Below is a simple cheat sheet to help you determine the equivalent focal length of any Full Frame lens on Super 35mm, Micro Four Thirds, or Super 16mm camera.

I wanted to put this together to serve as an easy reference for anyone trying to accomplish a specific visual look without the “correct” tool set.

For instance, you might love the look of a 28mm lens on full frame, but are shooting on a Micro Four Thirds sensor. This would mean pairing your camera body with a 14mm lens to adjust for the 2x crop factor.

Or you just picked up a vintage 80mm full frame stills lens and want to pair it with your Super 35 mirrorless camera. In this case, the 1.6x crop factor would make the lens appear closer to 128mm once adapted.

Whatever your technical objectives may me, the two charts below should serve as an easy reference to help you find the right camera / lens configuration.

Focal Length Guides

I’ve included two versions of the focal length table below to help with different use-cases.

The first table shows which lens you would need to use in Super 35, Micro Four Thirds, and Super 16 formats to achieve the same field of view as the original full frame lens. You can reference this table if you have a specific full frame look in mind, and want to replicate it with a smaller sensor.

The second table can be used to easily calculate the relative focal length of any given full frame lens when paired with a crop sensor camera. This is the table to reference if you have existing full frame glass and want to determine the equivalent look when used with a smaller sensor.

Keep in mind that some of the equivalent focal lengths listed on these charts are purely theoretical. For instance, replicating the look of an 8mm full-frame lens with Super 16 would require a lens smaller than 3mm, which is non-existent in that format. 

Similarly, some of the focal lengths below may not be available for purchase on the lens market. Just as one example – the 116mm focal length (Super35 equivalent for 185mm) is not a standard lens and can’t be purchased off the shelf. Still, I’ve included these calculations on the table to help get you as close as possible.

Both tables use the following average calculations for each focal length / crop factor:

Full Frame: 1x

Super 35: 1.6x

Micro-Four Thirds: 2x

Super 16: 3x 

Focal Length Guide: Equivalent Lenses For Crop Sensor Cameras

This table can be used to determine the equivalent lens needed in order to achieve a similar field of view with a crop sensor camera.

Focal Length Guide: Full Frame Lens To Relative Field Of Review

This additional table can be used to anticipate the relative focal length each full frame lens will create when paired with a crop sensor camera.

Hopefully this guide has been helpful for those of you researching the best camera / lens pairings for your projects.

If I missed anything or you would like me to add any additional focal lengths, feel free to leave a comment below!

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