CCTV Lens Calculator
What camera lens do I need to cover an area of a certain size? This is a common question of most first time buyers of CCTV cameras. For a specific monitoring requirement, there is a suitable camera lens. This calculator will help you determine the optimal lens to be used for your needs.
Lens Chart
Alternatively, you may use the chart below to calculate the angle for a specific lens type. The chart assumes that you are using a 1/3" sensor. A smaller sensor like 1/4" gives a narrower field of view. Values found should only be used as guidelines to selecting a proper lens. They are accurate to within +/- 3 degrees.
| Focal length (mm) | Viewing Angle (degrees) | Distance Between Video Camera and Area Observed | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5ft (1.5m) | 10ft (3.0m) | 15ft (4.6m) | 25ft (7.6m) | 50ft (15.2m) | 500ft (30.5m) | ||||||||||
| Hor. | Vert. | Diag. | Hor. | Vert. | Hor. | Vert. | Hor. | Vert. | Hor. | Vert. | Hor. | Vert. | Hor. | Vert. | |
| 1.78 | 136 | 102 | 170 | 24.8ft (7.6m) | 18.6ft (5.7m) | 49.6ft (15.1m) | 37.2ft (11.3m) | 74.4ft (22.7m) | 55.8ft (17.0m) | 124ft (37.8m) | 93ft (28.4m) | 248ft (75.6m) | 186ft (56.7m) | 496ft (151.2m) | 372ft (113.4m) |
| 2.10 | 128 | 96 | 160 | 20.5ft (6.2m) | 15.4ft (4.7m) | 41.0ft (12.5m) | 30.8ft (9.4m) | 61.5ft (18.8m) | 46.2ft (14.1m) | 102.5ft (31.3m) | 77ft (23.5m) | 205ft (62.5m) | 154ft (47m) | 410ft (125m) | 308ft (93.9m) |
| 2.45 | 120 | 90 |
150 |
17.3ft (5.3m) |
13.0ft (4m) |
34.6ft (10.5m) |
26.0ft (7.9m) |
51.9ft (15.8m) |
39.0ft (11.9m) |
86.5ft (26.4m) |
65ft (19.8m) |
173ft (52.7m) |
130ft (39.6m) |
346ft (105.5m) |
260ft (79.3m) |
| 2.80 | 109 | 82 | 136 | 14.0ft (4.3m) | 10.5ft (3.2m) | 28.0ft (8.5m) | 21.0ft (6.4m) | 42.0ft (12.8m) | 31.5ft (9.6m) | 70ft (21.3m) | 52.5ft (16m) | 140ft (42.7m) | 105ft (32m) | 280ft (85.4m) | 210ft (64m) |
| 2.97 | 104 | 78 | 130 | 12.3ft (3.8m) | 9.6ft (2.9m) | 24.6ft (7.5m) | 19.2ft (5.9m) | 36.9ft (11.3m) | 28.8ft (8.8m) | 61.5ft (18.8m) | 48ft (14.6m) | 123ft (37.5m) | 96ft (29.3m) | 246ft (75m) | 192ft (58.5m) |
| 3.60 | 74 | 56 | 92 | 7.5ft (2.3m) | 5.7ft (1.7m) | 15.0ft (4.6m) | 11.4ft (3.5m) | 22.5ft (6.9m) | 17.1ft (5.2m) | 37.5ft (11.4m) | 28.5ft (8.7m) | 75ft (22.9m) | 57ft (17.4m) | 150ft (45.7m) | 114ft (34.8m) |
