Why does my point-and-shoot show a wider field of view than my Canon 350D?
Asked 3/1/2020
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I thought a smaller sensor always gives a cropped, narrower field of view than a larger sensor when shooting from the same position. If so, why does my Canon PowerShot A520 (5.8–23.2mm lens) seem to show a much wider view than my Canon EOS 350D with an EF 35–80mm lens? Am I misunderstanding how sensor size and focal length work together?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
6y ago
2 Answers
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You would be right, if both sensors were exposed through the same lens or at least lenses with the same focal length. But they aren't.
As you write yourself, the A520 has a lens with a focal length of 5.8mm at the wide end, while the 350D has 35mm. Scaling those with the sensor sizes (A520 crop factor 6=34.8mm, 350D crop factor 1.6=56mm) shows that the A520 has a shorter focal length and thus a wider FoV.
That said, it's not a factor of 4 difference. If you compare fully zoomed-in pictures, the A520 should be actually tighter than the 350D.
Originally by user32110. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user32110
6y ago
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Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
A smaller sensor only gives a narrower field of view if you compare it with the same lens, or with lenses of the same focal length.
Here, the lenses are very different:
- PowerShot A520: 5.8–23.2mm
- EOS 350D lens: 35–80mm
Field of view depends on both sensor size and focal length. The A520 has a much smaller sensor, but it also uses a much shorter focal length. After accounting for crop factor, the A520’s wide end is still wider than the 350D with a 35mm lens.
In other words: sensor size alone does not determine angle of view. A small sensor crops more, but a short enough focal length can still produce a wider view overall.
So your understanding isn’t seriously wrong — it just applies only when focal length is held constant. In your comparison, it isn’t.
Also, the difference is not really 4× in field of view. At the telephoto end, the A520 may actually appear tighter than the 350D, depending on the zoom setting.
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