Luminance Converter — cd/m² (Nits) & Foot-Lamberts

Convert luminance between candela per square meter (nits), foot-lamberts, stilbs, and lamberts.

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How this conversion works. Luminance is converted through cd/m² (the nit); lambert-family units carry the exact 1/π relation per NIST Special Publication 811.

How to use

  1. Pick the unit you are converting from, such as Candela per square meter / Nit (cd/m²) or Kilocandela per square meter (kcd/m²).
  2. Type the value and every other unit updates as you type.
  3. Copy the figure you need, or use the swap button to reverse the direction, Apostilb (asb) included.

Frequently asked questions

How do I convert candela per square meter / nit to foot-lambert?

1 candela per square meter / nit = 0.291864 foot-lambert. Choose "Candela per square meter / Nit (cd/m²)" as From and "Foot-lambert (fL)" as To, type a value, and the result updates instantly.

How many nits is a foot-lambert?

1 fL = 3.4263 cd/m² (nits). Cinema screens target 14–16 fL (48–55 nits); HDR monitors reach 1,000+ nits (292 fL).

Why do the lambert units divide by π?

Lambert-family units describe a perfectly diffuse surface, where luminance = emitted flux density ÷ π. The π converts between the two viewpoints exactly.

Is my data sent to a server?

No. Conversions run entirely in your browser using fixed factors — nothing is uploaded or logged.

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