Field of View

Adjusts the amount of the scene that is visible and the amount of perspective flare.

Reference

Field of View defines the width of your view as an angle with its apex at your eyepoint and the ends at the sides fo the view. The effect of changing FOV is similar to changing the lens on a camera. As the FOV gets larger, you see more of your scene and the perspective becomes distorted, similar to using a wide-angle lens. As the FOV gets smaller, you see less of your scene and the perspective flattens, similar to using a telephoto lens.

Although this button appears to have an effect similar to a zoom, you're actually changing the perspective, resulting in increased or decreased distortion in the viewport. In a camera viewport, Field of View controls the width of the area a camera views and represents the arc of the camera’s horizon in degrees. You can adjust the Field of View value for a camera in its creation parameters, accessible through the command panel.

The Field of View (FOV) button appears in place of the Region Zoom button when a Perspective view is active. If you want to zoom in close on an area of the Perspective view, switch the viewport to User view first (press u). Use the Region Zoom to zoom in, then switch back to Perspective view (press p).

FOV is modal and stays active until you right-click or select another command.

How To

To adjust the Field of View

1. Activate a Camera viewport.
2. Click Field of View.
3. Drag in the viewport to adjust the FOV angle.
• Dragging down widens (increases) the FOV angle, reduces lens length, displays more of your scene, and exaggerates perspective.
• Dragging up narrows (decreases) the FOV angle, increases lens length, displays less of your scene, and flattens perspective.

To view a narrower area, do either of the following

• Change the FOV parameter to decrease the camera's field of view.
• Click a button with a longer focal length. Use the Lens parameter to give the focal length a value other than the preset, stock values on the buttons.

In a camera viewport, the FOV button lets you adjust the field of view interactively.

The camera viewport Perspective button also changes the FOV in conjunction with dollying the camera.

Note: Only the FOV value is saved with the camera. The focal length value is another way to express and select the FOV.

To type an FOV value in a Perspective view

1. Activate a viewport with a Perspective view.
2. Right-click Field of View to display the Viewport Configuration dialog.
3. Click the Rendering Methods tab.
4. Enter an angle in the FOV field.