diff --git a/docs/faq.rst b/docs/faq.rst
index faced16f..b80770a1 100644
--- a/docs/faq.rst
+++ b/docs/faq.rst
@@ -82,3 +82,16 @@ You can easily specify a custom authentication with
 :py:class:`OpenApiAuthenticationExtension <drf_spectacular.extensions.OpenApiAuthenticationExtension>`.
 Have a look at :ref:`customization` on how to use ``Extensions``
 
+
+FileField (ImageField) is not handled properly in the schema
+------------------------------------------------------------
+In contrast to most other fields, ``FileField`` behaves differently for requests and responses.
+This duality is impossible to represent in a single component schema.
+
+For these cases, there is an option to split components into request and response parts
+by setting ``COMPONENT_SPLIT_REQUEST = True``. Note that this influences the whole schema,
+not just components with ``FileFields``.
+
+Also consider explicitly setting ``parser_classes = [parsers.MultiPartParser]`` (or any file compatible parser)
+on your `View` or write a custom `get_parser_classes`. These fields do not work with the default ``JsonParser``
+and that fact should be represented in the schema.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/drf_spectacular/openapi.py b/drf_spectacular/openapi.py
index 0d710d1f..d0f3dcd6 100644
--- a/drf_spectacular/openapi.py
+++ b/drf_spectacular/openapi.py
@@ -537,16 +537,12 @@ def _map_serializer_field(self, field, direction):
             return append_meta(content, meta)
 
         if isinstance(field, serializers.FileField):
-            if direction == 'response':
-                use_url = getattr(field, 'use_url', api_settings.UPLOADED_FILES_USE_URL)
-                if use_url:
-                    return append_meta(build_basic_type(OpenApiTypes.URI), meta)
-                else:
-                    return append_meta(build_basic_type(OpenApiTypes.STR), meta)
+            if spectacular_settings.COMPONENT_SPLIT_REQUEST and direction == 'request':
+                content = build_basic_type(OpenApiTypes.BINARY)
             else:
-                content = build_basic_type(OpenApiTypes.STR)
-                content['format'] = 'binary'
-                return append_meta(content, meta)
+                use_url = getattr(field, 'use_url', api_settings.UPLOADED_FILES_USE_URL)
+                content = build_basic_type(OpenApiTypes.URI if use_url else OpenApiTypes.STR)
+            return append_meta(content, meta)
 
         if isinstance(field, serializers.SerializerMethodField):
             method = getattr(field.parent, field.method_name)
diff --git a/tests/__init__.py b/tests/__init__.py
index 3b302021..63cc33af 100644
--- a/tests/__init__.py
+++ b/tests/__init__.py
@@ -39,9 +39,9 @@ def generate_schema(route, viewset=None, view=None, view_function=None):
     return schema
 
 
-def get_response_schema(operation, status='200'):
-    return operation['responses'][status]['content']['application/json']['schema']
+def get_response_schema(operation, status='200', content_type='application/json'):
+    return operation['responses'][status]['content'][content_type]['schema']
 
 
-def get_request_schema(operation):
-    return operation['requestBody']['content']['application/json']['schema']
+def get_request_schema(operation, content_type='application/json'):
+    return operation['requestBody']['content'][content_type]['schema']
diff --git a/tests/test_regressions.py b/tests/test_regressions.py
index e2265c60..14aeb056 100644
--- a/tests/test_regressions.py
+++ b/tests/test_regressions.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 from django.db.models import fields
 from django.db import models
 from django.urls import path, re_path
-from rest_framework import serializers, viewsets, mixins, routers, views, generics
+from rest_framework import serializers, viewsets, mixins, routers, views, generics, parsers
 from rest_framework.decorators import action, api_view
 from rest_framework.views import APIView
 
@@ -569,3 +569,24 @@ class XView(generics.ListAPIView):
     operation = schema['paths']['/x']['get']
     assert operation['operationId'] == 'x_list'
     assert get_response_schema(operation)['type'] == 'array'
+
+
+@mock.patch('drf_spectacular.settings.spectacular_settings.COMPONENT_SPLIT_REQUEST', True)
+def test_file_field_duality_on_split_request(no_warnings):
+    class XSerializer(serializers.Serializer):
+        file = serializers.FileField()
+
+    class XView(generics.ListCreateAPIView):
+        serializer_class = XSerializer
+        parser_classes = [parsers.MultiPartParser]
+
+    schema = generate_schema('/x', view=XView)
+    assert get_response_schema(
+        schema['paths']['/x']['get']
+    )['items']['$ref'] == '#/components/schemas/X'
+    assert get_request_schema(
+        schema['paths']['/x']['post'], content_type='multipart/form-data'
+    )['$ref'] == '#/components/schemas/XRequest'
+
+    assert schema['components']['schemas']['X']['properties']['file']['format'] == 'uri'
+    assert schema['components']['schemas']['XRequest']['properties']['file']['format'] == 'binary'