Enter your projector lumens, screen size and screen gain to see how bright the picture will really be, in foot-lamberts and nits.
How it works
Foot-lamberts equal lumens times screen gain divided by screen area in square feet. One foot-lambert is about 3.426 nits. Cinemas usually aim for around 14 foot-lamberts, and a range of 12 to 22 is common for home theatre.
Real brightness is usually lower than the box figure, so treat the result as a best-case number.
Frequently asked questions
What brightness do I need?
About 12 to 22 foot-lamberts suits a dark room. If the room has light, aim higher.
Why is my picture dimmer than expected?
Lumens drop with lamp age, eco modes and colour modes. Cinema modes are often much dimmer than the brightest mode.
Does HDR need more brightness?
Yes. HDR content looks best with more brightness than standard content, which most home projectors cannot fully match.
