What is field-of-view?
The field of view is the size of the area that can be viewed through the binoculars. Field of view is measured in two ways, angular field of view and linear field of view. The angular field of view is measured in degrees. Linear field of view is the width of area, in feet, visible at one thousand yards. Remember that the higher the power of your binocular, the smaller the field of view will be. In most cases, the larger the field of view, the poorer the image clarity becomes, especially around the edges. Bear this in mind when making your choice. Bigger does not always mean better!
The field of view is the area of magnification you are able to see through the lens. Generally, the larger the diameter (or lens area for rectangular of square lenses) the larger the magnifier’s field of view. However, not all magnifiers are the same and some have larger fields of view than others.
The side-to-side measurement of the circular viewing field or subject area. It is defined by the width in feet or meters of the area visible at 1000 yards or meters. A wide-angle binocular features a wide field-of-view and is better for following action. Generally, the higher the magnification, the narrower the field-of-view.
The field of view is the size of the magnified area under the lens that is in focus. The field of view decreases as power increases. More powerful lenses make small details look big, but less of the total object is visible. There is a trade-off for the viewer who must decide between the size of the field of view and amount of magnification.
Field of view refers to the diameter of the area seen through a binocular. It should be noted again that in line with the laws of physics, the higher the power the smaller must be the field of view and vice versa. Field of view is often expressed as an angle. Retractable eyecups allow eyeglass wearers a full field of view.
