16mm f/8 depth of field
On a full-frame camera, a 16 mm lens at f/8 focused at 1 m (3.28 ft) is sharp from 52 cm to 12.9 m (12.4 m deep). Hyperfocal distance: 1.08 m (3.55 ft).
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Leave empty to use the standard value for the sensor. Halve it for pixel-level sharpness.
With a 16 mm lens at f/8 on full frame focused at 1.00 m, everything from 52 cm to 12.9 m is acceptably sharp: 12.4 m of depth of field.
- In front of subject
- 48 cm (4%)
- Behind subject
- 11.9 m (96%)
- Hyperfocal distance
- 1.08 m
- Circle of confusion
- 0.030 mm
Landscapes with a strong foreground
Sixteen millimetres at f/8 is a landscape workhorse: the hyperfocal distance is barely over a metre, so a rock or flower 60 cm from the lens can be sharp along with the mountains behind it.
Stopping down further to f/11 or f/16 adds little but diffraction; get closer depth instead by focusing slightly nearer and checking the horizon at 100%.
16mm f/8 depth of field table (full frame)
| Focus distance | Near limit | Far limit | Depth of field |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 cm11.8 in | 24 cm9.3 in | 41 cm1.34 ft | 17 cm6.8 in |
| 50 cm1.64 ft | 34 cm1.13 ft | 92 cm3.00 ft | 57 cm1.87 ft |
| 75 cm2.46 ft | 44 cm1.46 ft | 2.40 m7.89 ft | 1.96 m6.43 ft |
| 1.00 m3.28 ft | 52 cm1.71 ft | 12.9 m42.3 ft | 12.4 m40.6 ft |
| 1.50 m4.92 ft | 63 cm2.06 ft | ∞ | ∞ |
| 2.00 m6.56 ft | 70 cm2.29 ft | ∞ | ∞ |
The same lens on other sensors (focused at 1 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 | 16 mm | 52 cm | 12.9 m | 12.4 m |
| APS-C (1.5×) | 24 mm | 62 cm | 2.60 m | 1.98 m |
| Canon APS-C (1.6×) | 26 mm | 63 cm | 2.41 m | 1.77 m |
| Micro Four Thirds | 32 mm | 68 cm | 1.86 m | 1.17 m |
| 1-inch | 44 mm | 75 cm | 1.51 m | 76 cm |
| Medium format (44×33) | 13 mm | 46 cm | ∞ | ∞ |
Hyperfocal distance at other apertures
| Aperture | Full frame | APS-C (1.5×) | Micro Four Thirds |
|---|---|---|---|
| f/8 | 1.08 m | 1.62 m | 2.15 m |
| f/11 | 79 cm | 1.18 m | 1.57 m |
| f/16 | 55 cm | 82 cm | 1.08 m |
FAQ
How much depth of field does a 16mm f/8 lens have?
On full frame, focused at 1 m, the sharp zone runs from 52 cm to 12.9 m (12.4 m deep). At 0.5 m it is 57 cm. Depth of field grows roughly with the square of the distance.
What is the hyperfocal distance of a 16mm lens at f/8?
1.08 m (3.55 ft) on full frame (c = 0.030 mm) and 1.62 m (5.30 ft) on APS-C. Focus there and everything from half that distance to infinity is acceptably sharp.
Is depth of field different with 16mm f/8 on an APS-C camera?
With the same lens at the same distance, APS-C gives slightly less depth of field (1.98 m at 1 m) because of its smaller circle of confusion — but it frames like a 24 mm lens. To match the full-frame framing you would step back, which increases depth of field.
Related lenses
- 14 mm f/2.8Ultra-wide astro and architecture
- 20 mm f/1.8Fast wide prime for night skies
- 24 mm f/1.4Astro and environmental portraits
- 24 mm f/8Travel and landscape
Learn how aperture, distance and focal length interact in depth of field explained.