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24mm lens field of view

The wide end of normal. Enough of the room to place a person in it, close enough to feel present. A favourite for documentary, walk-and-talks and wide coverage of a scene.

Angle of view, 16:9 frame

SensorHorizontalVerticalDiagonalSame angle on full frame
Full frame (36 mm)73.7°45.7°81.4°24mm
Super 35 (24.89 mm)54.8°32.5°61.5°35mm
APS-C (23.5 mm)52.2°30.8°58.6°37mm
Micro 4/3 (17.3 mm)39.6°22.9°44.9°50mm
Super 16 (12.52 mm)29.2°16.7°33.3°69mm

How much the frame covers

DistanceFull frameSuper 35Micro 4/3
1 m1.50 × 0.84 m1.04 × 0.58 m0.72 × 0.41 m
2 m3.00 × 1.69 m2.07 × 1.17 m1.44 × 0.81 m
3 m4.50 × 2.53 m3.11 × 1.75 m2.16 × 1.22 m
5 m7.50 × 4.22 m5.19 × 2.92 m3.60 × 2.03 m
10 m15.00 × 8.44 m10.37 × 5.83 m7.21 × 4.05 m

Where the camera stands

Shot sizeFull frameSuper 35Micro 4/3
Extreme close-up0.1 m0.2 m0.3 m
Close-up0.4 m0.5 m0.7 m
Medium close-up0.6 m0.9 m1.2 m
Medium shot1.0 m1.5 m2.1 m
Cowboy1.4 m2.1 m3.0 m
Full shot2.4 m3.4 m4.9 m
Wide shot4.7 m6.9 m9.9 m

Camera to a standing adult, 16:9. A starting mark, not a rule.

Try another sensor, frame or distance

Sensor

36 mm wide

Frame
Horizontal
73.7°
Vertical
45.7°
Diagonal
81.4°

At 3.00 m the frame covers

4.50 m × 2.53 m

4.50 m wide

Where the camera stands

Extreme close-up0.14 m
Close-up0.36 m
Medium close-up0.59 m
Medium shot1.01 m
Cowboy1.42 m
Full shot2.37 m
Wide shot4.74 m

For a standing adult, from the conventional height each size holds. A starting mark, not a rule.

Questions

What is the field of view of a 24mm lens?

In a 16:9 frame, a 24mm lens sees 73.7° horizontally on full frame, 54.8° on Super 35, 52.2° on APS-C and 39.6° on Micro 4/3. The diagonal figure lens makers quote is larger: 81.4° on full frame.

How far away should I stand for a medium shot on a 24mm?

About 1.0 metres on full frame and 1.5 metres on Super 35, for a waist-up shot of an adult in 16:9. For a close-up, about 0.4 and 0.5 metres.

What is a 24mm on Super 35 equivalent to on full frame?

It frames like a 35mm on full frame. Going the other way, a 24mm on full frame frames like a 17mm on Super 35. Only the angle matches: depth of field and perspective follow the real focal length and distance.

How wide is the frame at 3 metres with a 24mm?

4.50 metres wide on full frame and 3.11 on Super 35, in a 16:9 frame.

See the 24mm in the room

Put a camera with a 24mm on a lighting plan and it draws exactly this angle, so you know what is in frame before anybody rigs.