Angle of view

A lens’s focal length and its angle of view go hand in hand – here’s what you need to know

ANGLE of view is the amount of a scene that a lens can take in, measured in degrees – usually either horizontally or diagonally. Lenses with shorter focal lengths offer a wider angle of view than those with longer focal lengths – that’s why they’re called wide-angle lenses.

For example, a fisheye lens with a focal length of 8mm may be able to capture a super-wide 180-degree view in a single frame. That means it can record everything in front of it – and to each side, so you need to be careful where you put your feet or tripod legs!

The narrow view offered by a super-telephoto lens, however, means that you’ll only have a few degrees to play with, which can make it quite a challenge to follow fast-moving subjects and keep them in the frame.