How much depth of field is there in a close-up portrait at f/1.8?

Often just a few centimetres at typical headshot distances — narrow enough that focus needs to land precisely on the eye, not the general face area.

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Depth of Field Calculator for Portrait Photography

At close portrait distances and wide apertures, depth of field can shrink to only a few centimetres — enough that an eye can be tack-sharp while the nose or ear already reads soft.

Depth of Field Calculator for Portrait Photography

Open the Depth of Field Calculator

Recommended settings

Tight headshot at 85mm, f/1.8, ~1.5m: expect only a few centimetres of sharp depth — focus precisely on the near eye.
Environmental portrait including more of the body: f/4-f/5.6 gives a more forgiving margin while still separating the subject from the background.

Tips for this niche

At very close focus distances, check the near/far limits before committing to f/1.4 or wider — the sharp zone can be thinner than expected.
For a two-person portrait facing the camera at different distances, run the numbers to confirm both faces fall inside the sharp zone.

Got your Portrait settings dialed in?

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Want the full lesson?

This topic is covered in depth in Lesson 7: Portrait & People Photography.

Example scenario

A tight headshot at 85mm and f/1.8, focused at 1.2m, shows the calculator returning under 3cm of total depth — a reminder to focus precisely on the near eye rather than the tip of the nose, where the far eye would otherwise fall just outside the sharp zone.

Common mistakes

Shooting wide open without checking the actual sharp zone. at close range, f/1.4 can leave less than 5cm of depth — enough for one eye to be sharp and the other already soft.
Assuming the same aperture works at every distance. depth of field grows quickly as you back away from a subject — an aperture that isolates a close headshot can look nearly deep-focus from further back.

FAQ

How much depth of field is there in a close-up portrait at f/1.8?: Often just a few centimetres at typical headshot distances — narrow enough that focus needs to land precisely on the eye, not the general face area.

Guides for this tool, by niche

Depth of Field Calculator for Wedding Photography Depth of Field Calculator for Landscape Photography Depth of Field Calculator for Street Photography Depth of Field Calculator for Wildlife Photography Depth of Field Calculator for Food Photography Depth of Field Calculator for Fashion Photography Depth of Field Calculator for Architecture Photography

Troubleshooting

Why Is My Background Not Blurry Enough?Why Is Part of My Group Photo Out of Focus?