Tools · Calculator

How bright should your projector be?

The most common reason a projector disappoints is too little brightness for the room. Set your screen and your lighting, and we'll work out the lumens you actually need — in foot-lamberts, the way cinemas measure it.

Need throw distance too? Open the throw calculator →

PERCEIVED BRIGHTNESS

Preview shifts brighter or dimmer as you change inputs

Lumens you need ~1,300 ANSI lumens (rated)
Brightness target 16 fL foot-lamberts
Screen area 42.6 ft² 8.7 × 4.9 ft

Why brightness is the make-or-break spec

People shop projectors by resolution, but in the real world the difference between a stunning image and a flat, washed-out one is almost always brightness for the room. Foot-lamberts measure what your eye actually sees — light bounced off the screen — and the target changes dramatically once you let any ambient light into the space.

We size lumens against your exact screen area and gain, then build the room to protect that image with the right screen material, shading, and lighting control. It's the difference between a projector that wows in daylight and one that only works after dark.

Lutron-lit living space by Firebird AV in Santa Barbara

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Let's get the brightness right the first time.

Visit the showroom by appointment, or tell us about your project and we'll be in touch within one business day.

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