The influence of the concentration and size of sp² carbon clusters on the field emission properties of hydrogenated amorphous carbon thin films is investigated. In combination with electron paramagnetic resonance and optical measurements, it is shown that the trend in the threshold field for emission for films deposited under certain conditions can be explained in terms of improvements in the connectivity between sp² clusters. These clusters are believed to be located near the Fermi level, and the connectivity is primarily determined by the cluster size and concentration, which in turn is determined by the choice of deposition conditions. Details of the appropriate emission mechanisms for different types of deposited carbon films are discussed.