Photo Exposure & Depth of Field Studio
See how aperture, focal length, distance, shutter speed, ISO and sensor size change sharpness, background blur and brightness — with a depth of field calculator, hyperfocal distance, ND filter math and a printable shot card. Everything runs in your browser.
- Free
- No sign-up
- Runs on your device
- Nothing uploaded
Plain language, fewer numbers.
Your shot at a glance
Sharp zone
Calculated1.92 m – 2.09 m
Roughly 1.92 m to 2.09 m will look sharp.
Background blur
GuidelineModerate blur
Background is softened but still readable.
Exposure
GuidelineUnderexposed
Likely too dark for the reference scene.
35 mm equivalent
Calculated50 mm
Same view as a 50 mm lens on full frame.
Hand-held
GuidelineFast enough for hand-holding (guideline).
Guideline slowest shutter: about 1/50
Hyperfocal distance
Calculated46.35 m
Focus at about 46.35 m and everything from 23.17 m to infinity stays sharp.
“Calculated” values come from standard optics and exposure formulas. “Guideline” values are rules of thumb, not guarantees.
Quick start
Pick a situation, then fine-tune. Every result updates instantly.
Starting points
Distance map
Sharp zone: 1.92 m – 2.09 mThe background is outside the sharp zone and will look softer.
Distances are compressed so near objects stay readable — not to linear scale.
Subject motion guide Guideline
General shutter-speed guidelines. Tap one to apply it.
Saved presets
No presets yet. Save the current settings to reuse them later.
What this tool does
Photo Exposure & Depth of Field Studio is a browser-only calculator and learning tool for photographers. Enter your sensor size, focal length, aperture, focus distance, shutter speed and ISO, and it instantly shows the near and far limits of acceptable sharpness, the hyperfocal distance, field of view, exposure balance, crop factor and a background-blur tendency.
Values are labelled “Calculated” when they come from standard optics and exposure formulas, and “Guideline” when they are rules of thumb such as the circle of confusion, hand-holding limits and diffraction notes. Beginner mode uses plain language; Advanced mode adds CoC, EV, magnification and the formulas behind every number.
What is depth of field?
Depth of field (DoF) is the zone in front of and behind your focus point that still looks acceptably sharp. It gets shallower with a wider aperture (smaller F-number), a longer focal length, a closer subject and a larger sensor.
The calculator uses the standard thin-lens formulas with a circle of confusion matched to the sensor, then shows the near limit, far limit and total depth. A distance map displays Camera → Near → Subject → Far → Background so you can see at a glance whether your background falls inside the sharp zone.
Hyperfocal distance for landscapes
The hyperfocal distance is the closest focus distance at which everything from half that distance to infinity is acceptably sharp. Focusing there maximises front-to-back sharpness for landscapes, architecture and street photography.
Type your focal length and aperture, and the tool gives the hyperfocal distance, the near limit and a one-tap button to set your focus distance. Remember it depends on the circle of confusion you choose, so treat it as a practical guide rather than a guarantee at 100% zoom.
The exposure triangle: aperture, shutter speed and ISO
Aperture, shutter speed and ISO together decide how bright a photo is. Each step in the triangle is a stop — double or half the light. The studio steps in standard 1/3-stop values and can keep brightness constant by compensating with another setting.
You also get exposure value (EV), a comparison against a reference scene brightness, and a stop calculator that tells you how many stops brighter or darker a new combination is. Wider apertures blur backgrounds more, slower shutters blur motion, and higher ISO adds noise.
Full frame vs APS-C and the crop factor
A smaller sensor sees a narrower slice of the same lens. The crop factor (about 1.5× for APS-C, 2× for Micro Four Thirds) converts a focal length to its full-frame equivalent, so a 35 mm lens on APS-C frames like roughly 52 mm.
Sensor size also changes the standard circle of confusion and therefore the depth of field. Compare full frame, APS-C, Micro Four Thirds and 1-inch sensors side by side, or use the equivalence tab to match framing and depth of field between two cameras. Noise and low-light performance still depend on the sensor technology.
ND filters and slow shutter speeds
A neutral density (ND) filter reduces light evenly so you can use a slower shutter in bright conditions for silky water, light trails or wide-open portraits in sun. Each stop of ND halves the light: ND8 is 3 stops, ND64 is 6 stops, ND1000 is about 10 stops.
Enter the shutter speed you have and the one you want to get the stops required and the nearest filter, or apply a filter you own to see the resulting shutter. Exposures longer than 30 seconds are flagged so you can plan for Bulb mode or a remote timer.
Portrait, macro, field of view and more
Dedicated sections cover portrait background blur, macro magnification and thin depth of field, field of view and the distance needed to frame a subject, lens comparison with minimum focus distance, subject-motion shutter guidelines, and an illustrative blur simulator.
Save presets on your device, share a link that contains only your numeric settings, and print or download a shot card to keep with your gear.
Privacy: zero upload, localStorage only
All calculations run in your browser. Settings and presets stay on your device in localStorage, and share links carry numbers in the URL fragment (#) that is never sent to a server. Solasu does not receive your photos, settings or location.
FAQ
Is the depth of field calculator free?
Yes. It is free to use in your browser with no sign-up required.
Are my settings or photos uploaded to a server?
No. All calculations and storage run locally in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, and the tool never asks for photos.
How accurate is the depth of field result?
The near and far limits are calculated with the standard formulas, but they depend on the circle of confusion, which is a convention. Real-world sharpness also depends on viewing size, lens quality and focus accuracy, so treat the zone as a practical estimate.
What is hyperfocal distance and how do I use it?
It is the focus distance that makes everything from half that distance to infinity acceptably sharp. Set the focus distance to the hyperfocal value (the tool has a button for it) and check that the near limit covers your foreground.
Does crop factor change depth of field?
Yes. A smaller sensor uses a smaller circle of confusion and needs a shorter focal length for the same framing. For the same framing and F-number, smaller sensors give more depth of field. The Sensor and Equivalence tabs show this directly.
How many stops of ND filter do I need?
Enter your current shutter speed and the speed you want. The tool computes stops = log2(desired ÷ current) and names the nearest filter, such as ND8 (3 stops) or ND1000 (about 10 stops).
What is the difference between Calculated and Guideline?
Calculated values come straight from formulas. Guideline values — the circle of confusion, hand-holding shutter limits, diffraction notes and subject-motion speeds — are rules of thumb that vary by person and gear.
Can I save settings or share them with someone?
Yes. Presets are saved in your browser, and the share button creates a link containing only numeric settings. You can also print a shot card or download it as text or an SVG distance map.