Photographers know well that changing lens provides access to different creative effects, from the panoramic impression of an ultra-wide angle lens to the compressed perspective of a telephoto. CryEngine's fixed 60 degree diagonal field of view is approximately the equivalent of the human eye, roughly the same as a
40mm focal length lens on a 35mm film camera.
While the avatar is restricted to this fixed view angle, playing about in Sandbox it is possible to create multiple cameras, each with its own field-of-view of up to 180 degrees. Here, by way of example, a range of fields of view from the same viewpoint, each with the approximate 35mm film focal length equivalent.
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| 5mm (180 degrees) |
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| 24mm (80 degrees) |
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| 40mm (60 degrees) |
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| 200mm (10 degrees) |
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| 400mm (5 degrees) |
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| 1600mm (1.7 degrees) |
The artistic possibilities are immediately obvious, and choosing a narrow field of view (reaching for that telephoto lens) has the useful and realistic effect of compressing both perspective and depth of field. Interesting potential here for cinematic style zoom and dolly combinations. Time to experiment.
