Inspection Light

An Inspection Light is an extremely harsh light which will show up any micro-scratches, swirl marks or imperfections in the paintwork.

It is fairly typical to set up an inspection light on a tripod or stand which points at the panel, while a detailing technician is working on it. They may also use hand held inspection lights, so they can continuously check their work.

Good lighting is essential for paintwork correction because of the nature of many of the imperfections the technician is trying to remove. Micro-Marring, micro-scratches, or collections of micro-scratches can be seen because they catch the light differently to the rest of the panel. How much they show up depends on the intensity and direction of the light. Without inspection lights, it is possible to polish a car and have it look perfect, only to find that a couple of hours later, when the sun had moved and light is shining from a different direction, it reveals many other issues.

What it means

An inspection light is a purpose made lamp for checking paintwork closely. Unlike general workshop strip lights, it produces a strong, focused beam with a suitable colour temperature so you can see swirl marks, holograms, sanding marks, buffer trails and texture clearly. It is usually handheld or on a stand, and is moved around the car at different angles to make defects and colour issues stand out.

Why it matters

• Reveals what normal light hides: Many swirls and holograms are invisible under soft or overhead lighting but jump out immediately under a good inspection light.
• Essential for quality control: Detailers and bodyshops use inspection lights to check their work between stages so problems are caught before coatings or topcoats are applied.
• Helps set realistic expectations: Showing customers the car under an inspection light makes it easier to explain existing defects and what a given level of correction is likely to achieve.
• Useful for colour and texture checks: The right light helps highlight orange peel, die back, overspray and poor blends that might be missed under flat, diffuse lighting.

Where you’ll see it

You will see inspection lights in professional detailing studios, bodyshops and vehicle inspection centres. They are often mentioned on paint correction service descriptions and in training material, for example checked under inspection lighting or holograms visible under LED inspection lamp. Mobile detailers often carry compact rechargeable inspection lights or head torches for on site work.

Context

Inspection lights sit alongside paint depth gauges, proper wash lighting and sun checks as part of modern detailing and refinishing practice. They are typically high CRI LED or similar units with adjustable brightness and colour temperature so that both defects and colour can be assessed accurately. Used properly in a slightly darkened environment, an inspection light can come close to the effect of bright midday sun, but on demand and panel by panel.

Common mistakes

• Judging correction work only under soft garage or workshop lights and then being surprised when swirls or holograms appear in bright sun.
• Using very harsh or overly cool lights that exaggerate defects unrealistically and make sound paint look worse than it is.
• Holding the inspection light too close or always at the same angle, which can cause glare and actually hide some defects.
• Showing customers the car only under flattering showroom lighting, then facing complaints later when everyday lighting reveals issues that were never properly checked with an inspection lamp.

Written by Danny Argent. Last updated 21/11/2025 16:23