Estimating the Hyperfocal Distance for Those who actually Use it.

[Chataignier]

My method is to have in my camera bag a single A4 sheet printout of a graph with six traces f2.8, f4, f5.6, f8, f11 and f16 against x axis hyperfocal distance from 2 to 500m and Y axis focal lengths from 20 to 100mm.

For wide angle lenses there is masses of latitude so I extrapolate. When using lenses over 100mm focal length I'm usually trying to limit depth of field not maximise it so my one piece of paper covers all I need.

(I also have the app on a smart phone but have never used it in the field.)

[xpatUSA]

As a large format printer; A2 / 17" x 22" and pixel peepers getting their noses right up close, I have little margin of error.

Durn those pixel-peepers!!

If one needs to account for them, I would recommend a CoC of one pixel-pitch ...

[dem]

I have a fixed focal length camera where it's pretty simple to do the Rule in one's head. Focal Length is 24.2mm, say 24mm. So at f/8 the aperture diameter is 24/8 = 3mm. Ergo, for someone with average vision, the Sh for 24mm and f/8 would be 3 x 1.5 = 4.5m = 15ft.

The Rule: Hyperfocal distance = focal length divided by the f-number divided by the DOF fraction.

Remember, this a quick estimate without the need for tables or formulae or apps, so don't expect super accuracy but, for me, it's "good enough for Government Work" ...

Sorry Ted, but the 1.5*d rule works only for a 24mm lens on a 1.7 crop sensor

It should be "focal length squared", which means that hyperfocal distance for a 20mm lens at f/2.0 is 5 times shorter than that for a 100mm lens at f/10 despite aperture diameter being 10mm in both cases.

[xpatUSA]

Sorry Ted, but the 1.5*d rule works only for a 24mm lens on a 1.7 crop sensor

It should be "focal length squared", which means that hyperfocal distance for a 20mm lens at f/2.0 is 5 times shorter than that for a 100mm lens at f/10 despite aperture diameter being 10mm in both cases.

Yep, you're dead right. What was I thinking, duh.

[bralk]

Even easier method - pull out smart phone and shoot photo = everything is sharp

[Manfred M]

Even easier method - pull out smart phone and shoot photo = everything is sharp

That won't work for me as I am a large format print maker. An image out of a smart phone does not make the cut.

[xpatUSA]

Even easier method - pull out smart phone and shoot photo = everything is sharp

LOL.

Works well for me as I don't print.