Diffraction Limit Calculator
Stopping down a lens increases depth of field, but past a certain aperture the light bends around the shrinking hole and spreads out, softening fine detail across the whole frame. This is diffraction, and it sets a practical limit on how far you should close the aperture. This calculator estimates the diffraction limited aperture for your camera from the sensor size and its megapixel count, which together give the pixel pitch. When the blur disc from diffraction grows larger than a pixel, you start losing sharpness at full resolution. Enter your sensor and resolution, and it returns the aperture where diffraction becomes visible and a recommended sharpest working aperture to stay under. Smaller sensors and denser pixel counts hit this limit sooner, which is why phone cameras use fixed wide apertures. Use it to pick the crispest f-stop for a shot. All the math runs in your browser with nothing sent to a server.
How to use Diffraction Limit Calculator
- Select your sensor size or enter pixel size.
- Enter the sensor resolution if prompted.
- Read the aperture where diffraction begins to soften images.
- Keep your working aperture wider than that value for peak sharpness.
Frequently asked questions
What causes the diffraction limit?
At very small apertures light bends around the aperture edge and spreads into an Airy disk. When that disk grows larger than a pixel, images start to soften. The tool finds that aperture.
How does pixel size affect it?
Smaller, denser pixels reach the diffraction limit at wider apertures, so a high resolution sensor softens sooner than a lower resolution one of the same size.
Should I always avoid the limit?
Not necessarily; you may accept slight diffraction softening to gain depth of field. The tool just tells you where softening begins so you decide knowingly.
What is Diffraction Limit Calculator?
Stopping down a lens increases depth of field, but past a certain aperture the light bends around the shrinking hole and spreads out, softening fine detail across the whole frame. This is diffraction, and it sets a practical limit on how far you should close the aperture.
Is Diffraction Limit Calculator free to use?
Yes. Diffraction Limit Calculator is completely free, with no sign-up and no usage limits.
Does Diffraction Limit Calculator work in a web browser?
Yes. Diffraction Limit Calculator runs in any modern web browser. There is nothing to download or install.
Is my data private with Diffraction Limit Calculator?
Yes. Diffraction Limit Calculator runs entirely on your device in your browser, so nothing you enter is uploaded to a server.
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