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Cinema screen brightness calculator
Will this projector light that screen? Enter the light output, the screen and its gain, and the losses in the path; the calculator gives the brightness at screen centre and what you would need for the 2D reference.
Projector and screen
Result
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With the same screen, gain and losses.
Estimate for screen centre. Confirm with a spot-meter reading. Runs in your browser.
Everything here runs in your own browser. No values are sent to us, nothing is stored, and there is no sign-up.
How it is calculated
Screen luminance in foot-lamberts is the light reaching the screen, in lumens, multiplied by the screen gain and divided by the screen area in square feet. One foot-lambert is 3.426 nits. The DCI reference for 2D is 14 fL at screen centre; see foot-lambert and laser projection.
It is an estimate: real rooms lose light unevenly, and a spot-meter reading at screen centre is the number that counts.
Frequently asked questions
How many lumens do I need for a cinema screen?
Enough to reach about 14 foot-lamberts at screen centre after losses. For a matte white screen (gain 1.0) that is roughly 14 lumens per square foot of screen, plus whatever the port glass, lens and 3D system absorb.
How do I convert foot-lamberts to nits?
Multiply by 3.426. The 14 fL cinema reference is about 48 nits.
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