FocalLengthIn35mmFormat: What This Metadata Tag Means
FocalLengthIn35mmFormat converts a lens’s focal length to its full-frame equivalent, so fields of view can be compared across cameras.
Last updated: November 13, 2026
What it means
A phone lens with a real focal length of 6.8 mm shows about the same field of view as a 24 mm lens on a full-frame camera. This tag records that equivalent.
Example
- Tag
- FocalLengthIn35mmFormat
- Group in ExifMeta
- EXIF
- Example value
- 24 mm
This is how the tag appears in ExifMeta’s results. The value in your file will differ.
Typical values
Typical phone values are 13 or 14 mm for the ultra-wide camera, 24 or 26 mm for the main camera, and 48 to 120 mm for telephoto cameras. A value of 0 means the device did not record one.
Where it comes from
Most phones and many cameras write it. When it is missing, ExifTool can often calculate a value from the sensor size and shows it in the Composite group as FocalLength35efl.
What it is useful for
It is the number to use when you compare framing between devices, for example to see whether a phone’s 2x mode matches a 50 mm lens on a camera.
Watch out for
It describes the field of view only, not depth of field or image quality.
Find it in your file
Upload a file to ExifMeta, then type FocalLengthIn35mmFormat 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
See the tags in your own file
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