látóteret

Látóteret, literally “field of view” in Hungarian, is a term used to describe the extent of an observable area that an eye, an optical instrument, or a sensor can capture at a given instant. In everyday usage the expression refers to what a person can see without moving their eyes or head, and in technical contexts it denotes the angular span subtended by a detector or lens relative to an object.

The concept of látóteret has roots in optics and astronomy, where calculating the viewable cone of a telescope or a camera is essential for designing accurate imaging systems. In photography and cinematography, the width of the lens’s field of view determines how much of a scene is recorded; wide‑angle lenses provide a broader látóteret, while telephoto lenses narrow it.

In architecture and interior design, architects analyze the látóteret of a space to evaluate how openly occupants perceive a room, ensuring adequate sightlines and natural light flow. Urban planners use the notion in evaluating pedestrian visibility and safety, calculating how far a person can see from a street intersection.

Computer graphics and virtual reality also rely on látóteret calculations. Rendering engines calculate the view frustum – the three‑dimensional equivalent of a látóteret – to determine which objects need to be drawn, optimizing performance.

While the term is Hungarian, its equivalent concepts appear worldwide under names such as field of view, dioptric field, or visual field. The interdisciplinary usage underscores the importance of látóteret in any field that requires precise mediation between observer and perceivable environment.