Simplifying Hyperfocal Settings for the Kamlan 15mm f2.0 Lens Using an AI Agent

Less than 5 minutes read time.

The Agent Revolution: Why You Should Start Today

The title of this article might seem unrelated to what you’re about to read, but stick with me—I’ll tie it all together after a brief detour into my background.

I’m a former IT professional, and my first encounter with computers was back in the early 1990s. What started as a curiosity quickly became a passion. I wanted to know everything about them—how to use them, how they worked, and eventually how to program them. Before long, I reached the level of a self-taught expert. It was only after landing a job as a computer specialist and later as a network administrator for a logistics company that I pursued formal certifications through day and evening classes.

Fast forward to today, 2025. Has much changed since then? Absolutely. But when you look at the last 35 years, you’ll notice that the real transformative shifts have happened only in the past couple of years. Sure, computers have become faster, software more advanced, and processing power nearly limitless. Yet, for about 30 years or more, these changes felt incremental.

What’s different now is how quickly and profoundly things are evolving—especially since the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). The pace of innovation from 2024 to today has been staggering.

This isn’t a prediction or a call to take sides in the debate about AI’s merits or risks. It’s simply an observation: AI is unstoppable, and it’s already reshaping the world.

What Does This Mean for Photographers?

As photographers, we may wonder how AI will impact our cameras or software. While I don’t have all the answers yet, one thing is clear: the tools we rely on today, like RawTherapee, Adobe Lightroom, or Photoshop, will soon be outdated. Subscription models for online editing software will disappear entirely, replaced by devices capable of performing every task without traditional software.

This shift won’t take decades—it’s happening now. You’ll hear more about “Agents,” not the kind from spy movies, but AI tools like ChatGPT. These agents will handle tasks for you: answering questions, planning trips, booking tickets, and more. Today, you type your questions into ChatGPT. Tomorrow, you’ll talk to it through a microphone, and just a little bit later…

AI is becoming a part of daily life, and the key to navigating this change is learning how to use it effectively. Start experimenting with an AI agent now, and you’ll be prepared for a near future where these tools become essential.

A Practical Example: ChatGPT in the Kitchen

Let me share a simple example from my own experience. I’m the cook at home, and recently I had to prepare a roast in the oven. Instead of sifting through countless recipes on Google, I asked ChatGPT for quick instructions. Within seconds, I had exactly what I needed: clear, concise steps without any unnecessary complexity.

This is the advantage of using AI—it saves time and effort. But for it to work effectively, you need to know how to ask the right questions and build a relationship with your agent. The more you use it, the better it understands your preferences.

Back to Photography

A few days ago, I revisited an old project involving video. This brought me back to a lens I’ve had in my drawer for over a year: the Kamlan 15mm f/2.0 manual wide-angle lens for Micro Four Thirds (MFT). Since I want to use it for video and minimize focus adjustments, I decided to set it up for hyperfocal distance shooting.

Instead of searching endlessly online for guides, I turned to ChatGPT. I simply asked how to set the lens for sharp focus from approximately one meter to infinity. While you can calculate this manually using the depth-of-field scale on your lens, it’s far easier and faster with an AI assistant.

Why Start Now?

AI is here to stay, and its capabilities are expanding rapidly. Learning to use it now will prepare you for a near future where traditional methods are no longer available. Whether you’re planning a trip, cooking dinner, or setting up a camera lens, AI agents like ChatGPT can make your life easier and more efficient.

So why wait? Start experimenting today. Download ChatGPT on your computer and smartphone, and see how it can transform the way you work, create, and live.

Ah, yes! And the solution to the hyperfocal problem? Well, here it is:

Marc : I want to hyperfocally set a Kamlan 15mm f2.0 lens for MFT so that it can be used from about 1 meter to infinity. Show me what the possibilities are within f4.0 to f8.0, and at what meter I should set the lens approximately.

ChatGPT : To set the Kamlan 15mm f/2 lens hyperfocally for an MFT camera, you need to know the hyperfocal distance for different apertures. Here’s the step-by-step process and calculations:

Key Information:

• Focal Length: 15mm
• Aperture Range: f/4.0 to f/8.0
• Circle of Confusion (CoC) for MFT: Approximately 0.015mm.

The hyperfocal distance is calculated using the formula: H=f2N⋅CoC+fH = \frac{f^2}{N \cdot CoC} + f

Where:

• HH = Hyperfocal distance (in millimeters),
• ff = Focal length (in millimeters),
• NN = Aperture (f-number),
• CoCCoC = Circle of Confusion (in millimeters).

After calculating HH, you set your lens to this distance to get everything from half the hyperfocal distance to infinity in focus.

Hyperfocal Distances and Results:

1. At f/4.0

H=1524⋅0.015+15=2250.06+15=3750+15=3765 mm (3.77m).H = \frac{15^2}{4 \cdot 0.015} + 15 = \frac{225}{0.06} + 15 = 3750 + 15 = 3765 \, \text{mm (3.77m)}.

• Focus from H/2=1.88mH/2 = 1.88m to infinity.

2. At f/5.6

H=1525.6⋅0.015+15=2250.084+15=2678.57+15=2693.57 mm (2.69m).H = \frac{15^2}{5.6 \cdot 0.015} + 15 = \frac{225}{0.084} + 15 = 2678.57 + 15 = 2693.57 \, \text{mm (2.69m)}.

• Focus from H/2=1.35mH/2 = 1.35m to infinity.

3. At f/8.0

H=1528⋅0.015+15=2250.12+15=1875+15=1890 mm (1.89m).H = \frac{15^2}{8 \cdot 0.015} + 15 = \frac{225}{0.12} + 15 = 1875 + 15 = 1890 \, \text{mm (1.89m)}.

• Focus from H/2=0.95mH/2 = 0.95m to infinity.

Recommendations:

• f/8.0 is ideal, as it covers your desired range (1 meter to infinity).
• Set the focus at ~1.9 meters for optimal results.

Would you like a visual depth-of-field chart for this?

Marc : Yes please

ChatGPT:

Here’s the chart showing the hyperfocal and near focus distances for the Kamlan 15mm f/2 lens at different apertures.

• Blue Bars: Hyperfocal distance (where you set the lens).
• Green Bars: Closest distance in focus when the lens is set hyperfocally.

Would you like further analysis or advice based on this?

…

And so it continues. You might think, “This example isn’t that complicated,” or, “The header image for this article doesn’t look so polished or perfect.” And you’d be right. But the point is that what you can do today, even with a free version, wasn’t possible yesterday. Keep in mind that the standard, unpaid version of ChatGPT is designed for the general public. For the Plus version, you’re already looking at $20 per month, and for the Pro version, it’s $200 per month. The application and its capabilities go far beyond how I’ve used and demonstrated it here.

The key is to learn how to work with it and understand how it operates. You might feel like, “This isn’t for me anymore,” but as I’ve mentioned before, this isn’t something for ten years down the line. It’s happening today, and it’s designed for tomorrow—next week or next month, even. So, stay prepared and more importantly, stay in control !