Depth of field: ARRI Alexa 35
The ARRI Alexa 35 uses a Super 35 4.6K sensor at 27.99 × 19.22 mm — which fixes the circle of confusion at 0.028 mm, and from that every depth-of-field number on this page. Example: 50 mm at T2.8 focused at 2 m gives 0.25 m of usable depth (1.88 m to 2.13 m). The calculator above is preset to the ARRI Alexa 35. Because depth of field depends on sensor geometry alone, every number on this page applies unchanged to the ARRI Alexa Mini.
Depth of Field Calculator
- Near limit
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- Far limit
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- Total depth
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- Hyperfocal
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- FoV / frame width
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Circle of confusion per camera derives from sensor width (d/1000 convention). Camera list: nominal manufacturer specs.
Hyperfocal distance on the ARRI Alexa 35
Focused at the hyperfocal distance, sharpness runs from half that distance to infinity — the one number that matters for landscapes, establishers and any shot without a focus puller.
| Focal length | T1.4 | T2 | T2.8 | T4 | T5.6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 mm | 8.3 | 5.8 | 4.2 | 2.9 | 2.1 |
| 25 mm | 16.0 | 11.2 | 8.0 | 5.6 | 4.0 |
| 35 mm | 31.3 | 21.9 | 15.7 | 11.0 | 7.8 |
| 50 mm | 63.8 | 44.7 | 31.9 | 22.4 | 16.0 |
| 85 mm | 184.4 | 129.1 | 92.2 | 64.6 | 46.2 |
Depth of field at interview distance (2 m)
The interview question in numbers: how much room does the subject have in front of the ARRI Alexa 35 before drifting out of focus?
| Focal length | T1.4 | T2 | T2.8 | T4 | T5.6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 mm | 0.25 m | 0.36 m | 0.51 m | 0.74 m | 1.07 m |
| 50 mm | 0.12 m | 0.18 m | 0.25 m | 0.35 m | 0.50 m |
| 85 mm | 0.04 m | 0.06 m | 0.08 m | 0.12 m | 0.17 m |
Working with it on set
Recording at 4608 × 3164, large-screen 4K delivery judges focus more harshly than the table: for critical work, halve the circle of confusion mentally — the 0.25 m at 50 mm/T2.8/2 m becomes half that. The table follows the classical cinema convention.
In pre-production the number belongs in the shot list: a shot planned at T1.4 on 85 mm needs a focus puller and time — both of which belong in the schedule before they are missing on set.
Frequently asked
What circle of confusion does the ARRI Alexa 35 use?
0.028 mm — following the usual sensor-width ÷ 1000 convention (27.99 mm ÷ 1000, rounded). Every table on this page uses it.
Do the numbers hold for any lens?
Yes — depth of field depends on focal length, stop, distance and sensor, not the lens model. What differs between lenses is bokeh (how the blur looks), not where it starts.