Candela vs Nits: Definition, Convert, Difference and Applications

Candela and Nits are used to measure the ability of an item to emit light, so we can often find them on LED lights, electronic devices, and other products. In this article, we will focus on Candela vs Nits and provide you with a complete analysis of these two terms.

What is Candela? Discuss in Detail

Candela is the intensity of light in a particular direction from the light source. It is used to measure the intensity/brightness of light in a specific direction. The name comes from its origin as in the 20th century; this unit of measure for light emitted by a single candle was called Candle Power. But later, it was changed to 1 candela= 1 cd.

What is Nits? Discuss in Detail

Just like Candela is used to measure the intensity of light in one specific direction, Nits is mostly used while discussing the light intensity that an electronic device’s screen emits. It is another light intensity measurement unit which is more popular in the United States.

In addition to the above two approaches, there are two more common units of light sources as follows:

Lumen

A lumen is the amount of visible light sent in a specified period of time. This unit of light is much simpler to measure for items such as light bulbs, projectors, etc. For example, a 3 watt LED bulb provides roughly 200 lumens, so when we know the lumens of a bulb, then we can quickly think of how many watts the bulb will roughly consume.

Lux

Lux is a measurement of the luminous intensity of a light source hitting a certain area. For example, when a beam of light illuminates 1 lumen of luminous flux in 1 square meter, then we can use 1 lux to express it.

Conversion between light units

Conversion between nits and candela/㎡

Since the nits are a former way of calculating light, we usually have to convert them to candelas/square meters in order to adapt to future developments. So, how do we convert nits to candelas/square meters?

It’s actually quite simple, as the two are exactly equal and we can make a smooth transition:

1 nit= 1 cd/㎡

Conversion of candelas, lumens and lux

From the previous description about lux, and the conversion relationship between lumens and candela can be derived:

1 lx = 1 lm/㎡ = 1 cd·sr/㎡

Candela vs. Nits: What’s the difference?

Since the two can be converted to each other, there is no particular difference between nits and cd/㎡, the only advantage being that nits are simpler to write and read. For example, when we say “The brightness of a cell phone is 1200 candelas per square meter”, it’s a bit of a mouthful. But if we replace it with “the brightness of the cell phone is 1200nit”, it will feel simpler and more concise.

In addition, the unit of square meter is a special unit in mathematics, which is very difficult to express without a keyboard aid plug-in. So no matter which way you look at it, the nits are always the best kind of representation. If the unit of the nits is not abolished in the future, it will undoubtedly be easier and more convenient to use.

Applications of Candela and Nits

Electronic Devices

If we look closely, we will find that basically all electronic devices use Nits as a description of brightness. For example, there are outdoor LED displays that say “Outdoor displays with DIP technology can reach 1000 nits”, and there are cell phones that say “Regular brightness is 800 nits, peak brightness can reach 1200 nits “.

Lighting

Just the opposite of electronic devices, we rarely use nits to refer to lighting, but more often use candela or lumens as a unit of light to express. For example, the brightness of highway surfaces is usually set between 2.0 and 3.0 candelas / square meter, which ensures that drivers can see the road clearly even at high speeds.

LED Luminaires

In LED luminaires, we also use candelas or lumens to express the luminous intensity of LED lights. For larger applications such as conference rooms, stadiums, etc., LED luminaires are often required to have a higher candela value to ensure that the entire venue is illuminated.

Important takeaways

The article provides a detailed comparison between the nits and candela units of light, as well as a brief introduction to the other two commonly used units of light and how they can be converted to each other. Overall, the nits are easier to use and write in than the candelas, and are therefore more widely used.