diff --git a/gl/cogl.c b/gl/cogl.c
index bb6853b76..91af4be31 100644
--- a/gl/cogl.c
+++ b/gl/cogl.c
@@ -549,6 +549,8 @@ cogl_setup_viewport (guint        width,
 		     ClutterFixed z_near,
 		     ClutterFixed z_far)
 {
+  GLfloat z_camera;
+  
   GE( glViewport (0, 0, width, height) );
   
   GE( glMatrixMode (GL_PROJECTION) );
@@ -562,7 +564,9 @@ cogl_setup_viewport (guint        width,
   /* camera distance from screen, 0.5 * tan (FOV) */
 #define DEFAULT_Z_CAMERA 0.866025404f
 
-  GE( glTranslatef (-0.5f, -0.5f, -DEFAULT_Z_CAMERA) );
+  z_camera = CLUTTER_FIXED_TO_FLOAT (clutter_tani (fovy) >> 1);
+
+  GE( glTranslatef (-0.5f, -0.5f, -z_camera) );
   GE( glScalef ( 1.0f / width, 
 	    -1.0f / height, 
 		 1.0f / width) );
diff --git a/gles/cogl.c b/gles/cogl.c
index 0739a7b57..133572438 100644
--- a/gles/cogl.c
+++ b/gles/cogl.c
@@ -489,7 +489,8 @@ cogl_setup_viewport (guint         w,
 {
   gint width = (gint) w;
   gint height = (gint) h;
-    
+  ClutterFixed z_camera;
+  
   GE( glViewport (0, 0, width, height) );
   GE( glMatrixMode (GL_PROJECTION) );
   GE( glLoadIdentity () );
@@ -505,10 +506,9 @@ cogl_setup_viewport (guint         w,
 
   /* camera distance from screen, 0.5 * tan (FOV) */
 #define DEFAULT_Z_CAMERA 0.866025404f
-
-  GE( glTranslatex (-1 << 15, 
-		    -1 << 15, 
-		    -CLUTTER_FLOAT_TO_FIXED(DEFAULT_Z_CAMERA)) );
+  z_camera = clutter_tani (fovy) << 1;
+  
+  GE( glTranslatex (-1 << 15, -1 << 15, -z_camera );
 
   GE( glScalex ( CFX_ONE / width, 
 		 -CFX_ONE / height,