Projector Brightness & Foot-Lamberts
Foot-lamberts (fL) measure the brightness at your screen. Aim for 12 to 16 fL in a dark room, 30+ fL with any ambient light.
Projector lumens, screen size, and screen gain combine to produce fL. A dimmer projector on a smaller, higher-gain screen can look brighter than a big projector on a huge low-gain screen.
Related topics
- Screen Size & Viewing DistanceSMPTE recommends about a 30 degree viewing angle; THX prefers 36 degrees. Screen width times 1.5 to 1.9 gives a good seat distance.
- Home Theater BasicsThe three things every home theater does: reproduce dialog clearly, place effects around you, and hit the peaks films are mixed at.
- Common Beginner MistakesThe mistakes that cost real performance for no good reason.