DOFMaster has a discussion about using the hyperfocal distance for a lense for getting the maximal depth of field.
Depth of Field extends in front of and behind the plane of focus, which is a waste if you’re focusing at infinity since the extra DoF after infinity isn’t adding anything. By focusing closer, but still keeping the far-end of your DoF at infinity (which is the hyperfocal distance), you can get more of your foreground in focus.
