0 m (49.2 ft) | 5.83 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.05% |
| 20.0 m (65.6 ft) | 6.46 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.04% |
| 30.0 m (98.4 ft) | 7.24 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.03% |
| 50.0 m (164 ft) | 8.01 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.02% |
| 100 m (328 ft) | 8.70 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.01% |
Try other settings#
40 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 40 mm lens on full frame is a natural choice for general photography. Focused at 3 m you get 2.06 m of sharp zone; for maximum front-to-back sharpness focus at 9.56 m and everything from 4.78 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 40mm lens at f/5.6?
On full frame, focused at 3 m, it is 2.06 m; at 1 m it is 20.4 cm.
What is the hyperfocal distance for 40mm f/5.6?
9.56 m (31.4 ft) on full frame. Everything from 4.78 m to infinity is acceptably sharp.
Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources