About CameraDOF

What this tool does

CameraDOF is a free depth-of-field calculator for photographers. Plug in a focal length, aperture, focus distance, sensor format, and circle-of-confusion choice and it returns the near focus limit, the far focus limit, the total depth of field, and the hyperfocal distance — the field-planning numbers you actually use behind the camera. No signups, no paywalls, no data collection.

How the math is verified

The calculator uses the standard thin-lens depth-of-field formulas with the conventional sensor-format circle-of-confusion values from Conrad and similar published photography references (including dofmaster and Greenleaf's Photographic Optics). Worked examples are computed and cross-checked against those references and against field tests with real lenses. Reader feedback catches problems faster than I do — if a result doesn't match what you measure, please email me.

A note on appropriate use

The math assumes a thin-lens model and ignores diffraction, lens aberrations, and viewing-distance effects. That's fine for field planning, hyperfocal setups, and aperture decisions on location, but for critical work — large prints, technical macro, scientific imaging — there's no substitute for hands-on testing with the lens you actually own.

About the author

Hi, I'm Jimmy Raymond. I built CameraDOF as part of a wider library of engineering and photography tools I've maintained since the early 2000s. I hold a B.S. in Environmental Engineering and a B.S. in Computer Science from New Mexico Tech and the University of New Mexico, and my professional work has spanned safety-critical aerospace, real-time embedded software, and full-stack web development.

That background shapes how this calculator is built: the formula has to be correct, the assumptions stated, the units honest, and the limits of the tool clear. I'm based in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Contact

Email me at aj@ajdesigner.com for corrections, feature requests, or general feedback. You can also find me on LinkedIn.

— Jimmy