Luminosity Converter
Convert between different units of luminosity and illumination with precision and ease.
Luminosity Converter
Instant conversion between luminosity and illumination units
⚡ Popular Conversions
About Luminosity Conversion
Luminous Intensity
Measure of luminous flux per solid angle.
- • Candela (cd) - SI base unit
- • Candlepower (cp) - ≈ 0.981 cd
- • Hefnerkerze (HK) - ≈ 0.903 cd
Illuminance
Luminous flux per unit area.
- • Lux (lx) - 1 lm/m²
- • Footcandle (fc) - ≈ 10.764 lx
- • Phot (ph) - 10,000 lx
- • Nox (nx) - 0.001 lx
Typical Values
Common illuminance levels.
- • Moonlight - 0.1-0.3 lx
- • Office lighting - 300-500 lx
- • Overcast day - 1,000 lx
- • Direct sunlight - 100,000 lx
Applications
Uses of luminosity measurements.
- • Architecture - Lighting design
- • Photography - Exposure settings
- • Safety - Workplace standards
- • Energy - LED efficiency
- • Astronomy - Star brightness
Understanding Luminosity and Illumination Units
Luminosity measurements encompass several related but distinct photometric quantities including luminous intensity (candela), luminous flux (lumen), illuminance (lux), and luminance (cd/m²). Each serves specific purposes in lighting design, photography, and visual ergonomics applications.
The candela (cd) is the SI base unit for luminous intensity, measuring the luminous flux emitted per solid angle in a given direction. This fundamental unit enables accurate specification of light source characteristics and is essential for LED manufacturing, automotive lighting, and display technology standards.
Illuminance units such as lux (lm/m²) and footcandle quantify the amount of light falling on a surface, critical for workplace safety regulations, architectural lighting standards, and energy-efficient building design. The conversion between lux and footcandle (1 fc ≈ 10.764 lx) is frequently needed in international lighting projects.
In professional lighting applications, understanding the relationship between luminous intensity, distance, and illuminance follows the inverse square law, where illuminance decreases with the square of distance from the source. This principle is fundamental in stage lighting, street lighting design, and photographic exposure calculations.
Modern LED technology and smart lighting systems require precise luminosity measurements for color temperature control, dimming algorithms, and circadian rhythm lighting. Accurate conversion between different photometric units ensures compliance with international lighting standards and optimal visual comfort in residential and commercial environments.