Introduction

A huge thanks to the brilliant team at Matchmove Machine for sharing this guide on Field of View v Angle of View.

Matchmove machine is a team of technical experts in 3D tracking and matchmoving. Matchmove Machine provide 3D tracking services for Feature Films, Music Videos, Commercials, TV Shows and are ready to be with you at all stages of production to ensure a truly impressive and high-quality result, while remaining invisible to the viewer.

Field of View (FoV)

This is the area of space visible through the camera, measured as the physical size in the frame (in meters or feet).

We usually think of this as the size of the area being covered, but it can also refer to a specific distance to the subject.

Field of view may change depending on the distance between the subject and the camera, whereas the angle of view remains constant for a given lens and sensor combination. The larger the sensor, the wider the angle of view visible through that lens.

Angle of View (AoV)

This is the angle of the optical system (camera + lens) that determines how much of the scene is captured in the horizontal and vertical planes.

The angle of view is measured in degrees and affects the field of view; the larger the angle of view, the wider the scene captured.

Conclusion

The main difference between these terms is that the field of view defines the visible area of the frame, while the angle of view is the angle that shapes this area.