What Is Field of View in Photography?

If you are relatively new to photography, you might be wondering why some photos show large areas of detail, such as a huge landscape in all its glory, while others are more intimate and zoom right in on a tiny detail. Others offer up some sort of middle distance, similar to what our human eye sees. This drastic difference in how a photographer chooses to frame their image is all thanks to something called "field of view." It's an important concept in photography that helps you understand how much of the world your camera can see. Let's break it down in simple terms.

In photography, field of view, or FOV,  refers to the extent of the observable world that a camera and a lens can capture at any given moment. Think of it like looking through a window – the field of view is everything you can see within that window frame. A wider field of view captures more of the scene, while a narrower one focuses on a smaller portion. It's essentially how much image your camera can take in from left to right and top to bottom.

While there are complex formulas involving sensor size and focal length, for most photographers, you don't need to do precise calculations. Instead, it's easier to understand that a wide-angle lens will naturally give you a wider field of view, showing more of the scene. A telephoto lens, on the other hand, will give you a much narrower field of view, making distant objects appear closer. It's more about understanding the relationship between your lens and what you see through the viewfinder, rather than crunching numbers.

While these two terms are often confused, they are not the same. Focal length is a property of the lens itself – it's a measurement (usually in millimetres) that describes how strongly the lens converges or diverges light. A smaller focal length (e.g., 20mm) means a wide-angle lens, while a larger focal length (e.g., 200mm) indicates a telephoto lens. Field of view, however, is the result of that focal length being mounted on your camera and projecting an image on your camera sensor. While they are not the same thing, the focal length of a lens does play a part in determining your field of view and what you can see and capture in your photograph.

Think of it this way: focal length is the tool, and field of view is the outcome.

Knowing the specific field of view is often not important but having some understanding of how field of view and focal length is related can be handy for visual learners. Keep in mind, that there are 360-degrees in a circle. 

Note: The following figures are based on a lens mounted on a full-frame camera.

• 24mm Wide Angle Lens: 84-degrees
• 50mm Prime Lens: 46-degrees
• 100mm Short Telephoto Lens: 24-degrees
• 300mm Telephoto Lens: 8-degrees

What is the field of view of the human eye? The field of view of the human eye is about 135 degrees vertically and 200 degrees horizontally.

What field of view is best for sports photography? The best sports photography benefits from a narrow field of view, which is acheived through using a telephoto camera lens. A good example is a 300mm lens, which provides a field of view of about 8-degrees.

Does camera sensor size affect the field of view? The size of a camera sensor affects the field of view of a camera lens directly. For example, a lens of the same focal length will provide a different field of view when mounted on two cameras with different-sized sensors; this is due to something called crop factor.

What does a narrow field of view mean? A narrow field of view refers to a camera only capturing a limited area. Telephoto lenses are the best option to capture a narrow field of view.

With this understanding of Field of View in photography, you are ready to put your new knowledge into practice or start hunting for your next camera lens. The experts at Ted's Cameras are always here to help you find the perfect gear. For more invaluable photography tips, tricks, and the latest gear advice, be sure to follow Ted's Cameras Blog – your ultimate resource for all things photography!