Key numbers
- Mount / system: Sony E (Full Frame)
- Sensor: Full Frame, 36 × 24mm
- Focal length: 50mm
- Aperture: f/1.8 to f/22
- DoF at 3 m, 50mm, f/1.8: 2.83–3.20 m (≈ 37 cm deep)
- Hyperfocal distance (50mm, f/8): 10.9 m
Depth of field table
Distances are measured from the sensor plane. Each cell shows the near and far limit of acceptable sharpness in metres (∞ = to infinity). Circle of confusion = sensor diagonal / 1500.
| Aperture | Hyperfocal | 1 m | 2 m | 3 m | 5 m | 10 m |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| f/1.8 | 48.2 m | 0.98–1.02 | 1.92–2.08 | 2.83–3.20 | 4.53–5.57 | 8.29–12.6 |
| f/2 | 43.4 m | 0.98–1.02 | 1.91–2.09 | 2.81–3.22 | 4.49–5.64 | 8.13–13.0 |
| f/2.8 | 31.0 m | 0.97–1.03 | 1.88–2.13 | 2.74–3.32 | 4.31–5.95 | 7.57–14.7 |
| f/4 | 21.7 m | 0.96–1.05 | 1.84–2.20 | 2.64–3.47 | 4.07–6.48 | 6.86–18.5 |
| f/5.6 | 15.5 m | 0.94–1.07 | 1.78–2.29 | 2.52–3.70 | 3.79–7.34 | 6.09–27.8 |
| f/8 | 10.9 m | 0.92–1.10 | 1.70–2.44 | 2.36–4.12 | 3.44–9.17 | 5.22–117 |
| f/11 | 7.93 m | 0.89–1.14 | 1.61–2.65 | 2.19–4.78 | 3.08–13.3 | 4.43–∞ |
| f/16 | 5.47 m | 0.85–1.21 | 1.47–3.11 | 1.95–6.52 | 2.62–52.9 | 3.55–∞ |
| f/22 | 3.99 m | 0.81–1.31 | 1.34–3.91 | 1.72–11.5 | 2.23–∞ | 2.86–∞ |
FAQ
What is the depth of field of the Sony FE 50mm F1.8 at f/1.8 and 3 m?
At 50mm, f/1.8 and focus at 3 m, acceptable sharpness runs from 2.83 to 3.20 m — about 37 cm in total.
What is the hyperfocal distance of the Sony FE 50mm F1.8?
At 50mm and f/8 on a Full Frame sensor the hyperfocal distance is about 10.9 m. Focus there and everything from 5.44 m to infinity is sharp.
How do I get more background blur with the Sony FE 50mm F1.8?
Open the aperture to f/1.8, move closer to your subject and increase the distance between subject and background. You can check the result in the calculator above.