Calculate pixels per degree, required resolution, field of view, or pixels per meter from resolution, FOV, distance, and aspect ratio.

Use horizontal resolution and horizontal FOV together. PPD is an average across the image. Distance calculations assume a rectilinear view of a plane perpendicular to the optical axis.

Related Calculators

Pixels Per Degree To Resolution Formula

Average horizontal pixels per degree (PPD) relates horizontal resolution to horizontal field of view without a distance term.

R = PPD × FOV

Variables:

  • R is the horizontal resolution in pixels
  • FOV is the field of view in degrees
  • Distance is not needed for average PPD
  • PPD is the pixels per degree

For average PPD, R = PPD × FOV in degrees. For a rectilinear view of a perpendicular plane, scene width = 2 × D × tan(FOV/2), and pixels per metre = R ÷ scene width. These are different quantities with different units; planar FOV must be below 180°.

Pixels per Degree (PPD) from Horizontal Resolution and FOV
Resolution (horizontal px) Field of View (°) Pixels per Degree (px/°)
12806021.33
12809014.22
19206032.00
19209021.33
192012016.00
25609028.44
256010025.60
256011023.27
344010034.40
344012028.67
38409042.67
384011034.91
384012032.00
40969045.51
512010051.20
512011046.55
512012042.67
76809085.33
768010076.80
768012064.00
Formula: PPD = horizontal resolution (px) ÷ FOV (degrees). If starting from megapixels, convert to horizontal pixels using the aspect ratio first.

What is Pixels Per Degree?

Pixels per degree (PPD) is a measure of the resolution of a display or imaging system in terms of the number of pixels that fit into one degree of the field of view. It is commonly used in virtual reality, augmented reality, and other applications where the clarity and detail of the image are critical. A higher PPD value indicates a higher resolution and better image quality.

How to Calculate Pixels Per Degree?

The following steps outline how to calculate the Pixels Per Degree.

  1. First, determine the resolution (R).
  2. Next, determine the field of view (FOV) in degrees.
  3. Distance is unnecessary for average PPD; use it only in the separate scene-density modes.
  4. Finally, calculate average pixels per degree using PPD = R / FOV, with FOV in degrees.
  5. After inserting the values and calculating the result, check your answer with the calculator above.

Example Problem : 

Use the following variables as an example problem to test your knowledge.

Resolution (R) = 1920

Field of view (FOV) = 90 degrees

Distance is not required for this PPD example.

Average pixels per degree = 1920 / 90 ≈ 21.33 px/°.