THE NUMBERS, EXPLAINED
How to use this calculator.
Positions start at zero and finish at the exact depth endpoint. Usable increment is measured for your setup; no optical depth-of-field guarantee.
Start with your inputs
Enter depth range to cover (mm), measured usable focus increment (mm), desired increment overlap (%). Keep amounts in the units shown on each field. The example is a starting point, not a recommended value.
| Input | Example value |
|---|---|
| Depth range to cover (mm) | 10 |
| Measured usable focus increment (mm) | 2 |
| Desired increment overlap (%) | 50 |
A worked example
With the example inputs above, maximum position step (mm) is 1. Change the inputs to explore your own scenario.
| Result | Example answer |
|---|---|
| Maximum position step (mm) | 1 |
| Image count | 11 |
| Capture positions (mm) | 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 |
How this is calculated
Maximum position step (mm)
Reduce measured increment by overlap fraction.
Image count
Count enough intervals to cover depth and include both endpoints.
Capture positions (mm)
Step from zero using the overlap-adjusted increment and clamp the final position to depth.
Symbols and units
- a
- Depth range to cover (mm)
- b
- Measured usable focus increment (mm)
- c
- Desired increment overlap (%)
Use the units shown. A list keeps the order in which you enter its values. The symbol ^ means “raised to the power of”.
Assumptions and limits
Positions start at zero and finish at the exact depth endpoint. Usable increment is measured for your setup; no optical depth-of-field guarantee.
Calculations use the values you enter. Blank or invalid inputs show an error instead of silently substituting zero. Results are displayed to useful precision; calculations retain the underlying numeric precision.
Questions about this tool
What does the result tell me?
Maximum position step (mm); Image count; Capture positions (mm). The result applies to the method and inputs described above. Check the units and assumptions before using it in a decision.
Why might another calculator differ?
Differences in units, rounding, timing or model definitions can produce different answers. Compare the input definitions and the method, rather than only the final number. For this tool: Positions start at zero and finish at the exact depth endpoint. Usable increment is measured for your setup; no optical depth-of-field guarantee.
Are my inputs stored or sent to AI?
Calculations on this page happen in your browser. The separate AI question finder sends its submitted conversation to OpenAI; these calculator fields are not sent. Favourites and recent tool names are stored locally. A shared link contains the inputs you choose to include.
Further reading
OpenStax Prealgebra 2e — arithmetic and proportions ↗
Background reading; this does not imply endorsement or independent review of SumFizz.
Review status
Software example and browser checks are recorded in our quality report. No external expert review is claimed. Created with coding assistance; calculations run as ordinary browser code.
Read the quality report →