Webcam field of view

What is it?

A webcam’s field of view (FOV) is the width of the angle that it can ‘see’. This is important because it dictates how much of the area in front of it can be captured when it’s recording, which will determine how many people can squeeze in front of it when making a video call. A limited field of view is fine if you only want your own face in shot, while a larger one will be required if you want to make group calls.

How does it work?

It’s dependent on a number of factors relating to the lens and its distance from the sensor that’s capturing the light that hits it. Typically, humans have a field of view of around 160 degrees, which is why you can see things coming at you from the sides. Standard cameras usually have a range of around 72 degrees. This angle is measured from the front of the camera and spreads out in a cone shape. For example, our favourite webcam, Logitech’s C925e (pictured, and see page 32), has a field of view of 78 degrees.

What are the specs?

Most webcams have a similar field of view to standard cameras – around 70-80 degrees. Anything less and the frame would look cramped, even when just one person is in shot. Other webcams offer a wider field of view – useful for those who want to gather in larger groups for a video call from a single webcam, or if you want to show off your surroundings. Very wide angles, however, can look distorted around the edges, similar to the effect you get from fish-eye lenses.

Can I change it later?

The software on some cameras lets you reduce the field of view, perhaps so you can have it follow you around and zoom in as you move. However, you can’t increase the maximum field of view because this is determined by the physical properties of your webcam.