Depth of field · APS-C

600 mm f/4 depth of field on APS-C

Exactly how much is sharp with a 600 mm lens at f/4 on an APS-C camera, from 1.32 m to 100 m.

4.5 km
Hyperfocal distance
2.3 km
Sharp from (focused at hyperfocal)
920 mm f/6.1
Full-frame equivalent
3°
Diagonal angle of view

Depth of field by subject distance#

600 mm at f/4 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
1.50 m (4.92 ft)1.50 m1.50 m0.1 cm50% / 50%425.53%
2.00 m (6.56 ft)2.00 m2.00 m0.1 cm50% / 50%273.56%
3.00 m (9.84 ft)3.00 m3.00 m0.3 cm50% / 50%159.57%
4.00 m (13.1 ft)4.00 m4.00 m0.6 cm50% / 50%112.64%
5.00 m (16.4 ft)5.00 m5.00 m1.0 cm50% / 50%87.04%
7.00 m (23.0 ft)6.99 m7.01 m2.0 cm50% / 50%59.84%
10.0 m (32.8 ft)9.98 m10.0 m4.2 cm50% / 50%40.74%
15.0 m (49.2 ft)15.0 m15.0 m9.6 cm50% / 50%26.60%
20.0 m (65.6 ft)19.9 m20.1 m17.2 cm50% / 50%19.74%
30.0 m (98.4 ft)29.8 m30.2 m39.2 cm50% / 50%13.03%
50.0 m (164 ft)49.5 m50.6 m1.10 m49% / 51%7.75%
100 m (328 ft)97.8 m102 m4.42 m49% / 51%3.85%

Try other settings#

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

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

ApertureTotal DoFHyperfocal
f/40.3 cm4.5 km
f/5.60.4 cm3.2 km
f/80.6 cm2.3 km
f/110.9 cm1.6 km

Other focal lengths at f/4#

Focal lengthSubject atTotal DoF
14 mm3.00 m∞
16 mm3.00 m42.9 m
20 mm3.00 m5.55 m
24 mm3.00 m2.99 m
28 mm3.00 m2.00 m
35 mm3.00 m1.21 m
40 mm3.00 m90.8 cm
50 mm3.00 m57.1 cm
85 mm3.00 m19.4 cm
105 mm3.00 m12.6 cm
135 mm3.00 m7.5 cm
200 mm10.0 m39.2 cm
300 mm10.0 m17.2 cm
400 mm10.0 m9.6 cm
600 mm10.0 m4.2 cm

Same lens settings on other formats#

When to use it#

At f/4, a 600 mm lens on APS-C is a natural choice for general photography. Focused at 3 m you get 0.3 cm of sharp zone; for maximum front-to-back sharpness focus at 4.5 km and everything from 2.3 km to infinity will be acceptably sharp.

See also the f/4 aperture guide.

Frequently asked questions#

What is the depth of field of a 600mm lens at f/4?

On APS-C, focused at 3 m, it is 0.3 cm; at 1 m it is not applicable (inside minimum focus).

What is the hyperfocal distance for 600mm f/4?

4.5 km (14766 ft) on APS-C. Everything from 2.3 km to infinity is acceptably sharp.

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