| 3.70 | 72 |
54 |
90 |
7.3ft (2.2m) |
5.5ft (1.7m) |
14.6ft (4.5m) |
11.0ft (3.4m) |
21.9ft (6.7m) |
16.5ft (5.0m) |
36.5ft (11.1m) |
27.5ft (8.4m) |
73ft (22.3m) |
55ft (16.8m) |
146ft (44.5m) |
110ft (33.5m) |
| 4.0 | 67 | 50 | 83 | 6.6ft (2m) | 5.0ft (1.5m) | 13.2ft (4m) | 10.0ft (3m) | 19.8ft (6m) | 15.0ft (4.6m) | 33ft (10.1m) | 25ft (7.6m) | 66ft (20.1m) | 50ft (15.2m) | 132ft (40.2m) | 100ft (30.5m) |
| 4.30 | 63 | 47 | 78 | 6.1ft (1.9m) | 4.6ft (1.4m) | 12.2ft (3.7m) | 9.2ft (2.8m) | 18.3ft (5.6m) | 13.8ft (4.2m) | 30.5ft (9.3m) | 23ft (7m) | 61ft (18.6m) | 46ft (14m) | 122ft (37.2m) | 92ft (28m) |
| 5.0 | 50 | 38 |
64 |
4.7ft (1.4m) |
3.5ft (1.1m) |
9.4ft (2.9m) |
7.0ft (2.1m) |
14.1ft (4.3m) |
10.5ft (3.2m) |
23.5ft (7.2m) |
17.5ft (5.3m) |
47ft (14.3m) |
35ft (10.7m) |
94ft (28.7m) |
70ft (21.3m) |
| 6.0 | 42 |
32 |
53 |
3.8ft (1.2m) |
2.9ft (0.9m) |
7.6ft (2.3m) |
5.8ft (1.8m) |
11.4ft (3.5m) |
8.7ft (2.7m) |
19ft (5.8m) |
14.5ft (4.4m) |
38ft (11.6m) |
29ft (8.8m) |
76ft (23.2m) |
58ft (17.7m) |
| 8.0 | 32 | 24 |
40 | 2.9ft (0.8m) |
2.2ft (0.7m) |
5.8ft (1.8m) |
4.4ft (1.3m) |
8.7ft (2.7m) |
6.6ft (2m) |
14.5ft (4.4m) |
11ft (3.4m) |
29ft (8.8m) |
22ft (6.7m) |
58ft (17.7m) |
44ft (13.4m) |
| 12.0 | 22 | 16 |
28 |
1.9ft (0.6m) |
1.5ft (0.5m) |
3.8ft (1.2m) |
2.8ft (0.9m) |
5.7ft (1.7m) |
4.5ft (1.4m) |
9.5ft (2.9m) |
7.5ft (2.3m) |
19ft (5.8m) |
15ft (4.6m) |
38ft (11.6m) |
28ft (8.5m) |
| 16.0 | 16 | 12 |
21 |
1.4ft (0.4m) |
1.1ft (0.3m) |
2.8ft (0.9m) |
2.2ft (0.7m) |
4.2ft (1.3m) |
3.3ft (1m) |
7ft (2.1m) |
5.5ft (1.7m) |
14ft (4.3m) |
11ft (3.4m) |
28ft (8.5m) |
22ft (6.7m) |
| 25.0 |
11 | 8.4 |
14 |
1.0ft (0.3m) |
0.7ft (0.2m) |
2.0ft (0.6m) |
1.4ft (0.4m) |
3.0ft (0.9m) |
2.1ft (0.6m) |
5ft (1.5m) |
3.5ft (1.1m) |
10ft (3m) |
7ft (2.1m) |
20ft (6.1m) |
14ft (4.3m) |
| 50.0 | 5.5 |
4.2 |
7 |
0.4ft (0.1m) |
0.3ft (0.1m) |
0.8ft (0.2m) |
0.6ft (0.2m) |
1.2ft (0.4m) |
0.9ft (0.3m) |
2ft (0.6m) |
1.5ft (0.5m) |
4.0ft (1.2m) |
3ft (0.9m) |
8ft (2.4m) |
6ft (1.8m) |
References
- "How to Calculate Lens Requirements." Security Camera king. Security Camera King, 01 Apr 2010. Web. 4 Oct 2010.
- "1/3 inch CCTV Lens Chart." EyeSpyVideo. EyeSpyVideo, n.d. Web. 4 May 2011.
