Lumens to Millicandela Calculator
Enter lumens and the beam solid angle in steradians. The calculator applies mcd = lm × 1000 ÷ sr.
Estimated millicandela:
A QUICK WALKTHROUGH
How to use this tool
- Enter luminous flux in lumens (lm).
- Enter the beam solid angle in steradians (sr).
- Calculate estimated luminous intensity in millicandela (mcd).
A beam angle is required
Lumens measure total luminous flux, while millicandela measures luminous intensity in a direction. There is no single lumens-to-millicandela conversion without the beam solid angle or an equivalent distribution assumption.
User-supplied distribution
This calculator assumes luminous intensity is uniform across the entered solid angle. It does not infer a beam pattern, fixture optics, or total lamp output.
Formula
For this stated assumption, millicandela = lumens × 1000 ÷ solid angle in steradians.
GOOD TO KNOW
Common questions
Can lumens be converted to millicandela directly?
No. Enter a beam solid angle or another valid light-distribution assumption; the tool uses mcd = lm × 1000 ÷ sr.
What does steradian mean here?
It is the unit of solid angle. A full sphere is 4π sr, while a narrower beam occupies fewer steradians.