Amcrest Guide to a Security Camera's Field of View (FOV)

The field of view is an important aspect to consider when purchasing a security camera as it will show how much area is being monitored. The most accurate way of determining which camera will capture the most amount of area will be determined by its field of view. For more information about a camera's field of view, please refer to the information provided below. 

What is Field of View (FOV)?

The field of view of a camera, also called the field of view, is the area in which a camera can see. On the specifications sheet for a device you will see the field of view measured in degrees (°).  It is basically the angle between two horizontal edges of the camera's image. The higher the field of view, the more area that is covered in the image. 

However, a wider field of view isn't always the better as a camera with a smaller field of view will cover less area however will display objects in greater detail. Please note, there are other considerations to apply as well when it comes to the field of view such as the lens size and how it affects the field of view. 

How Lens Sizes Affect the Field of View

The size of the camera's lens is often referred to as the focal length and is the main factor that determines the camera's field of view. The smaller the lens size the wider the the viewing angle. A smaller lens is also known as wide-angle lens and produces a larger field of view than a camera with a larger lens. However, cameras that capture larger areas may cause objects to appear smaller within the camera's image. Wide-angle lenses are typically designed for monitoring large areas such as foyers, warehouses, back or front yards, parking lots, etc. 

Cameras with larger lens sizes are called narrow-angle lenses. A narrow-angle lens captures a limited area, but the objects will appear larger and more detailed within the image. Narrow-angle lenses are designed for monitoring certain areas such as areas involving cash registers, doorways and entrances, hallways, or objects of value. 

What Different Types of Lenses Does Amcrest Offer? 

Amcrest cameras offers several options when it comes to lens types such as fixed lens, varifocal lens, and motorized lens cameras. A fixed lens camera is a camera that has the focal length permanently set and cannot by adjusted. This means that the field of view is permanently set, so with these types of cameras it is important to find one with the correct field of view (wide or narrow angle) for your specific needs. 

A varifocal lens camera allows the user to manually adjust the camera lens, typically using adjustment screws or knobs. These types of cameras a typically more expensive but allow for greater flexibility to optimize the image to your specific needs. The focus settings on a camera with a varifocal lens may need to be adjusted from time to time. 

A motorized lens camera is similar to a varifocal lens camera as it allows the user to manually adjust the camera lens however it is adjusted using a interface such as the Amcrest View Pro app on a mobile device or through the web user interface on a computer using a web browser. The focus settings on a motorized lens camera are typically adjusted automatically along with the field of view.