FocalLength: What This Metadata Tag Means

What it means

FocalLength tells you how far the lens was zoomed. On a phone, a small value like 6.8 mm is normal because the sensor is tiny; FocalLengthIn35mmFormat gives the comparable full-frame value.

Example

Tag

FocalLength

Group in ExifMeta

EXIF

Example value

6.8 mm

This is how the tag appears in ExifMeta’s results. The value in your file will differ.

Typical values

Phones show small numbers, usually between about 2 and 16 mm, because their sensors are small. Camera lenses show the familiar values printed on the lens, such as 24, 50, or 200 mm.

Where it comes from

Cameras and phones write it at capture. Zoom lenses report the setting used for that shot.

What it is useful for

On a zoom lens it shows how far you zoomed for a shot. On a phone it tells you which camera module took the picture, because each module has its own focal length.

Watch out for

Focal lengths cannot be compared across cameras with different sensor sizes. Use FocalLengthIn35mmFormat to compare a phone with a camera.

Related tags

Tags that often appear next to FocalLength, and what each one records.

• FocalLengthIn35mmFormat

  FocalLengthIn35mmFormat converts a lens’s focal length to its full-frame equivalent, so fields of view can be compared across cameras.

• LensModel

  LensModel names the lens that took a photo, often with its focal length and aperture. On phones it also tells you which of the cameras was used.

Find it in your file

Upload a file to ExifMeta, then type FocalLength into the “Search tags and values” box under All metadata. If nothing matches, the file does not contain this tag.

Learn more in the guide: How to See What Camera Settings a Photo Used