Camera Field of View Calculator

Camera Field of View vs Angle of View

Angle of view describes how wide a lens sees, measured in degrees. Field of view is the real-world width or height captured at a given subject distance. A 50 mm lens on APS-C covers a narrower angle than the same lens on full frame because the sensor is smaller.

FOV Formulas

Angle of view for each sensor axis:

$$\text{aov}_i = 2 \times \arctan\left(\frac{\text{sensor size}_i}{2 \times \text{focal length}}\right)$$

Linear field of view at distance $d$:

$$\text{fov}_i = 2 \times \tan\left(\frac{\text{aov}_i}{2}\right) \times d$$

Example: 50 mm on a 22.3 × 14.9 mm sensor gives about 24° horizontal angle. At 5 m distance, the horizontal field of view is about 2.1 m.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does sensor size change angle of view?

Yes. Smaller sensors capture a narrower angle with the same focal length. That is why crop-factor math matters when comparing lenses.

What focal length is normal on full frame?

About 50 mm is considered a normal perspective on full-frame sensors. Wider lenses capture more scene; telephoto lenses magnify.

Why does field of view depend on distance?

Angle of view is fixed for a lens and sensor, but the physical area covered grows as the subject moves farther from the camera.

What is diagonal field of view?

It uses the sensor diagonal and is useful for estimating total scene coverage, especially for circular or square subjects.

Are fisheye lenses included?

This calculator assumes rectilinear projection. Fisheye lenses use different projection math and need a dedicated tool.

Report

Camera Field of View vs Angle of View

FOV Formulas

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Tools

Recent Visits