Phone camera field of view issue

[Hoofy]

I noticed that videos using the "selfie cam" are pretty narrow. Any way of increasing the field of view for creating videos for work purposes?

[PHZero]

Hoofy said:

I noticed that videos using the "selfie cam" are pretty narrow. Any way of increasing the field of view for creating videos for work purposes?

Use your phone in landscape mode and move it further away from the subject matter.

Easier perhaps than trying to defy the laws of physics!

Edited by PHZero on Wednesday 16th February 23:47

[Hoofy]

PHZero said:

Hoofy said:

I noticed that videos using the "selfie cam" are pretty narrow. Any way of increasing the field of view for creating videos for work purposes?

Use your phone in landscape mode and move further it away from the subject matter.

Easier perhaps than trying to defy the laws of physics!

It's against a wall. When I change from "photo" to "video", it goes narrow.

[PHZero]

If it's an iPhone you can tap on the '1x' at the bottom of the screen (when in video mode) to zoom out to 0.5x 'zoom' and a wider field of view as required.

[Hoofy]

PHZero said:

If it's an iPhone you can tap on the '1x' at the bottom of the screen (when in video mode) to zoom out to 0.5x 'zoom' and a wider field of view as required.

Sadly, it's an android (Motorola) with no such options.

[PHZero]

Can you zoom out by placing two fingers in two diagonally opposite corners of the screen and then bring (pinch) them together?

[Hoofy]

PHZero said:

Can you zoom out by placing two fingers in two diagonally opposite corners of the screen and then bring (pinch) them together?

No, just apart... goes from x1.0 and upwards.

[Hoofy]

Do you know of any useful android apps?

[eltawater]

The phone doesn't have enough processing power to capture video at the same image resolution as a still photograph. So they cheat by reducing the size of the area of pixels they use on the camera sensor when shooting video, hence the narrowing in effect that you can see.

[Smurfsarepeopletoo]

Turn the phone around and use the rear camera, and then just crop the start and end of the video.

[Hoofy]

Smurfsarepeopletoo said:

Turn the phone around and use the rear camera, and then just crop the start and end of the video.

Love your name.

The only issue I can see is that when I turn it around, because it's against a wall, I can't see if the phone is straight or wonky.

[Hoofy]

eltawater said:

The phone doesn't have enough processing power to capture video at the same image resolution as a still photograph. So they cheat by reducing the size of the area of pixels they use on the camera sensor when shooting video, hence the narrowing in effect that you can see.

Damn. Shame we can't zoom out so it goes to 0.5x or whatever.

[Hoofy]

I've got an idea.

When I was messing about with my selfie lens that I use on a webcam for Zoom workshops, I noticed that it included far too much of the room and that's why I ditched the idea.

I suddenly realised that if I use the lens, I could zoom in a bit (1.5x?), and with the phone set on 1080p, it should keep the quality. I will test later and report back.

[Hoofy]

Well, that idea worked except it was a little too grainy for my liking, possibly down to the low quality lens.

Also, the recording volume wasn't great so I'm not sure what to do. Apart from buy a better phone.

[sgrimshaw]

You could just get a compact digital camera with a flip out screen.

No need to spend a lot ... certainly less than a new phone I'd have thought.

[Hoofy]

sgrimshaw said:

You could just get a compact digital camera with a flip out screen.

No need to spend a lot ... certainly less than a new phone I'd have thought.

Interesting idea! I didn't even think they made that kind of thing any more but the first search result says vlogging so that makes sense.

[sgrimshaw]

Hoofy said:

Interesting idea! I didn't even think they made that kind of thing any more but the first search result says vlogging so that makes sense.

Decent make vlogging cameras will be expensive.

Some Sony compacts have flip out screens, if you want top quality then look at the Sony RX100 range, the Sony RX100 M3 added flip out screen to the model range and are quite affordable (especially if you're OK with pre-owned).

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sony-cybershot-ds...

RX100s are one of the best range of compact cameras out there, top quality lens and big sensor.

[Hoofy]

sgrimshaw said:

Hoofy said:

Interesting idea! I didn't even think they made that kind of thing any more but the first search result says vlogging so that makes sense.

Decent make vlogging cameras will be expensive.

Some Sony compacts have flip out screens, if you want top quality then look at the Sony RX100 range, the Sony RX100 M3 added flip out screen to the model range and are quite affordable (especially if you're OK with pre-owned).

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sony-cybershot-ds...

RX100s are one of the best range of compact cameras out there, top quality lens and big sensor.

Thanks, will have a look at that. Any cheaper ones that you'd recommend?

[sgrimshaw]

Hoofy said:

Thanks, will have a look at that. Any cheaper ones that you'd recommend?

Any of the Sony Cybershots which have one, I've personally got an HX99V (and the RX100) which is excellent but more than a pre-owned RX100.

The WX500 has a flip screen and comes in around £280.

I know Canon have done flip screens but am not that familiar with them.

[Hoofy]

sgrimshaw said:

Hoofy said:

Thanks, will have a look at that. Any cheaper ones that you'd recommend?

Any of the Sony Cybershots which have one, I've personally got an HX99V (and the RX100) which is excellent but more than a pre-owned RX100.

The WX500 has a flip screen and comes in around £280.

I know Canon have done flip screens but am not that familiar with them.

That price sounds good.

What's the biggest field of view?

Can you zoom out?

What is the multiplier eg 0.5x?