Field of View Calculator
See the horizontal, vertical, and diagonal angle of view for a lens on your sensor — and exactly how much of the scene fits in frame at a chosen distance.
How angle of view is calculated
Angle of view follows from simple trigonometry: AOV = 2 · atan(sensor dimension ÷ 2 · focal length). A shorter focal length or a larger sensor widens the angle. The scene coverage at a distance is 2 · distance · tan(AOV ÷ 2).
Frequently asked questions
Why does my zoom lens seem narrower up close?
This calculator uses the thin-lens approximation, which is accurate at normal distances. Many zoom lenses “breathe” — their effective focal length shifts at close focus, so the real field of view can differ near the minimum focus distance.
What angle of view matches human vision?
Comfortable central vision is often compared to a 40–60° horizontal angle, which is why 35–50mm lenses on full-frame are called “normal” lenses.
Does aspect ratio matter?
Yes — the horizontal and vertical angles depend on the sensor's width and height separately. Shooting 16:9 video crops the sensor height on most cameras, narrowing the vertical angle.
Last updated: 2026-07-12