Does EXIF on a crop-sensor camera show actual focal length or 35mm-equivalent?
Asked 3/26/2013
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I shoot with a Canon 60D (APS-C, 1.6x crop) and want to understand the focal length shown in Lightroom/Bridge metadata. If the EXIF says 28mm, is that the lens’s actual focal length, or the 35mm-equivalent field of view (about 45mm equivalent on Canon APS-C)?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
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The focal length is a physical measurement that's the same no matter what size the sensor, and that is what the camera will report.
The 35mm-equivalent focal length can be calculated from other EXIF information relative to a 24x36 frame.
Originally by user6508. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user6508
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
EXIF normally records the lens’s actual focal length, not the crop-adjusted equivalent. So if Lightroom or Bridge shows 28mm, that means the lens was set to 28mm.
Crop factor changes field of view, not the physical focal length of the lens. On a Canon APS-C body like the 60D, 28mm gives a field of view similar to about 45mm on full frame (28 × 1.6).
Some software may also display a separate value such as “35mm equivalent” or “Focal Length in 35mm Format.” If it does, it should be clearly labeled. If a focal length is shown without any “equivalent” note, it’s generally safe to read it as the real focal length.
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