EXIF Focal Length
The focal length of the lens in millimetres. On phones this is a computed value that varies with the digital zoom factor.
Quick facts
| Tag ID | 0x920A FocalLength, 0xA405 FocalLengthIn35mmFilm |
|---|---|
| Stored in | ExifIFD |
| Example value | 26 mm on an iPhone 15 Pro main camera, 77 mm on a telephoto lens, 4.6 mm on a wide lens |
| Also known as | FocalLength, mm, zoom, 35mm equivalent, FocalLengthIn35mmFilm |
| Privacy risk | Low risk. Identifies lens class, not the owner. |
What the Focal Length tag actually means
Focal length describes the distance between the lens and the sensor, and it determines the angle of view. A short focal length gives a wide field of view; a long one gives a narrow, magnified view. Smartphones with multiple cameras record a different focal length for each one.
Why it matters
The focal length is a fingerprint for the device and zoom level. On a multi-camera phone, it tells you which lens was used, and combined with the capture settings it makes a photo easy to match against other photos from the same device.
What to do about it
Safe to keep. Removing it only matters if you want to avoid device-fingerprinting at scale.
Who writes this tag
Cameras and multi-camera smartphones.
Sources and how this was verified
Tag IDs and encodings are taken from the CIPA DC-007-Translation (Exif 3.0) and ISO/IEC 21222-1 specifications. The privacy rating is our own editorial judgement, based on what each field can uniquely identify. Every entry in this reference is checked against real files produced by the cameras, phones and editors we test with.
- CIPA DC-007-Translation 2019 (Exif 3.0) — tag identifiers and IFD structure
- ISO/IEC 21222-1:2015 — data element registration
- Adobe XMP Specification (2024) — XMP packet properties
- IPTC IIM 4.2 — news/photo metadata field numbers
See our editorial and review policyfor how we test, rate and correct these entries. Found an error? Tell us.
Related EXIF tags
The aperture (f-number) your camera lens was set to when the photo was taken. It tells you how wide the lens opening was, which narrows down the camera and lens model.
The specific camera or phone model, such as "iPhone 15 Pro" or "Canon EOS R6 Mark II". Narrower than the make and more identifying.
The pixel width and height of the stored image, plus the original capture dimensions. Technical, not private — but it is a reliable fingerprint for grouping photos.
Focal Length FAQ
Common questions about the EXIF focal length tag, its values and its privacy implications.
What does 26 mm mean in photo EXIF data?
26 mm is the focal length of the lens. On modern phones, each rear camera has a different focal length — typically around 13-15 mm for the ultra-wide, 24-26 mm for the main camera, and 120-240 mm for the telephoto.
Is focal length in EXIF the same as 35mm equivalent?
No. The FocalLength tag (0x920A) is the true focal length. A separate optional tag, FocalLengthIn35mmFilm (0xA405), holds the 35mm-equivalent value, which is larger because phone sensors are physically tiny.
Does focal length reveal your location?
No. Focal length is a lens property, not a position. It carries no location data of any kind.
Cite this reference
If you are writing about the EXIF focal length tag, you are welcome to link to this entry. It is maintained, versioned and reviewed on a published schedule.
“EXIF Focal Length (0x920A FocalLength), freexifdata.com EXIF Tag Reference, reviewed October 20, 2026.”