Which lens
actually gets the shot?
Pick your camera and what you want in frame. We'll tell you the focal length to grab and show you exactly what it covers. Switch to advanced for every major body, dual-lens comparison and tele-converters.
Pick a real lens, or set two focal lengths to compare side by side, e.g. the wide and tight ends of one zoom. The white frame is Lens 1; the red frame is Lens 2.
Three numbers set the shot
Field of view is simple physics: the frame width a lens captures equals distance × sensor width ÷ focal length. Change any one and the framing moves.
A bigger sensor sees wider at the same lens. A 50mm is "normal" on full frame, but acts like ~75mm on Super 35 and ~100mm on Micro 4/3. That ratio is the crop factor.
Longer lenses magnify and narrow the view. Double the focal length and you halve the width you capture, the way you go tight on a presenter from front-of-house.
Move back and the same lens sees wider. To hold a shot from twice as far you need roughly twice the focal length, so plan camera positions and glass together.
This tool models an undistorted rectilinear lens and the active sensor area. Real coverage shifts slightly with lens breathing, anamorphic squeeze, in-camera crops and stabilization. Close enough to plan a rig, not to replace a camera test.
Lensing, answered
What focal length do I need to film a stage?
Frame width = distance × sensor width ÷ focal length. To frame a 24 ft stage from 40 ft on full frame you need roughly a 60mm lens; on Super 35, about 40mm. Move back and you need a longer lens to hold the same framing.
How do I calculate field of view?
Horizontal FoV in feet = distance × sensor width (mm) ÷ focal length (mm); use sensor height for vertical. The angle is 2 × arctan(sensor ÷ (2 × focal length)). Shorter lens or bigger sensor = wider view.
Which lens for live event videography?
A 24 to 70mm covers wide and medium from the floor; a 70 to 200mm is the workhorse for tight stage shots from front-of-house. Long rooms want a 100 to 400mm or a tele-converter. Match the glass to the distance and framing, not a rule of thumb.
How does sensor size affect field of view?
Bigger sensors see wider at the same focal length. Multiply a lens's focal length by the crop factor for its full-frame-equivalent view: Super 35 ≈ 1.5×, APS-C ≈ 1.6×, Micro Four Thirds ≈ 2×.
What is full-frame equivalent focal length?
Crop factor compares a sensor's diagonal to full-frame's 43.3mm. Multiply actual focal length by it to get the equivalent field of view, so you can compare lenses across different cameras.
How far should the camera be?
Far enough for a flattering perspective and a clean sightline, then pick the focal length that frames the subject from there. Doubling the distance roughly doubles the lens you need.
Need a longer lens for your event? A second camera? A full multi-cam package?
Need someone to run the cameras,
and everything around them?
Multi-camera capture, switching, audio, lighting and a clean stream. For conferences, keynotes, all-hands and broadcasts, not weddings or home video. Tell us about your event and we'll scope it, quote it line-by-line, and run it.
Think of these numbers as a solid starting point, not a guarantee. They're good-faith estimates that assume a clean rectilinear lens and the listed sensor sizes. Real coverage shifts a little with lens breathing, anamorphic optics, in-camera crops and stabilization, so use it to plan a rig rather than replace a camera test. Working through a specific setup? We're happy to help. That's our job.