I’ve been using the thin lens approximation to calculate the minimum object distance and field of view of an imaging lens and camera I have, is there a simple formula for estimating these parameters?

Unfortunately, because the thin lens equation is only an approximation for theoretical lenses with no power and no physical thickness, it is not really appropriate for predicting Field of View and conjugate distances for complex lens assemblies. These assemblies involve real thick lenses that have both thickness and power, as well as, greater field angles. Therefore, these types of calculations are usually limited to lens design software such as ZEMAX or Code V. If you are looking for something to do this you might want to look into software such as OSLO which can be found online and is a free download.

Nonetheless, there a few equations that you may find useful for calculating field of view and working distance. The equations are as follows: Tan(Angular Field of View/2)=Object Size/(2 x Working Distance) or Focal Length = Image Size x (Working Distance/Object Size) These equations are very useful for estimation. For more accurate results, most designers use optical design software such as ZEMAX or Code V.