Panorama Overlap Calculator

How it is calculated

Three numbers go in: the total angle to cover (coverage, degrees), the lens's horizontal field of view (FOV, degrees) and the overlap between neighbouring frames (overlap, percent). The camera turns by step = FOV × (1 − overlap / 100) between frames. For a partial panorama the first frame already covers one FOV and every further frame adds one step, so shots = ceil((coverage − FOV) / step) + 1. For a full 360° the last frame overlaps the first, so no extra frame is needed: shots = ceil(360 / step). FOV and coverage must be above zero and neither may exceed 360, and overlap must be at least 0 and below 100; anything else shows no result. A coverage smaller than the FOV needs just one shot. Use the portrait or landscape FOV that matches how you hold the camera.

Common mistakes

• Using the lens's focal length instead of its field of view. The field is in degrees and depends on the sensor size and on whether the camera is held in landscape or portrait; the 35 mm number on the lens barrel is not the angle.
• Entering the diagonal field of view that some lens specifications list. Rotating the camera sideways needs the horizontal angle, which is smaller.
• Typing the overlap as a fraction. Enter 30 for 30%, not 0.3; 0.3% overlap would give a step almost equal to the full FOV.
• Treating 100% as the safest overlap. The tool rejects 100% because the camera would never move; around 20–30% is usually enough for stitching, and more only adds frames.
• Entering a coverage above 360, for example 400 for a bit of margin all round. The tool shows no result; enter 360 for a full circle, which already counts the overlap between the last and first frame.