Cinema camera
Vision Research Phantom HD GOLD (and Phantom HD) recording modes
The Vision Research Phantom HD GOLD (and Phantom HD) has 6 recording modes in the Cutvey Viewfinder gear list, from 2048 x 2048 (Full Sensor, F-mount) at 25.6 × 25.6 mm down to 1280 x 720 at 16 × 9 mm. A 35mm lens covers 40.2° across on the widest mode and 25.8° on the narrowest, so the mode you record changes the frame as much as the lens does.
On this page
Recording modes and sizes
Each row is one recording mode as the app knows it: the active area the mode reads from the sensor, the resolution it records, the image circle a lens must cover, and how much smaller it is than a 36 × 24 mm full frame by diagonal. The last column is the line the app prints under the mode: the maker, how the size was found and the day it was read.
| Mode | Active area | Resolution | Image circle | Full frame crop | Size from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2048 x 2048 (Full Sensor, F-mount) | 25.6 × 25.6 mm | 2048 × 2048 | 36.2 mm | 1.2x | Vision Research · published · 2026-10-11 |
| 2048 x 1536 (2K 4:3, PL-mount max) (anamorphic intended) | 25.6 × 19.2 mm | 2048 × 1536 | 32 mm | 1.35x | Vision Research · derived from pixel pitch · 2026-10-11 |
| 2048 x 1104 (2K 1.85) | 25.6 × 13.8 mm | 2048 × 1104 | 29.1 mm | 1.49x | Vision Research · derived from pixel pitch · 2026-10-11 |
| 2048 x 872 (2K 2.35) | 25.6 × 10.9 mm | 2048 × 872 | 27.8 mm | 1.56x | Vision Research · derived from pixel pitch · 2026-10-11 |
| 1920 x 1080 (HD) | 24 × 13.5 mm | 1920 × 1080 | 27.5 mm | 1.57x | Vision Research · derived from pixel pitch · 2026-10-11 |
| 1280 x 720 | 16 × 9 mm | 1280 × 720 | 18.4 mm | 2.36x | Vision Research · derived from pixel pitch · 2026-10-11 |
"Published" means the size was read from a published figure. "Derived from pixel pitch" means it was worked out from the photosite count and the published pixel size. A Provisional mode is still waiting for a second person to check it, so give its frame a little room. Counted November 2, 2026.
Anamorphic modes
2048 x 1536 (2K 4:3, PL-mount max) is flagged as made for anamorphic lenses. With a squeeze the lens sees a wider slice than the mode's width, and the picture is stretched back out in post. Horizontal angle with a 2x squeeze:
| Mode | 40mm 2x | 50mm 2x | 75mm 2x | 100mm 2x |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2048 x 1536 (2K 4:3, PL-mount max) | 65.2° | 54.2° | 37.7° | 28.7° |
Try another squeeze in the anamorphic calculator or read anamorphic lenses explained.
Field of view for a standard lens set
Degrees across the frame for spherical primes, worked out from each mode's own width. A wider mode sees more on the same lens; that is why a 35mm feels different on open gate and on a 4K crop.
| Mode | 18mm | 24mm | 35mm | 50mm | 85mm | 135mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2048 x 2048 (Full Sensor, F-mount) | 70.8° | 56.1° | 40.2° | 28.7° | 17.1° | 10.8° |
| 2048 x 1536 (2K 4:3, PL-mount max) | 70.8° | 56.1° | 40.2° | 28.7° | 17.1° | 10.8° |
| 2048 x 1104 (2K 1.85) | 70.8° | 56.1° | 40.2° | 28.7° | 17.1° | 10.8° |
| 2048 x 872 (2K 2.35) | 70.8° | 56.1° | 40.2° | 28.7° | 17.1° | 10.8° |
| 1920 x 1080 (HD) | 67.4° | 53.1° | 37.8° | 27.0° | 16.1° | 10.2° |
| 1280 x 720 | 47.9° | 36.9° | 25.8° | 18.2° | 10.8° | 6.8° |
The lens that frames like full frame
If the director thinks in full frame focal lengths, this is the lens on each mode that gives the same horizontal angle. The last column does the same against a Super 35 frame 24.89 mm wide.
| Mode | Like a 24mm on full frame | Like a 35mm | Like a 50mm | Like a 35mm on Super 35 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2048 x 2048 (Full Sensor, F-mount) | 17.1mm | 24.9mm | 35.6mm | 36mm |
| 2048 x 1536 (2K 4:3, PL-mount max) | 17.1mm | 24.9mm | 35.6mm | 36mm |
| 2048 x 1104 (2K 1.85) | 17.1mm | 24.9mm | 35.6mm | 36mm |
| 2048 x 872 (2K 2.35) | 17.1mm | 24.9mm | 35.6mm | 36mm |
| 1920 x 1080 (HD) | 16mm | 23.3mm | 33.3mm | 33.7mm |
| 1280 x 720 | 10.7mm | 15.6mm | 22.2mm | 22.5mm |
Pick any two modes in the crop factor calculator to match a lens on another camera, or read sensor size and field of view.
Depth of field on each mode
Cutvey Viewfinder picks the circle of confusion for depth of field from the recording mode's own gate, unless you choose one on the panel. These are the values it starts from.
| Mode | Diagonal | Circle of confusion | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2048 x 2048 (Full Sensor, F-mount) | 36.2 mm | 0.025 mm | nearest to Super 35 |
| 2048 x 1536 (2K 4:3, PL-mount max) | 32 mm | 0.025 mm | nearest to Super 35 |
| 2048 x 1104 (2K 1.85) | 29.1 mm | 0.025 mm | nearest to Super 35 |
| 2048 x 872 (2K 2.35) | 27.8 mm | 0.025 mm | nearest to Super 35 |
| 1920 x 1080 (HD) | 27.5 mm | 0.025 mm | nearest to Super 35 |
| 1280 x 720 | 18.4 mm | 0.015 mm | nearest to Super 16 |
Work out near, far and hyperfocal for any lens in the depth of field calculator.
Frame this camera in the app
Open Cutvey Viewfinder, tap the strip at the top of the viewfinder and choose Vision Research Phantom HD GOLD (and Phantom HD) and the mode you will record. Your iPhone or iPad then draws that mode's frame for every lens in your kit, with the band where a lens sees wider than the phone. Check one lens here first in the field of view calculator.
More Vision Research bodies
- Phantom 65
- Phantom Flex
- Phantom Flex4K
- Phantom Miro 320S (LC320S / LC321S / M / LAB)
- Phantom TMX 6410
- Phantom TMX 7510
- Phantom v10
- Phantom v2512
- Phantom v2640 (and v2640 Onyx)
- Phantom v7.3
- Phantom v710
- Phantom v711
- Phantom v9.1 (and v9.0)
- Phantom VEO 340
- Phantom VEO 410
- Phantom VEO 4K
- Phantom VEO 640
- Phantom VEO 710
Camera and lens names are trademarks of their respective owners, used only to identify the equipment. The sizes come from the Cutvey Viewfinder gear list, which is as accurate as its sources. Request a correction.
Related
Frame the Vision Research Phantom HD GOLD on your phone
Cutvey Viewfinder draws this camera's frame for every lens in your kit, on iPhone and iPad. $19.99, once.