Macro depth of field
In close-up work depth of field depends on magnification, not distance, and it gets tiny fast. Enter your magnification and aperture to see how much is actually sharp.
Remember the aperture also gets effectively smaller up close, costing exposure — check the bellows or macro compensation tool. Stopping down helps depth but diffraction eventually softens the frame.
About this tool
Up close, depth of field depends on magnification rather than distance, and it shrinks to almost nothing. Enter your magnification and aperture to see the total depth of field and the effective aperture for macro film work.
How to use it
- Enter the magnification, where 1 is life size.
- Enter the aperture you plan to use.
- Choose your film format.
- Read the total depth of field and the effective aperture.
FAQ
Why is my macro depth of field so shallow?
Depth of field falls off steeply with magnification, so at life size only a fraction of a millimetre may be sharp.
What is the effective aperture?
Extending the lens for close focus dims the image, so f/8 at 1:1 behaves like about f/16 for exposure.