Field of View (FOV)
Understanding Binocular Terms

Field of View basically tells you how much of the scene you will be able to see. It is usually measured as an angle in degrees, but can also be given in feet. It can be a very important consideration when selecting binoculars.

Some binoculars give both measurements.

When given in feet, it gives you the maximum size of the area you would be able to see if it was 1000 yards away. A Field of View of 1° (one degree) is the equivalent to 52.5 feet.

The most important factor in determining the field of view is the magnification. The size of the objective lens is NOT a major factor.

Generally, the higher the magnification, the smaller the field of view.

A large FOV is likely to be more desirable if the subject matter is moving, or when the user is moving. For close-quarter observation in woods a wider FOV would also help.

As a rough guide, with 8 x magnification, a FOV of 5° is about average, 6° is good and 7° or more would be considered very wide. At 12 x magnification, however, 5° or more would be considered wide, and 4° quite good.