Depth of field by subject distance#
50 mm at f/5.6 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 distance | Near limit | Far limit | Total DoF | Front / behind | Background blur |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30.0 cm (0.98 ft) | 29.8 cm | 30.3 cm | 0.5 cm | 50% / 50% | 10.32% |
| 50.0 cm (1.64 ft) | 49.3 cm | 50.8 cm | 1.5 cm | 49% / 51% | 5.73% |
| 75.0 cm (2.46 ft) | 73.3 cm | 76.8 cm | 3.5 cm | 49% / 51% | 3.69% |
| 1.00 m (3.28 ft) | 96.9 cm | 1.03 m | 6.4 cm | 48% / 52% | 2.72% |
| 1.50 m (4.92 ft) | 1.43 m | 1.58 m | 14.7 cm | 48% / 52% | 1.78% |
| 2.00 m (6.56 ft) | 1.88 m | 2.14 m | 26.3 cm | 47% / 53% | 1.32% |
| 3.00 m (9.84 ft) | 2.73 m | 3.33 m | 60.1 cm | 45% / 55% | 0.87% |
| 4.00 m (13.1 ft) | 3.53 m | 4.61 m | 1.08 m | 43% / 57% | 0.65% |
| 5.00 m (16.4 ft) | 4.29 m | 6.00 m | 1.71 m | 42% / 58% | 0.52% |
| 7.00 m (23.0 ft) | 5.67 m | 9.13 m | 3.46 m | 38% / 62% | 0.37% |
| 10.0 m (32.8 ft) | 7.49 m | 15.0 m | 7.53 m | 33% / 67% | 0.26% |
| 15.0 m (49.2 ft) | 9.98 m | 30.1 m | 20.2 m | 25% / 75% | 0.17% |
| 20.0 m (65.6 ft) | 12.0 m | 60.7 m | 48.7 m | 16% / 84% | 0.13% |
| 30.0 m (98.4 ft) | 15.0 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.09% |
| 50.0 m (164 ft) | 18.7 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.05% |
| 100 m (328 ft) | 22.9 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.03% |
Try other settings#
50 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 | 142 m |
| 20 mm | 3.00 m | 6.17 m |
| 24 mm | 3.00 m | 3.21 m |
| 28 mm | 3.00 m | 2.13 m |
| 35 mm | 3.00 m | 1.27 m |
| 40 mm | 3.00 m | 95.5 cm |
| 50 mm | 3.00 m | 60.1 cm |
| 85 mm | 3.00 m | 20.4 cm |
| 105 mm | 3.00 m | 13.2 cm |
| 135 mm | 3.00 m | 7.9 cm |
| 200 mm | 10.0 m | 41.2 cm |
| 300 mm | 10.0 m | 18.1 cm |
| 400 mm | 10.0 m | 10.1 cm |
| 600 mm | 10.0 m | 4.4 cm |
Same lens settings on other formats#
When to use it#
At f/5.6, a 50 mm lens on Micro Four Thirds is a natural choice for general photography. Focused at 3 m you get 60.1 cm of sharp zone; for maximum front-to-back sharpness focus at 29.8 m and everything from 14.9 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 50mm lens at f/5.6?
On Micro Four Thirds, focused at 3 m, it is 60.1 cm; at 1 m it is 6.4 cm.
What is the hyperfocal distance for 50mm f/5.6?
29.8 m (97.8 ft) on Micro Four Thirds. Everything from 14.9 m to infinity is acceptably sharp.
Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources