Dial In Your Shop Lighting with a Light Meter

Straining to see pencil lines or camera focus in the garage? A light meter tells you exactly how bright your space is—and how bright it should be.

What you’ll get: a fast way to measure light, compare areas, and target the right brightness for your tasks.

Why a light meter beats guessing

Eyeballing brightness is unreliable. A meter gives a clear reading in foot-candles or lux, so you can track improvements after adding fixtures or changing bulb types. Seeing a jump from under 1 foot-candle to 80+ under new lights confirms your upgrades are working.

Foot-candles vs. lux

Most DIY lighting guidance is listed in foot-candles, while many specs use lux. Your meter reads both, so pick one and stay consistent. If you’re matching reference ranges, make sure your units match the chart you’re using before making decisions.

Targeting the right brightness for tasks

Use reference ranges to set goals. For detailed shop tasks, look for something in the “library/drafting/laboratory” band—roughly mid to bright working levels. Stand where you actually work and measure there, not just under the fixture. Expect higher numbers directly under lights and lower at the edges.

Quick workflow for the garage

• Take a baseline reading with your current lights on.
• Toggle fixtures individually to see their real impact.
• Move around: center of the bay, bench height, and shadowy corners.
• Adjust: add fixtures, change positions, or raise/lower lights based on weak spots.
• Re-check to confirm you’ve hit your target range.

Tip for content creators

If you shoot video or photos, meter at subject height. Stable foot-candle or lux numbers help keep exposures consistent between shots and reduce post-processing headaches.

Aim for a measured target that fits your tasks, verify at the work surface, and iterate until the numbers—and your eyes—agree.