Camera Field of View
Understanding Lens Angles
Learn Acerca de FOVField of view (FOV) es el/la angle of el/la scene tu camera captures. Understanding FOV helps choose el/la right lens for landscapes, portraits, o action—y explains por que el/la mismo focal length produces diferente resultados on diferente cameras.
Lens Categories by Field of View
| Category | Focal Longitud (FF) | Diagonal FOV | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fisheye | 8-16mm | 180-100° | Creative, action cams |
| Ultra-wide | 14-24mm | 114-84° | Architecture, landscapes |
| Wide-angle | 24-35mm | 84-63° | Street, environmental |
| Standard | 40-60mm | 57-40° | General purpose |
| Short telephoto | 70-105mm | 34-23° | Portraits |
| Medium telephoto | 135-200mm | 18-12° | Sports, events |
| Super telephoto | 300-800mm | 8-3° | Wildlife, astronomy |
Focal lengths shown son for completo-frame (35mm) sensors.
Sensor Size y Crop Factor
El/La mismo focal length produces diferente FOV on diferente sensor sizes.
Common Sensor Sizes
| Format | Dimensions | Crop Factor |
|---|---|---|
| Medium Format | 44×33mm (typical) | 0.79× |
| Full Frame (35mm) | 36×24mm | 1.0× |
| APS-C (Canon) | 22.3×14.9mm | 1.6× |
| APS-C (Nikon/Sony) | 23.5×15.6mm | 1.5× |
| Micro Four Thirds | 17.3×13mm | 2.0× |
| 1-pulgada | 13.2×8.8mm | 2.7× |
| Smartphone (typical) | ~6×4.5mm | ~6× |
Equivalent Focal Longitud
Equivalent FL = Actual FL × Crop Factor
Un/Una 50mm lens on APS-C (1.5×) gives el/la mismo FOV as un/una 75mm on completo-frame.
FOV Measurements
Field of view puede be medido in three maneras:
Diagonal FOV
- Corner un/una corner of el/la frame
- Largest angle measurement
- Most commonly cited specification
Horizontal FOV
- Side un/una side of el/la frame
- Importante for panoramas y video
- Acerca de 80% of diagonal for 3:2 format
Vertical FOV
- Top un/una bottom of el/la frame
- Smallest of el/la three
- Acerca de 54% of diagonal for 3:2 format
Ejemplo: 50mm on Full Frame
- Diagonal: 46.8°
- Horizontal: 39.6°
- Vertical: 27.0°
Video y Cinema FOV
Video aplicaciones often specify horizontal FOV.
Common Video FOVs
- Ultra-wide (GoPro): 120-170° diagonal
- Wide: 90-100° diagonal
- Linear (corrected): 80-90° diagonal
- Medium: 65-75° diagonal
- Narrow: 50-60° diagonal
Aspect Ratio Impact
- Wider aspect ratios (21:9) have larger horizontal FOV
- Same diagonal FOV cubre diferente horizontal area
- Anamorphic lenses create wide FOV with diferente characteristics
VR y Gaming FOV
Virtual reality headsets prioritize immersion through wide FOV.
VR Headset FOVs
- Early VR: 90-100°
- Corriente mainstream: 100-120°
- High-end: 120-140°
- Human peripheral: ~180° (el/la goal)
Gaming FOV Settings
- Lower FOV (60-75°): Less distortion, feels "zoomed in"
- Standard FOV (90°): Common default
- Higher FOV (100-120°): More peripheral awareness, algunos distortion
- Personal preference y monitor distance affect ideal setting
Security Cameras
Security camera specifications emphasize coverage area.
Typical Security Camera FOVs
- Wide-angle: 90-120° (room coverage)
- Standard: 60-90° (hallways, entries)
- Narrow: 30-60° (specific areas)
- PTZ range: Variable, often 60° un/una 2°
Coverage Calculation
At distance D, horizontal coverage width:
Width = 2 × D × tan(HFOV/2)
Ejemplo: 90° HFOV at 10m cubre 20m width
Calculating FOV
Desde Focal Longitud y Sensor Size
Diagonal FOV = 2 × arctan(diagonal / (2 × focal length))
Ejemplo: 35mm Full Frame
- Sensor diagonal: √(36² + 24²) = 43.27mm
- Focal length: 35mm
- FOV = 2 × arctan(43.27 / 70) = 2 × arctan(0.618) = 63.4°
Finding Focal Longitud for Desired FOV
Focal length = sensor size / (2 × tan(FOV/2))
Conclusion
Field of view es el/la angular extent captured by un/una camera, determined by ambos focal length y sensor size. Wide FOV lenses (short focal length) capture expansive scenes pero with potential distortion; narrow FOV lenses (long focal length) isolate subjects with background compression. Understanding crop factors es esencial cuando comparing lenses across diferente camera sistemas. FOV specifications son importante across photography, videography, VR, gaming, y security aplicaciones.