135mm f/2 depth of field
On a full-frame camera, a 135 mm lens at f/2 focused at 4 m (13.1 ft) is sharp from 3.95 m to 4.05 m (10 cm deep). Hyperfocal distance: 304 m (997 ft).
Advanced
Leave empty to use the standard value for the sensor. Halve it for pixel-level sharpness.
With a 135 mm lens at f/2 on full frame focused at 4.00 m, everything from 3.95 m to 4.05 m is acceptably sharp: 10 cm of depth of field.
- In front of subject
- 5.0 cm (49%)
- Behind subject
- 5.2 cm (51%)
- Hyperfocal distance
- 304 m
- Circle of confusion
- 0.030 mm
Compression and creamy backgrounds
A 135 mm f/2 is loved for head-to-waist portraits from a distance: it compresses perspective and blurs backgrounds even more than an 85 mm.
At 4 m about 10 cm is in focus; at 10 m, enough for a full-length figure.
135mm f/2 depth of field table (full frame)
| Focus distance | Near limit | Far limit | Depth of field |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.00 m6.56 ft | 1.99 m6.52 ft | 2.01 m6.60 ft | 2.5 cm0.97 in |
| 3.00 m9.84 ft | 2.97 m9.75 ft | 3.03 m9.94 ft | 5.7 cm2.2 in |
| 4.00 m13.1 ft | 3.95 m13.0 ft | 4.05 m13.3 ft | 10 cm4.0 in |
| 5.00 m16.4 ft | 4.92 m16.1 ft | 5.08 m16.7 ft | 16 cm6.3 in |
| 7.50 m24.6 ft | 7.32 m24.0 ft | 7.69 m25.2 ft | 36 cm1.19 ft |
| 10.0 m32.8 ft | 9.69 m31.8 ft | 10.3 m33.9 ft | 65 cm2.13 ft |
| 20.0 m65.6 ft | 18.8 m61.6 ft | 21.4 m70.2 ft | 2.63 m8.62 ft |
The same lens on other sensors (focused at 4 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 | 135 mm | 3.95 m | 4.05 m | 10 cm |
| APS-C (1.5×) | 207 mm | 3.97 m | 4.03 m | 6.8 cm |
| Canon APS-C (1.6×) | 217 mm | 3.97 m | 4.03 m | 6.4 cm |
| Micro Four Thirds | 270 mm | 3.97 m | 4.03 m | 5.1 cm |
| 1-inch | 369 mm | 3.98 m | 4.02 m | 3.7 cm |
| Medium format (44×33) | 107 mm | 3.94 m | 4.07 m | 13 cm |
Hyperfocal distance at other apertures
| Aperture | Full frame | APS-C (1.5×) | Micro Four Thirds |
|---|---|---|---|
| f/2 | 304 m | 456 m | 608 m |
| f/2.8 | 217 m | 326 m | 434 m |
| f/4 | 152 m | 228 m | 304 m |
| f/5.6 | 109 m | 163 m | 217 m |
| f/8 | 76.1 m | 114 m | 152 m |
| f/11 | 55.4 m | 83.0 m | 111 m |
| f/16 | 38.1 m | 57.1 m | 76.1 m |
FAQ
How much depth of field does a 135mm f/2 lens have?
On full frame, focused at 4 m, the sharp zone runs from 3.95 m to 4.05 m (10 cm deep). At 3 m it is 5.7 cm. Depth of field grows roughly with the square of the distance.
What is the hyperfocal distance of a 135mm lens at f/2?
304 m (997 ft) on full frame (c = 0.030 mm) and 456 m (1,495 ft) on APS-C. Focus there and everything from half that distance to infinity is acceptably sharp.
Is depth of field different with 135mm f/2 on an APS-C camera?
With the same lens at the same distance, APS-C gives slightly less depth of field (6.8 cm at 4 m) because of its smaller circle of confusion — but it frames like a 207 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
- 105 mm f/2.8Macro lens at portrait distance
- 200 mm f/2.8Sports, events and wildlife
Learn how aperture, distance and focal length interact in depth of field explained.