Whats your Angle Of View on this?

[Tim]

Often when evaluating lens options for various camera systems, Fuji, NEX, M-Mount etc it becomes hard to constantly convert focal length to various fields of view. A 14mm lens for APS-C is 89 degrees whereas for m43 its 75 degrees equiv to 28mm in 35mm film terms (that in itself is confusing for some), yet Full Frame its 14mm 120 degree or thereabout etc etc.
Its enough to make my head explode.

Do you think we should state "Angle Of View" alongside Focal Length ?

For example a Fuji 14mm/89 degree f2.8 OR another example m43 14mm/75 degree f2.5

 

[Shashin]

I guess it would depend on your audience. If you are writing for seasoned photographers, I think focal length is enough. If it is for beginners, then the answer is far more complex--angle of view is good, but do you use diagonal (the usual way), horizontal, and/or vertical? I think for a younger crowd, 35mm is rather abstract as they have no experience with it. Personally, I think data is overemphasized.

 

[Tim]

I guess it would depend on your audience. If you are writing for seasoned photographers, I think focal length is enough. If it is for beginners, then the answer is far more complex--angle of view is good, but do you use diagonal (the usual way), horizontal, and/or vertical? I think for a younger crowd, 35mm is rather abstract as they have no experience with it. Personally, I think data is overemphasized.

I always like the diagonal Angle of view. One number per lens. I think its what most lens designers use, at least I can recall Olympus quoting this with the MF Zuikos. With moving between 5x4, MF and 35mm in film days we have always had to "convert" in our heads. It just seems to be more options these days hence more converting going on.

 

[Shashin]

Tim, the problem with the diagonal is that it does not take into aspect ratio and so is often hard to visualize. A 75 degree angle of view on the diagonal looks very different on a 6x17 panoramic camera than a 6x6 camera. Many people will feel is is far less on the panoramic image. Even the difference between 3:2 and 4:3 can be significant.