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Converters

Luminous Intensity Converter

Convert luminous intensity accurately between candela, millicandela, microcandela, nanocandela, kilocandela, and megacandela using exact SI decimal prefixes.

Example: an indicator has a luminous intensity of 2,500 millicandelas. How many candelas is that?
Result 2.5 cd 2,500 mcd = 2.5 cd
One-unit equivalent 1 mcd = 0.001 cd A quick way to understand the relationship between the two units.

✓ The candela and SI-prefix relationships match definitions from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

How is the conversion calculated? The candela (cd) is the SI base unit of luminous intensity in a given direction. Nano, micro, milli, kilo and mega are exact decimal SI prefixes.

This calculation runs in your browser. Your values are not sent to our server.

How it works

  1. Enter a luminous-intensity value, then choose the current and target units.
  2. Example: 2,500 millicandelas equals exactly 2.5 candelas.
  3. The candela (cd) is the SI base unit of luminous intensity in a given direction.
  4. Nano, micro, milli, kilo and mega use the exact SI decimal prefixes 10⁻⁹, 10⁻⁶, 10⁻³, 10³ and 10⁶.
  5. Luminous intensity is different from luminous flux: candela measures intensity in a given direction, while lumen measures total luminous flux.
  6. The converter treats luminous intensity as a non-negative magnitude, so negative values are rejected.

FAQ

How many millicandelas are in 1 candela?

1 candela equals exactly 1,000 millicandelas.

How many candelas are in 1 millicandela?

1 millicandela equals exactly 0.001 candela.

How many microcandelas are in 1 candela?

1 candela equals exactly 1,000,000 microcandelas.

Is a candela the same as a lumen?

No. Candela measures luminous intensity in a given direction, while lumen measures total luminous flux.

Can luminous intensity be negative?

Not in this converter. Luminous intensity is treated as a non-negative magnitude, so negative inputs are rejected.

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