What is the correct zoom to have realistic depth.

It is hard to word this, but what zoom level (in cockpit mode) do you use to have the most realistic depth of field out of the windscreen. is it 1.0, or is it closest to 0.00? It seems that 1.0 is really zoomed a lot, and I run out of runway quicker on takeoff. Hope you understand my question.

FSX-Steam

Technically, it's probably the 1.0 zoom that gives the most realistic perspective, but, like Doug, I usually run .70 from the virtual cockpit, occasionally changing to 0.8 in some situations. You're not running out of runway quicker, though I understand how it could seem that way, but with the limitations of a PC screen (and other things, too) it seems I need a bit of a wide-angle lens to recapture a proper perspective within the cockpit, and a more comfortable angle of view around.

From other than the VC, however, I don't really have a standard view, just zooming to whatever suits my purpose at the moment.

Just based on my RW experience at KMRY I like .70...Seems about as I remember it.....Doug

Thanks Doug! I had forgotten how cool KMRY is with the ORBX California scenery! Been flying in that and nearby areas today!

As to zoom, I find 80% to be good compromise between realistic and a wide angle dash in VC and view out the wind screen.

I read someplace that .75 is the most realistic, but I have no idea where it was I saw that. I've slept since then...

:D

Pat☺

Flying vfr and looking at the ground? Then 0.5 is close to reality, comparing real photos and screenshots. Hides the grass fields in plain sight among the farm fields too, which is usually the problem in real life.

Agree totally. I recall some developer once stating 0.50 is the. It's realistic. In FS9 I run 0.50 zoom,on all aircrafts. Then adjust the vc seat in the cfg to slide forward a little. The panel then stays the same distance basically but the outside feels far more correct.

In FSX I feel that 0.50 or even 0.40 is required.

It is hard to word this, but what zoom level (in cockpit mode) do you use to have the most realistic depth of field out of the windscreen. is it 1.0, or is it closest to 0.00? It seems that 1.0 is really zoomed a lot, and I run out of runway quicker on takeoff. Hope you understand my question.

FSX-Steam

It's a meaningless question unless you also state whether you use

WideViewAspect=False

or

WideViewAspect=True

as the zoom settings adapt according to a vertical or horizontal relative relationship depending on this setting according to the calculation:-

If WideViewAspect=FALSE

Horizontal FOV = (34.0) / (zoom factor)

Vertical FOV = (Horizontal FOV) * (view height / view width)

If WideViewAspect=TRUE

Vertical FOV = (34.0) / (zoom factor)

Horizontal FOV = (Vertical FOV) * (view width / view height)

Zoom is a proportional representation so it's obviously NOT the same viewpoint at 0.60x in TRUE as it is when FALSE.

For simplicity's sake, the connection can be thought of as follows:

TRUE = three clicks IN from default takes you to default FALSE

FALSE = three clicks OUT from default takes you to default TRUE

It would be useful if developers would include in their manuals whether their default settings are set using FALSE or TRUE, although in-sim it really only makes a difference to how the outside world is perceived - and perception is in the eye of the beholder. Based on reality, I'd say the default FALSE setting puts the relative position of outside objects at a truer perceived distance, but you lose the field of view which supplies speed cues and you may need to pan in VC to see the instruments.

Conversely, TRUE gives a much truer perception of the field of view and gives an easier instrument sweep across the width of the panel, but at the cost of losing the size perspective on external objects, possible difficulty of accessing clickspots on instruments (especially if latency is active) and a virtual head position that is somewhat aft of where it would be in the real world - kind of like putting your eyeballs in the headrest...

The advantage of either is down to the size and shape of your monitor, the resolution setting and after that personal preference.

Personally, for a narrow cockpit like a single-seater I use a wider field of view but with the setting FALSE and zoom set to .50 because there is already a need to pan around the cockpit to take in all the switches and gauges. Conversely, on an airliner VC the sweep is best served with TRUE and I use the mouse and spacebar to zoom in on the gauges I want to see precisely.

Finally, there is no `hot switch` to change between FALSE and TRUE on the `fly`, so you have to decide before each sim session where you want that setting. P3D does have that option, so is superior.

For a video explanation see:

Thanks Doug! I had forgotten how cool KMRY is with the ORBX California scenery! Been flying in that and nearby areas today!

 

As to zoom, I find 80% to be good compromise between realistic and a wide angle dash in VC and view out the wind screen.

I'm really biased because I lived on the Monterey Peninsula until I was 22. I think it's one of the best places in the world to fly in and out of. I took my first flight there in a Del Monte Aviation Cessna way back in 1958. They were always looking for prospective students. We flew down the coast to Big Sur and back. A ride I'll never forget. Back then there was a Cessna-sponsored PPL course for USD$600 and you were guaranteed a ticket or your money back. What a deal.....Doug

Back in '73, I finished my scuba class with our open water dives off Monterey. Beautiful place, lovely diving too.

A former girlfriend works in the Oceanography place down there too. Really made something of herself.

Anyway, sorry, just brought back some great memories...

Pat☺

I'm really biased because I lived on the Monterey Peninsula until I was 22. I think it's one of the best places in the world to fly in and out of. I took my first flight there in a Del Monte Aviation Cessna way back in 1958. They were always looking for prospective students. We flew down the coast to Big Sur and back. A ride I'll never forget. Back then there was a Cessna-sponsored PPL course for USD$600 and you were guaranteed a ticket or your money back. What a deal.....Doug

My favorite trip there was in a friend's V35 Beech Bonanza for the Pebble Beach car show!:cool::cool::cool:

..what zoom level (in cockpit mode) do you use to have the most realistic depth of field out of the windscreen. is it 1.0, or is it closest to 0.00?

Just use whatever zoom is comfortable for you personally..:)

I use .60 most of the time because it feels good.

Anything higher than that such as .70, .80, .90 and 1.00 makes me feel as if I'm looking through a telescope with a narrow field of view, and it's especially worse looking forward because the scenery seems to be coming at you in slow motion.

If you like the sensation of speed try .50 or .40 or even .30 and hold on to your hat..:)

PS- apart from the zoom, you can also slide your eyepoint around the virtual cockpit (VC) with these key combos to get things looking exactly how you want them.

(Hold keys down to slide your eyeballs)-

SHIFT Enter= Up

SHIFT Backspace=Down

SHIFT CTRL Enter= RIGHT

SHIFT CTRL Backspace= LEFT

CTRL Backspace= Forward

CTRL Enter= Back

Hold CTRL and hit SPACE= Reset

Here are some examples of VC eyepoint positions in this default Maule-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-eyepoint1_zps4opgkvwg.jpg~original

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-eyepoint2_zpsdttalvsl.jpg~original

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-eyepoint3_zpstiqjzyur.jpg~original

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-eyepoint4_zpsh60gqfzt.jpg~original

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub2/FSX-eyepointa_zpsivkq7sv2.jpg~original

In the 2D cockpit you can raise/lower the seat with these keys-

CTRL Q= Up

CTRL SHIFT Q= Down

Example of seat lowered in a DC-3

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMSF/FSX-2D1.gif

and raised-

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/CMSF/FSX-2D.gif

Before, I used to use Virtual Cockpit at 0.5 as people are mentioning here as it does seem about right.

One thing you can also do is in the fsx.cfg, you can set widescreen=0 to 1 and it will automatically adjust your views to suit better. It's what I did and it works a charm!