Luminous Intensity Converter (cd, mcd)
Enter a brightness value and pick units — the conversion updates instantly.
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Show all units
- Candela (cd)-
- Millicandela (mcd)-
- Kilocandela (kcd)-
- Lumen per steradian (lm/sr)-
- International candle (historic) (cp)-
- Hefner candle (historic) (HK)-
How to use
- Type a value in “Value” and choose the units to convert from and to. The page opens on cd → mcd.
- LED datasheets usually rate brightness in mcd. Converting to cd makes it easier to compare with other light sources.
- The international and Hefner candles were defined by reference flames and lamps, so their values here are approximate.
- “Show all units” lists the same intensity in every unit at once.
FAQ
Are candela and lumen the same thing?
No. Candela is how intense light is in one direction; lumen is the total light a source gives off. 1 cd equals 1 lm/sr, so a source that is 1 cd in every direction emits about 12.57 lm (4π lm).
How bright is one candela?
Roughly the light of an ordinary candle — the name comes from the Latin word for candle.
What is candlepower?
An older family of units used before the candela was adopted in 1948. The international candle is about 1.019 cd and the Hefner candle about 0.903 cd. Today “candlepower” is often used loosely to mean candela.
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