1. What is Field of View (FOV)?

The Field of View (FOV) of a security camera determines how much of the scene the camera can capture. It's measured in degrees and depends on the camera's sensor size and focal length of the lens.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the FOV formula:

Where:

• \( sensor\_width \) — Width of the camera sensor (mm)
• \( focal\_length \) — Focal length of the lens (mm)

Explanation: The formula calculates the angular field of view based on the ratio between the sensor size and focal length, converting the result from radians to degrees.

3. Importance of FOV Calculation

Details: Proper FOV calculation is crucial for security camera placement to ensure adequate coverage of the area you want to monitor without blind spots.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the sensor width in millimeters (common sizes: 1/4" = 3.6mm, 1/3" = 4.8mm, 1/2" = 6.4mm) and the focal length in millimeters (common lengths: 2.8mm, 3.6mm, 6mm, etc.).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the difference between horizontal and vertical FOV?
A: Horizontal FOV is typically wider than vertical FOV due to the rectangular shape of camera sensors. This calculator provides the horizontal FOV.

Q2: How does focal length affect FOV?
A: Longer focal lengths result in narrower FOV (more zoomed-in view), while shorter focal lengths provide wider FOV (more zoomed-out view).

Q3: What are typical FOV values for security cameras?
A: Wide-angle: 90°+, Standard: 30°-70°, Telephoto: <30°. PTZ cameras can vary their FOV by zooming.

Q4: How does sensor size affect FOV?
A: Larger sensors with the same focal length will have wider FOV. Smaller sensors will have narrower FOV with the same focal length.

Q5: Can I calculate vertical FOV with this?
A: No, this calculates horizontal FOV. For vertical FOV, you'd need to use the sensor height instead of width in the formula.