Field Of View
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- Angle of view degrees
- 39.597752
Media and photography results
| Angle of view degrees | 39.597752 |
formula-map diagram
- Angle of view degrees
- 39.597752
Media and photography relationship
Formula
θ = 2 arctan(d ÷ 2f)= 39.59775270905
Note
This result uses the values you entered and a simplified planning equation; verify quantities and local requirements before purchasing or building.
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See all →Frequently asked questions
How is a lens's field of view calculated from its focal length?+
Field of view is derived from FOV = 2 x arctan(sensor dimension / (2 x focal length)), so a shorter focal length produces a wider angular field of view and a longer focal length produces a narrower one. The calculation is done separately for horizontal, vertical, and diagonal FOV since sensors aren't square.
Why does the same focal length give a different field of view on different cameras?+
Field of view depends on both focal length and sensor size, so a 50mm lens on a full-frame camera has a noticeably wider field of view than the same 50mm lens on a crop-sensor (APS-C) camera, because the smaller sensor only captures the central portion of the same image circle. This is exactly what 'crop factor' accounts for.
What's the difference between horizontal, vertical, and diagonal field of view?+
Horizontal and vertical FOV describe the angular width and height of the frame respectively, while diagonal FOV measures corner to corner and is always the largest of the three, since the diagonal of a rectangle is longer than either side. Lens focal length specifications are usually based on the diagonal FOV by convention.
Why do wide-angle lenses cause distortion near the edges of the frame?+
Very wide fields of view push more of the scene toward the frame's edges at a steep angle, which under rectilinear projection (the standard for most lenses) stretches objects near the corners, an effect that becomes pronounced below about 24mm equivalent focal length. This is a geometric consequence of projecting a wide angular view onto a flat sensor, not a flaw in a specific lens.
How is field of view useful when planning a shot in advance?+
Knowing a lens's field of view at a given focal length lets you predict how much of a scene will fit in frame before you even arrive on location, which is essential for planning group photos, architectural shots, or video framing where you can't simply move the subject. It turns an abstract focal length number into a concrete sense of framing.