What is the impact of longer focal lengths on the angle of view?

The impact of longer focal lengths on the angle of view is that it becomes narrower. This is because a longer focal length lens captures a smaller portion of the scene in front of it compared to a shorter focal length lens. In photographic and surveying contexts, this means that longer focal lengths are typically used for zooming in on distant subjects, allowing for greater detail without needing to physically approach the object being observed.

When using a longer focal length, the lens's field of view decreases, effectively compressing the image and allowing more detail from a specific area to be focused on. This characteristic is essential in various applications, such as surveying land, where understanding the details of specific features or objects at a distance is crucial. Conversely, shorter focal lengths increase the angle of view, capturing more of the surrounding area but at the expense of detail in the distance.