Depth of field · APS-C

50 mm f/11 depth of field on APS-C

Exactly how much is sharp with a 50 mm lens at f/11 on an APS-C camera, from 30.0 cm to 100 m.

11.4 m
Hyperfocal distance
5.71 m
Sharp from (focused at hyperfocal)
77 mm f/16.9
Full-frame equivalent
32°
Diagonal angle of view

Depth of field by subject distance#

50 mm at f/11 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 distanceNear limitFar limitTotal DoFFront / behindBackground blur
30.0 cm (0.98 ft)29.4 cm30.7 cm1.3 cm49% / 51%3.87%
50.0 cm (1.64 ft)48.1 cm52.1 cm4.0 cm48% / 52%2.15%
75.0 cm (2.46 ft)70.6 cm79.9 cm9.3 cm47% / 53%1.38%
1.00 m (3.28 ft)92.3 cm1.09 m16.8 cm46% / 54%1.02%
1.50 m (4.92 ft)1.33 m1.72 m38.9 cm44% / 56%0.67%
2.00 m (6.56 ft)1.71 m2.41 m70.7 cm41% / 59%0.50%
3.00 m (9.84 ft)2.38 m4.05 m1.67 m37% / 63%0.33%
4.00 m (13.1 ft)2.97 m6.13 m3.16 m33% / 67%0.24%
5.00 m (16.4 ft)3.48 m8.86 m5.38 m28% / 72%0.20%
7.00 m (23.0 ft)4.34 m18.0 m13.7 m19% / 81%0.14%
10.0 m (32.8 ft)5.33 m80.4 m75.1 m6% / 94%0.10%
15.0 m (49.2 ft)6.48 m∞∞—0.06%
20.0 m (65.6 ft)7.26 m∞∞—0.05%
30.0 m (98.4 ft)8.25 m∞∞—0.03%
50.0 m (164 ft)9.27 m∞∞—0.02%
100 m (328 ft)10.2 m∞∞—0.01%

Try other settings#

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

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

ApertureTotal DoFHyperfocal
f/1.217.0 cm104 m
f/1.419.8 cm89.3 m
f/1.825.5 cm69.5 m
f/228.4 cm62.5 m
f/2.839.8 cm44.7 m
f/457.1 cm31.3 m
f/5.680.7 cm22.4 m
f/81.17 m15.7 m
f/111.67 m11.4 m
f/162.64 m7.86 m

Other focal lengths at f/11#

Focal lengthSubject atTotal DoF
14 mm3.00 m∞
16 mm3.00 m∞
20 mm3.00 m∞
24 mm3.00 m∞
28 mm3.00 m16.4 m
35 mm3.00 m4.46 m
40 mm3.00 m2.93 m
50 mm3.00 m1.67 m
85 mm3.00 m53.7 cm
105 mm3.00 m34.8 cm
135 mm3.00 m20.8 cm
200 mm10.0 m1.08 m
300 mm10.0 m47.4 cm
400 mm10.0 m26.4 cm
600 mm10.0 m11.5 cm

Same lens settings on other formats#

When to use it#

At f/11, a 50 mm lens on APS-C is a natural choice for landscapes and architecture where front-to-back sharpness matters. Focused at 3 m you get 1.67 m of sharp zone; for maximum front-to-back sharpness focus at 11.4 m and everything from 5.71 m to infinity will be acceptably sharp.

See also the f/11 aperture guide.

Frequently asked questions#

What is the depth of field of a 50mm lens at f/11?

On APS-C, focused at 3 m, it is 1.67 m; at 1 m it is 16.8 cm.

What is the hyperfocal distance for 50mm f/11?

11.4 m (37.4 ft) on APS-C. Everything from 5.71 m to infinity is acceptably sharp.

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