Lighting Calculator

Lighting Calculator

Convert between candela, lumens, lux, footcandles, millicandela, and watts

Conversion Result
141.37 lm
100 cd with 120° beam angle = 141.37 lumens
Lighting Units Explained
Candela (cd)
Luminous intensity. Measures brightness in a specific direction.
Base SI unit
Lumens (lm)
Luminous flux. Total light output in all directions.
lm = cd × steradian
Lux (lx)
Illuminance. Light falling on a surface area.
lx = lm/m²
Footcandles (fc)
Illuminance in imperial units. 1 fc = 10.764 lx
fc = lm/ft²
Millicandela (mcd)
Thousandth of a candela. Used for LEDs and small sources.
1 mcd = 0.001 cd
Watts (W)
Electrical power consumption. Relates to lumens via efficacy.
W = lm / (lm/W)
Common Lighting Examples
Candle Flame
≈ 1 cd
60W Incandescent
≈ 800 lm
Office Lighting
500 lx
Direct Sunlight
100,000 lx
LED Bulb (10W)
≈ 1000 lm
Moonlight
≈ 1 lx

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About

The Lighting Calculator is a professional-grade web application that solves the complex conversions between different lighting measurement units. Unlike simple converters, this tool accounts for real-world factors like beam angles (from 15° laser-like beams to 360° full spheres), distances (in meters or feet), surface areas, and lighting technology efficacy (LED, CFL, halogen, incandescent, or custom values). The calculator features 14 different conversion types organized in an intuitive tabbed interface, making it suitable for everything from architectural lighting design and photography setup to LED specification and energy efficiency calculations. Each result includes detailed explanations showing the complete calculation formula, helping users understand the relationships between different lighting metrics.

How to Use

    1. Select Conversion Type: Choose from 14 conversion options using the tabbed interface (Candela to Lumens, Lumens to Lux, Watts to Lumens, etc.)

    2. Enter Values: Input your measurement value in the appropriate field

    3. Adjust Parameters: Set beam angles (for directional calculations), distances (with unit selection), areas, or efficacy values

    4. View Results: Instant calculation appears with both the numerical result and detailed explanation

    5. Reference Information: Use the built-in lighting unit explanations and common lighting examples for context

Features

  • 14 Conversion Types: Comprehensive coverage of lighting unit conversions

  • Beam Angle Calculations: Account for directional lighting from 15° to 360°

  • Distance & Area Support: Calculate illuminance at specific distances or over areas

  • Technology-Specific Efficacy: Preset values for LED, CFL, halogen, and incandescent lighting

  • Custom Efficacy: Input custom lumens-per-watt values for specialized lighting

  • Unit Flexibility: Work with meters or feet for distance calculations

  • Real-Time Updates: Instant calculations as you modify inputs

  • Educational Content: Detailed explanations of each lighting unit with formulas

  • Common Lighting Examples: Reference values for candle flames, moonlight, office lighting, etc.

FAQs

What's the difference between candela and lumens?

Candela measures luminous intensity in a specific direction, while lumens measure total light output in all directions.

Beam angle determines how concentrated the light is. A narrower beam angle means higher candela for the same lumen output.

Efficacy measures how efficiently a light source converts electrical power (watts) to visible light (lumens), expressed as lumens per watt (lm/W).

Yes, the calculator supports distance inputs in both meters and feet for accurate illuminance calculations.

Yes, it provides accurate conversions based on standard photometric formulas used in lighting design.

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