Subscriber Discussion

Vivotek Horizontal Field Of View Misrepresentation?

KN
Ken Novak
May 10, 2013

Vivotek has a camera, MD8562, which claims to have a horizontal field of view that is 110 degrees.

Given the specs on the camera, the sensor size is 1/2.7" with a fixed focal length of 2.8mm. Given Theia's lens calculator, they show 93 degrees. Other calculators and a formula I have for determining HFOV come up with appx. 87 degrees.

Why are these claims so obtuse? Is there something I am missing? Given everything I know about surveillance I find it hard to believe this camera actually has a 110 degree horizontal FOV.

JH
John Honovich
May 10, 2013
IPVM

Ken, I get the same results from the Theia calculator. We'll ask Vivotek for comment.

We actually had a similar thread asking about other camera's FoV width calculation, with equally confusing results!

KN
Ken Novak
May 10, 2013

Thanks John. I believe we have shared a formula with you that I found quite helpful but wanted to post it.

((arctan((d/2)/f)*2)*180)/pi

d = horizontal size of sensor
f = focal length
Seems that this is pretty accurate as long as you have the dimensions of the sensor.
U
Undisclosed #1
May 11, 2013

The challenge with the formula Ken lists and most basic tools is that they don't work for fisheye and 'fisheye-like' lenses or any lens designed to view close to or beyond 90 degrees. Those lenses come with some optical distortion at the edges but those edge regions then also receive a non-linear projection of the field of view so a little bit of additional sensor gives a lot of additional angle of view.

BH
Bohan Huang
May 12, 2013

Also the calculation is affected by the aspect ratio of the sensor.

A 2mp 16:9 sensor is wider than a 4:3 sensor of equivalent diagonal dimensions.

Did your calculations assume a 4:3 or 16:9 sensor?

KN
Ken Novak
May 12, 2013

My calculations assumed both Bohan. It impacts the vertical FOV angle but not the horizontal.

CCTV Lens Calculator - Free Online Lens Calculator for CCTV

This calculator allows you to switch the aspect ratio and see the difference in FOV angle. Although you cannot chose a true 1/2.7" because they do not have the option, one can make an educated decision given the calculations for sensors that are 1/2.5" and 1/3".

Maybe you can weigh in on this John.

BH
Bohan Huang
May 12, 2013

Unless Vivotek is willing to publish the sensor model used the actual size of the sensor may well be different to that on the spec sheet. We have discovered this issue with more than 1 world Top 20 manufactuer.

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