Depth of field by subject distance#
85 mm at f/8 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) | 29.9 cm | 30.1 cm | 0.2 cm | 50% / 50% | 24.28% |
| 50.0 cm (1.64 ft) | 49.7 cm | 50.3 cm | 0.7 cm | 50% / 50% | 12.58% |
| 75.0 cm (2.46 ft) | 74.2 cm | 75.8 cm | 1.7 cm | 49% / 51% | 7.85% |
| 1.00 m (3.28 ft) | 98.5 cm | 1.02 m | 3.0 cm | 49% / 51% | 5.71% |
| 1.50 m (4.92 ft) | 1.47 m | 1.54 m | 7.1 cm | 49% / 51% | 3.69% |
| 2.00 m (6.56 ft) | 1.94 m | 2.07 m | 12.7 cm | 48% / 52% | 2.73% |
| 3.00 m (9.84 ft) | 2.86 m | 3.15 m | 29.1 cm | 48% / 52% | 1.79% |
| 4.00 m (13.1 ft) | 3.76 m | 4.28 m | 52.2 cm | 47% / 53% | 1.33% |
| 5.00 m (16.4 ft) | 4.62 m | 5.44 m | 82.2 cm | 46% / 54% | 1.06% |
| 7.00 m (23.0 ft) | 6.28 m | 7.91 m | 1.63 m | 44% / 56% | 0.75% |
| 10.0 m (32.8 ft) | 8.59 m | 12.0 m | 3.39 m | 42% / 58% | 0.53% |
| 15.0 m (49.2 ft) | 12.0 m | 19.9 m | 7.92 m | 38% / 62% | 0.35% |
| 20.0 m (65.6 ft) | 15.0 m | 29.9 m | 14.9 m | 33% / 67% | 0.26% |
| 30.0 m (98.4 ft) | 20.0 m | 59.6 m | 39.6 m | 25% / 75% | 0.17% |
| 50.0 m (164 ft) | 27.3 m | 292 m | 265 m | 9% / 91% | 0.10% |
| 100 m (328 ft) | 37.6 m | ∞ | ∞ | — | 0.05% |
Try other settings#
85 mm at other apertures (subject at 3 m)#
Other focal lengths at f/8#
| Focal length | Subject at | Total DoF |
|---|---|---|
| 14 mm | 3.00 m | ∞ |
| 16 mm | 3.00 m | ∞ |
| 20 mm | 3.00 m | 26.7 m |
| 24 mm | 3.00 m | 6.04 m |
| 28 mm | 3.00 m | 3.44 m |
| 35 mm | 3.00 m | 1.90 m |
| 40 mm | 3.00 m | 1.40 m |
| 50 mm | 3.00 m | 86.7 cm |
| 85 mm | 3.00 m | 29.1 cm |
| 105 mm | 3.00 m | 18.9 cm |
| 135 mm | 3.00 m | 11.3 cm |
| 200 mm | 10.0 m | 58.9 cm |
| 300 mm | 10.0 m | 25.9 cm |
| 400 mm | 10.0 m | 14.4 cm |
| 600 mm | 10.0 m | 6.3 cm |
Same lens settings on other formats#
When to use it#
At f/8, a 85 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 29.1 cm of sharp zone; for maximum front-to-back sharpness focus at 60.3 m and everything from 30.1 m to infinity will be acceptably sharp.
See also the f/8 aperture guide.
Frequently asked questions#
What is the depth of field of a 85mm lens at f/8?
On Micro Four Thirds, focused at 3 m, it is 29.1 cm; at 1 m it is 3.0 cm.
What is the hyperfocal distance for 85mm f/8?
60.3 m (198 ft) on Micro Four Thirds. Everything from 30.1 m to infinity is acceptably sharp.
Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources