Hyperfocal distance

Master this basic tip and you will always use it

Hyperfocal distance is a lens setting technique that allows you to shoot sharp pictures within a certain distance range without having to refocus. It is tremendously handy.

With this method of shooting, which employs the principle of depth of field, you can pre-set your camera to function without need of focusing each time you take a picture, and still be assured of sharpness. In effect, the camera will function like a fixed-focus box camera, but with you in control of what's in focus and what is not.

1. Start with a light meter reading. Determine the aperture and shutter combination necessary for the light falling on your subject.
2. Line up the resulting ƒ-stop number with the infinity index on your lens’ depth of field scale. Any subject at infinity will now be in focus.
3. To determine the nearest point of focus, look on the opposite side of your lens’ depth of field scale for the distance index number that is lined up opposite the selected ƒ-stop number.

As long as you remain as far away from your subject as the nearest point of focus, your shots will produce sharply-focused pictures without your having to refocus on anything at all, even if objects do not look like they are in focus through the viewfinder.

IT'S SIMPLE, AND IT WORKS.

Here is an example using a Nikkor 50mm ƒ1.4 lens. Pick up your own lens and follow along.

1. Looking at the lens barrel, you see three different scales. One is the distance index which moves when you change focus, and shows distances in feet and meters. This particular lens - the Nikkor 50mm - focuses from 1.5 feet to infinity. The second scale is the aperture index, and shows (on this lens) differently-colored aperture settings from ƒ/1.4 to ƒ/16. The third is located between the other two, and is fixed. It cannot be moved. This is the depth of field scale and, on the Nikkor 50mm, it contains colored lines engraved into the metal. On some lenses there will be actual numbers that are the same as your ƒ/stop numbers, except they are identical on the left and right sides of the lens. The colored lines on the Nikkor 50mm lens are the same color as the aperture setting numbers.

2. Let's assume we have a meter reading of 1/125 sec at ƒ/16, to which we set our camera. This means turning the aperture setting ring so that ƒ/16 is in the center, opposite the engraved line that marks the center.

3. Now, while looking at the lens barrel, turn its focusing ring until the infinity index mark is lined up directly opposite the ƒ/16 index on the depth of field scale.

4. Because your lens is set to ƒ/16, you know that anything at infinity will be in focus, even though the lens is not focused at infinity.

This part is important for you to grasp. If you look at the lens, it is actually focused at 15 feet. But that doesn’t matter; it doesn't mean only subjects at 15 feet will be in sharp focus, thanks to your depth of field setting. There is sufficient depth of field that subjects at infinity will be in sharp focus anyway.

This is the crux of understanding depth of field and hyperfocal distance. You must have faith in your lens settings, and accept that the depth of field principle works, because it does.

5. Now, without changing anything, look at the other side of the depth of field scale, where you will see another ƒ/16 index mark. Check the distance index on the focusing ring. See which number is directly lined up with the ƒ/16 mark on the depth of field scale. The Nikkor 50mm has a spot between 10 feet and 7 feet opposite the ƒ/16 mark. It looks to be about 8.5 feet, which means that everything from 8.5 feet to infinity will be in sharp focus as long as you don’t change anything.

This really works. Your camera can now be used to shoot sharp images at distances anywhere from 8.5 feet to infinity, even if they don't look sharp through the viewfinder.

We could stop here. If you have carefully followed everything above, you would now know all you need to know to shoot sharp pictures within a distance range of 8.5 feet and beyond without having to refocus.

TRY A NEW FOCUS SETTING

6. But let’s go a step further, and try the same thing with a new focus setting. Turn the focusing ring so that it is centered on 5 feet, and look at the depth of field scale. The distance settings that line up with ƒ/16 on either side of the lens barrel show the range that will now be in sharp focus. In the case of the Nikkor 50mm, everything from 4 feet to 7 feet will now be in focus.

7. Now, for the giant leap. Suppose you want shoot a subject at 5 feet, but do not want the background to be sharply focused. Turn the focus ring so that the 5 feet focus index is lined up with the aperture setting, in this case, ƒ/16. Notice what has happened. The depth of field scale shows that everything from 3.25 feet to 5 feet will in focus, and focus drops off beyond 5 feet, so you know your background will be out of focus, but everything in the foreground that is 3.25 feet to 5 feet away will be in focus.

8. Let’s try getting some background in focus and placing the foreground out of focus.

9. Turn your focusing ring so that the 5 feet index mark is opposite the other ƒ/16 mark on the depth of field scale. Now, check your distance index. You will see that everything from 5 feet to 11 feet will be in focus, and everything else will be out of focus.

PRACTICE THIS SIMPLE TECHNIQUE AND YOU WILL MASTER IT

The best way to really become familiar with hyperfocal distance is to put it into practice. Go out and try different settings, shoot some pictures and prove to yourself that it works. Once you master this technique, you will use it over and over with confidence.

If your camera is equipped with a Depth of Field Preview button or switch, you can use it to experiment with hyperfocal distance and visually learn how the principle works. Click here to give it a try.