1-inch depth of field & hyperfocal charts
The 1-inch type sensor (13.2 × 8.8 mm) is used in premium compacts such as the Sony RX100 and Canon G7 X and in many drones, with a crop factor of about 2.7×. It uses a 0.011 mm circle of confusion for depth of field.
Advanced
Leave empty to use the standard value for the sensor. Halve it for pixel-level sharpness.
With a 18 mm lens at f/2.8 on 1-inch focused at 3.00 m, everything from 2.34 m to 4.19 m is acceptably sharp: 1.85 m of depth of field.
- In front of subject
- 66 cm (36%)
- Behind subject
- 1.19 m (64%)
- Hyperfocal distance
- 10.5 m
- Circle of confusion
- 0.011 mm
About the 1-Inch format
Despite the name, a 1-inch sensor is not an inch across — the name comes from old video tube sizes. Its 8.8–25.7 mm zoom on an RX100 covers the same view as 24–70 mm on full frame. Depth of field is deep: focused at 3 m with the wide end at f/2.8, almost everything from about 1.4 m to infinity is sharp.
The circle of confusion is 0.011 mm. Hyperfocal distances are short, which makes zone focusing for street photography and drone landscapes simple: focus once and shoot.
Specifications
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Sensor size | 13.2 × 8.8 mm |
| Diagonal | 15.9 mm |
| Crop factor | 2.73× |
| Circle of confusion | 0.011 mm |
| Area vs full frame | 13% |
| Typical cameras | Sony RX100, Canon G7 X, DJI Air 2S, Panasonic ZS200 |
Hyperfocal distance chart
Focus at the distance shown and everything from half of it to infinity is acceptably sharp (c = 0.011 mm).
| Focal length | f/1.8 | f/2.8 | f/4 | f/5.6 | f/8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.8 mm | 3.92 m12.9 ft | 2.52 m8.28 ft | 1.77 m5.80 ft | 1.27 m4.15 ft | 89 cm2.92 ft |
| 10 mm | 5.06 m16.6 ft | 3.26 m10.7 ft | 2.28 m7.49 ft | 1.63 m5.36 ft | 1.15 m3.76 ft |
| 12 mm | 7.28 m23.9 ft | 4.69 m15.4 ft | 3.28 m10.8 ft | 2.35 m7.71 ft | 1.65 m5.41 ft |
| 15 mm | 11.4 m37.3 ft | 7.32 m24.0 ft | 5.13 m16.8 ft | 3.67 m12.0 ft | 2.57 m8.44 ft |
| 18 mm | 16.4 m53.7 ft | 10.5 m34.6 ft | 7.38 m24.2 ft | 5.28 m17.3 ft | 3.70 m12.1 ft |
| 25 mm | 31.6 m104 ft | 20.3 m66.7 ft | 14.2 m46.7 ft | 10.2 m33.4 ft | 7.13 m23.4 ft |
Equivalent focal length and aperture
Multiply by 2.73 to compare with full frame. The aperture equivalent describes depth of field and total light; exposure settings do not change.
| Lens on this sensor | Full-frame focal length | f/1.8 looks like | f/2.8 looks like |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8.8 mm | 24 mm | f/4.9 | f/7.6 |
| 10 mm | 27 mm | f/4.9 | f/7.6 |
| 12 mm | 33 mm | f/4.9 | f/7.6 |
| 15 mm | 41 mm | f/4.9 | f/7.6 |
| 18 mm | 49 mm | f/4.9 | f/7.6 |
| 25 mm | 68 mm | f/4.9 | f/7.6 |
Night sky: 500 rule and NPF rule
Longest exposure before stars trail at f/1.8 with 20 MP (pixel pitch 2.41 µm). Calculate for your own camera with the 500 rule & NPF calculator.
| Focal length | 500 rule | 300 rule | NPF rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8.8 mm | 21 s | 12 s | 15 s |
| 10 mm | 18 s | 11 s | 14 s |
| 12 mm | 15 s | 9.2 s | 11 s |
| 15 mm | 12 s | 7.3 s | 9 s |
| 18 mm | 10 s | 6.1 s | 7.5 s |
| 25 mm | 7.3 s | 4.4 s | 5.4 s |
FAQ
What is the crop factor of a 1-Inch sensor?
2.73×. The 13.2 × 8.8 mm sensor has a 15.9 mm diagonal, compared with 43.3 mm for full frame, so a 18 mm lens frames like 49 mm on full frame.
What circle of confusion should I use for 1-Inch?
0.011 mm, the sensor diagonal divided by 1443 — the same convention as lens depth of field scales and DOFMaster. Use about half (0.005 mm) if you view images at 100% or print very large.
What is the hyperfocal distance of a 10 mm lens on 1-Inch?
1.63 m (5.36 ft) at f/5.6. Focus there and everything from half that distance to infinity is acceptably sharp.
How long can I expose the night sky on 1-Inch?
With a 10 mm lens at f/1.8 and 20 MP (pixel pitch 2.4 µm), about 14 s by the NPF rule, or 18 s by the 500 rule.
Cameras with this sensor size
Exact crop factors and lens equivalents from each camera’s published sensor size: