Camera Field of View Calculator
Results:
Horizontal Field of View: degrees
Vertical Field of View: degrees
Diagonal Field of View: degrees
Horizontal Scene Width: m
Vertical Scene Height: m
Understanding Camera Field of View
The Field of View (FOV) of a camera is a crucial concept for photographers, videographers, and anyone working with imaging systems. It defines the extent of the observable world that a camera can capture at a given moment. Essentially, it's how much of the scene your lens "sees."
What Influences Field of View?
Two primary factors determine a camera's field of view:
- Focal Length of the Lens: This is the most intuitive factor. A shorter focal length (e.g., 24mm) results in a wider field of view, allowing you to capture more of the scene. A longer focal length (e.g., 200mm) results in a narrower field of view, magnifying distant objects and making them appear closer.
- Sensor Size: The physical dimensions of your camera's image sensor (or film plane) play a significant role. A larger sensor, for the same focal length, will capture a wider field of view than a smaller sensor. This is why a 50mm lens on a full-frame camera (36x24mm sensor) provides a wider view than the same 50mm lens on an APS-C camera (e.g., 22.3×14.9mm sensor).
Angular vs. Linear Field of View
- Angular Field of View: This is measured in degrees and describes the angle from the lens's optical center to the edges of the sensor. It tells you how wide an angle the lens covers. For example, a 90-degree horizontal FOV means the lens captures a 90-degree arc of the scene horizontally.
- Linear Field of View: This is measured in units of length (e.g., meters or feet) and describes the actual width or height of the scene captured at a specific distance from the camera. If you're photographing a subject 10 meters away, the linear FOV tells you how many meters wide or tall the captured frame will be at that distance.
How to Use the Camera Field of View Calculator
Our calculator simplifies the process of determining your camera's field of view. Here's how to use it:
- Sensor Width (mm): Enter the horizontal dimension of your camera's image sensor in millimeters. Common values include 36mm for full-frame, 22.3mm for Canon APS-C, 23.5mm for Nikon/Sony APS-C, and 17.3mm for Micro Four Thirds.
- Sensor Height (mm): Enter the vertical dimension of your camera's image sensor in millimeters. Common values include 24mm for full-frame, 14.9mm for Canon APS-C, 15.6mm for Nikon/Sony APS-C, and 13mm for Micro Four Thirds.
- Focal Length (mm): Input the focal length of the lens you are using, also in millimeters. This is usually printed on the lens itself (e.g., 50mm, 24-70mm).
- Distance to Subject (m) (Optional): If you want to know the actual width and height of the scene captured at a specific distance, enter that distance in meters. If left blank, the calculator will only provide the angular field of view.
- Click "Calculate Field of View": The results will instantly display the horizontal, vertical, and diagonal angular fields of view, as well as the linear scene width and height if a distance was provided.
Practical Examples:
Example 1: Full-Frame Camera with a Standard Lens
- Sensor Width: 36 mm
- Sensor Height: 24 mm
- Focal Length: 50 mm
- Distance to Subject: 5 m
- Results:
- Horizontal FOV: ~39.60 degrees
- Vertical FOV: ~27.00 degrees
- Diagonal FOV: ~46.80 degrees
- Horizontal Scene Width: ~3.50 m
- Vertical Scene Height: ~2.20 m
This shows that a 50mm lens on a full-frame camera provides a relatively natural perspective, capturing a scene about 3.5 meters wide at a 5-meter distance.
Example 2: APS-C Camera with a Wide-Angle Lens
- Sensor Width: 23.5 mm (Nikon/Sony APS-C)
- Sensor Height: 15.6 mm
- Focal Length: 24 mm
- Distance to Subject: 10 m
- Results:
- Horizontal FOV: ~51.90 degrees
- Vertical FOV: ~35.00 degrees
- Diagonal FOV: ~60.00 degrees
- Horizontal Scene Width: ~9.50 m
- Vertical Scene Height: ~6.30 m
Even with a 24mm lens, the smaller APS-C sensor results in a narrower field of view compared to a full-frame camera with the same focal length. At 10 meters, you'd capture a scene almost 9.5 meters wide.
Example 3: Micro Four Thirds Camera with a Telephoto Lens
- Sensor Width: 17.3 mm
- Sensor Height: 13 mm
- Focal Length: 200 mm
- Distance to Subject: 50 m
- Results:
- Horizontal FOV: ~4.96 degrees
- Vertical FOV: ~3.72 degrees
- Diagonal FOV: ~6.20 degrees
- Horizontal Scene Width: ~4.30 m
- Vertical Scene Height: ~3.20 m
A 200mm lens on a Micro Four Thirds camera provides a very narrow, magnified view, ideal for distant subjects. At 50 meters, the captured scene is only about 4.3 meters wide.
Why is FOV Important?
- Composition: Understanding FOV helps you choose the right lens to frame your subject effectively, whether you need to include more of the background or isolate a specific detail.
- Lens Selection: It guides your decision when purchasing lenses, ensuring you get the desired perspective for your photography style (e.g., wide-angle for landscapes, telephoto for wildlife).
- Surveillance and Security: In CCTV and security camera setups, calculating FOV is critical to ensure adequate coverage of an area.
- Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality: In immersive technologies, FOV directly impacts the user's sense of presence and realism.
- Astrophotography: Knowing the FOV helps determine what celestial objects will fit within the frame of your telescope and camera combination.
By using this calculator, you can gain a deeper understanding of how your camera and lens choices impact the final image, empowering you to make more informed creative and technical decisions.