Minimum Focus Distance
The closest a subject can be to the sensor plane and still be brought into focus.
Measured in
m
In depth
The figure is measured from the sensor plane, marked on the camera body with a circle-and-line symbol, not from the front of the lens — which is why a long lens with a 1.5 m minimum may have only 40 cm of clearance in front of the glass. It sets the maximum magnification a lens can achieve.
Examples in practice
A 24-70 mm zoom with a 0.38 m minimum focus distance can fill the frame with a dinner plate at its long end.