The best depth of field calculators
Every DOF calculator does the same maths. What separates them is whether they know your sensor, whether they explain what the number means, and whether you can get to them in five seconds in the field.
Last reviewed 2026-07. We include tools that beat ours — if a competitor is the right answer, we say so. ShootSm.art is made by Future Vision Concepts.
What to look for
- Does it account for your sensor size? A DOF number is meaningless without the crop factor.
- Hyperfocal distance matters more than DOF for landscapes — check it's there.
- Circle of confusion assumptions vary between tools — treat the number as guidance, not gospel.
At a glance
| Tool | Best for | Platforms | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| ShootSm.artours | A DOF number in the context of your actual gear | Web · installable (PWA) | Free tier · Pro subscription |
| DOFMaster | A quick DOF number with zero fuss | Web | Free |
| Cambridge in Colour | Understanding the concept, not just the number | Web | Free |
| PhotoPills | Planning landscape, night and astro shoots | iOS · Android | One-time purchase |
ShootSm.artours
A free web depth-of-field calculator that knows your saved camera, alongside the rest of the settings toolkit.
Strengths
- Free, in the browser, no signup for the calculator
- Uses your saved camera's sensor/crop rather than a generic guess
- Sits next to the coach and cheat sheets, so you can act on the number
Limitations
- Web-first (installable) rather than a native app
- Less exhaustive than PhotoPills' calculator suite
DOFMaster
A long-running, no-frills web depth-of-field calculator.
Strengths
- Free, fast, no signup
- Been around long enough to be trusted
Limitations
- Dated interface
- You pick the camera from a list — no wider workflow around it
Cambridge in Colour
Free web calculators (DOF, diffraction, print size) alongside excellent tutorials.
Strengths
- The tutorials around the calculators are genuinely superb
- Free and ad-light
Limitations
- Not maintained as actively as it once was
- No personalization to your gear
PhotoPills
The deep planning app for sun, moon and Milky Way, with AR previews and a pile of calculators.
Strengths
- The most complete planner out there — sun/moon/Milky Way, AR night-sky, timelapse and DOF calculators in one app
- One-time price, no subscription
- Superb for scouting a spot before you drive out to it
Limitations
- Genuinely steep learning curve — it rewards study
- Mobile only, and it plans the shoot rather than telling you what to dial in
Common questions
What is the best free depth of field calculator?
For a fast number in the browser, ShootSm.art's and DOFMaster's are both free with no signup. If you want to understand the result rather than just read it, Cambridge in Colour pairs its free calculator with the best explanation on the web.
Do depth of field calculators account for crop sensors?
The good ones do, and it matters enormously — the same lens and aperture give visibly different depth of field on APS-C versus full-frame. Always check the tool is using your sensor size; if it just asks for focal length and aperture, be sceptical.
What is hyperfocal distance?
The focus distance that puts everything from roughly half that distance to infinity acceptably sharp — the single most useful number in landscape photography. Most DOF calculators give it alongside the near/far limits.