105mm f/2.8 depth of field
On a full-frame camera, a 105 mm lens at f/2.8 focused at 1.5 m (4.92 ft) is sharp from 1.48 m to 1.52 m (3.2 cm deep). Hyperfocal distance: 131 m (431 ft).
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Leave empty to use the standard value for the sensor. Halve it for pixel-level sharpness.
With a 105 mm lens at f/2.8 on full frame focused at 1.50 m, everything from 1.48 m to 1.52 m is acceptably sharp: 3.2 cm of depth of field.
- In front of subject
- 1.6 cm (49%)
- Behind subject
- 1.6 cm (51%)
- Hyperfocal distance
- 131 m
- Circle of confusion
- 0.030 mm
Macro lens at portrait distance
A 105 mm f/2.8 macro doubles as a sharp short-telephoto portrait lens. At 1.5 m the sharp zone is about 3 cm.
At true macro distances (life-size, 1:1) depth of field shrinks to fractions of a millimetre and the standard formulas stop being accurate — that is when focus stacking takes over.
105mm f/2.8 depth of field table (full frame)
| Focus distance | Near limit | Far limit | Depth of field |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 cm1.64 ft | 50 cm1.64 ft | 50 cm1.65 ft | 3.0 mm0.12 in |
| 1.00 m3.28 ft | 99 cm3.26 ft | 1.01 m3.30 ft | 1.4 cm0.54 in |
| 1.50 m4.92 ft | 1.48 m4.87 ft | 1.52 m4.97 ft | 3.2 cm1.3 in |
| 2.00 m6.56 ft | 1.97 m6.47 ft | 2.03 m6.66 ft | 5.8 cm2.3 in |
| 3.00 m9.84 ft | 2.94 m9.63 ft | 3.07 m10.1 ft | 13 cm5.2 in |
| 5.00 m16.4 ft | 4.82 m15.8 ft | 5.19 m17.0 ft | 37 cm1.23 ft |
The same lens on other sensors (focused at 1.5 m)
Same lens, same distance — smaller sensors frame tighter and use a smaller circle of confusion.
| Sensor | Frames like | Near limit | Far limit | Depth of field |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full frame | 105 mm | 1.48 m | 1.52 m | 3.2 cm |
| APS-C (1.5×) | 161 mm | 1.49 m | 1.51 m | 2.1 cm |
| Canon APS-C (1.6×) | 169 mm | 1.49 m | 1.51 m | 2.0 cm |
| Micro Four Thirds | 210 mm | 1.49 m | 1.51 m | 1.6 cm |
| 1-inch | 287 mm | 1.49 m | 1.51 m | 1.2 cm |
| Medium format (44×33) | 83 mm | 1.48 m | 1.52 m | 4.0 cm |
Hyperfocal distance at other apertures
| Aperture | Full frame | APS-C (1.5×) | Micro Four Thirds |
|---|---|---|---|
| f/2.8 | 131 m | 197 m | 263 m |
| f/4 | 92.0 m | 138 m | 184 m |
| f/5.6 | 65.7 m | 98.5 m | 131 m |
| f/8 | 46.0 m | 69.0 m | 92.0 m |
| f/11 | 33.5 m | 50.2 m | 66.9 m |
| f/16 | 23.1 m | 34.6 m | 46.0 m |
FAQ
How much depth of field does a 105mm f/2.8 lens have?
On full frame, focused at 1.5 m, the sharp zone runs from 1.48 m to 1.52 m (3.2 cm deep). At 1 m it is 1.4 cm. Depth of field grows roughly with the square of the distance.
What is the hyperfocal distance of a 105mm lens at f/2.8?
131 m (431 ft) on full frame (c = 0.030 mm) and 197 m (646 ft) on APS-C. Focus there and everything from half that distance to infinity is acceptably sharp.
Is depth of field different with 105mm f/2.8 on an APS-C camera?
With the same lens at the same distance, APS-C gives slightly less depth of field (2.1 cm at 1.5 m) because of its smaller circle of confusion — but it frames like a 161 mm lens. To match the full-frame framing you would step back, which increases depth of field.
Related lenses
- 85 mm f/1.4Portraits with a melted background
- 85 mm f/1.8Affordable portrait prime
- 135 mm f/2Compression and creamy backgrounds
Learn how aperture, distance and focal length interact in depth of field explained.