Studio Lighting Specifications: Criteria, Sample Table and Acceptance Tests

Start by describing the use

Start the specification with how the studio will be used, not with a list of brands or models. The same light can be the right choice for a low-ceilinged lecture recording room and fall short in a high-ceilinged news studio. An opening section that describes the use lets bidders propose solutions for the same need.

You can find example layouts by studio type on our university and corporate studio installation and TV and news studio installation pages. To gather the room details, use the checklist in our what you need to build a studio guide. At a minimum, the opening section should state:

• Studio dimensions, clear ceiling height and a measured sketch
• Existing or planned rigging: ceiling grid, rails, pantographs or stands
• Show types: news desk, interviews, lecture recording, green screen, live broadcast
• Number of people in shot, number of cameras and the frame rates used
• Backdrop or set type and the colour temperature the lights will be fixed at
• Who will use the studio: a technical crew, or teaching and administrative staff
• Existing equipment to keep: lights, lighting console, cabling

Specify performance, not brands

In public procurement, a technical specification is expected not to point to a single brand or model. Where a model has to be named as a reference, it is usually followed by “or equivalent”.

Writing performance criteria also works better in practice. Instead of “brand X, model Y”, measurable wording such as “at least … lux at 3 m and 5,600 K” lets you compare offers from different brands against the same yardstick. The same approach works for requests for quotation from private organisations.

Avoid copying a product’s spec sheet line by line: power, weight or lux figures unique to one model point to that model even without its name. Derive the values from your needs and write them as minimums or ranges. If you name a model as a reference, also state which of its features are the required ones; otherwise what “equivalent” covers stays open to dispute.

Colour accuracy and colour temperature

CRI and TLCI describe how accurately a light renders skin tones and colours on camera; TLCI was developed specifically for television cameras. In broadcast studios, 95 or above for CRI and 90 or above for TLCI are commonly used thresholds; lights with a TLCI above 90 usually need no colour correction. State whether the value is an average or a minimum and at which colour temperature it is measured; manufacturers usually publish averages. Setting the threshold higher than you need narrows the options for no reason.

Ask for a colour temperature range that matches the use. If every light will be fixed at one value, for example 5,600 K daylight, a wide range is not essential. If you need a warmer look or have to match other light sources, write a range such as “at least 2,700–6,500 K”. Ask bidders to state the deviation between set and measured colour temperature and how closely lights of the same model match each other.

Green/magenta (G/M) adjustment corrects a green or magenta tint in white light. It helps when matching different models, LED screens and cameras. Require the adjustment and ask for its range to be stated in the offer.

Flicker and dimming

Flicker the eye cannot see can show up on camera as banding or pulsing. The result depends on the camera’s frame rate and shutter, so the word “flicker-free” alone is not enough. Put the frame rates you use (e.g. 25 and 50 fps), your shutter settings and any high frame rates for slow motion in the specification.

On some lights, flicker only appears at low brightness. That is why the requirement should say “across the full dimming range”. Ask for dimming from 0 to 100% in fine steps with no visible jumps, and test it with your own camera at delivery.

Light output: photometric data, not watts

Watts describe a fixture’s electrical power, not how much light reaches the set. According to the data on our product pages, of two lights in the 1,200 W class, the Nanlite FC-1200C gives 14,220 lux at 3 m and the Nanlux Evoke 1200B 18,570 lux under the same conditions (5,600 K, 45° reflector). The manufacturer states a nominal power draw of 1,350 W for the FC-1200C. A specification that only says “at least 1,300 W” would accept the FC-1200C and rule out the Evoke 1200B, whose spec sheet says 1,200 W but which gives more light at the same distance.

One is a full-colour (RGBW) light and the other bi-colour; the wattage does not show that difference either. So write the illuminance you need at your working distance: ask for the distance, colour temperature, reflector or lens and beam angle to be stated, and for the manufacturer’s photometric table to be attached to the offer. Take the required lux value from your lighting plan.

For lights that will be used with a softbox or diffusion, if there is no measurement for that setup, mark the value as unknown and measure it at delivery. Our lux vs watts guide shows with examples how measuring conditions change the result.

Control: DMX, network and wireless

Write the control requirement around the infrastructure in your control room. In broadcast studios, wired DMX512 (5-pin XLR) is usually the baseline; RDM support lets you set address and mode from the console. If you plan network distribution, ask for Art-Net or sACN; for spots where running cable is difficult, ask for wireless CRMX. In a fixed setup with only a few lights, app control can be enough.

Ask clearly whether the necessary adapters and modules are included in the offer. On some models these features need extra parts: according to our product pages, the Nanlux Evoke 600C has built-in CRMX but needs the extension adapter for DMX/RDM and Art-Net/sACN. Adding the wording “all necessary adapters and modules are included in the offer” to the specification prevents extra items from appearing later.

Also require the DMX channel chart and the address plan at handover. We explain the protocols in detail in our DMX lighting control guide.

Noise, mounting, accessories and power

These criteria sit in the lower rows of a spec sheet, but they directly affect daily use.

Service and support terms

A light is bought once and used for years. Who to call when a fixture fails and how long the repair takes matter as much as the technical figures. In the specification, ask bidders to commit to the following in writing:

• Warranty period and coverage valid in Türkiye
• Authorised service: where and how a faulty unit is sent and, where needed, a document showing authorised dealer or service status
• Spare parts supply and how long parts will be stocked
• Response and repair times after a fault is reported
• Scope of installation, commissioning and DMX addressing
• User training: who receives it and in how many sessions
• Documentation in Turkish: user manual, DMX channel chart and connection diagram

Acceptance tests at delivery

The figures in a specification only mean something if they are verified at delivery. Write the tests into the specification in advance: which instrument is used, at what distance and settings measurements are taken, and which report the results go into. Different meters can give slightly different readings; measure every light with the same instrument and define the acceptable deviation in the specification.

1. Count and check: models, serial numbers and accessories are compared with the offer.
2. Colour measurement: colour temperature, CRI and green/magenta deviation are measured with a spectrometer or colour meter, and lights of the same model are checked against each other.
3. Illuminance measurement: lux is measured at the distance and settings written in the specification.
4. Camera test: flicker is checked at the frame rates and shutter settings in use, including at low brightness.
5. Control test: each fixture responds to its DMX address, to RDM and, where used, to network and wireless control, and stored scenes can be recalled.
6. Noise test: fan noise is checked in a recording made with the real microphone placement.
7. Documentation and training: manuals, channel chart and connection diagram are handed over and user training is completed.

Sample specification table

The wording below is a starting draft. Adapt the values to your use, and fill in the gaps marked with dots from your lighting plan.

Common mistakes

1. Describing the lights by wattage alone.
2. Not asking for photometric data, or asking for lux without distance, colour temperature and accessory.
3. Copying one product’s spec sheet into the specification as it is.
4. Not asking about fan noise and how much output drops in quiet mode.
5. Leaving adapters, modules, mounting hardware and accessories out of scope.
6. Leaving out warranty, authorised service and spare parts clauses.
7. Signing the acceptance report without measurements and a camera test.