DOF Settings
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Understanding Depth of Field
Depth of field (DOF) is the range of distance in a photo that appears acceptably sharp. It's determined by aperture, focal length, subject distance, and sensor size.
Key Concepts
- Hyperfocal distance: The closest focus distance at which infinity is acceptably sharp. Focusing here maximizes DOF.
- Circle of confusion (CoC): The blur tolerance threshold — typically 0.02–0.03mm depending on sensor size.
- Wider aperture (lower f-number) = shallower DOF — great for portraits, less for landscapes.
- Longer focal length = shallower DOF at the same subject distance and aperture.
- Closer subject = shallower DOF — macro photography has an extremely thin focus plane.