Candlepower ↔ Lumens Calculator

| Added in Unit Converters

What is Candlepower and Why Should You Care?

Ever wondered how to convert candlepower to lumens? It may sound a bit niche, but this conversion can be really handy, especially if you're into lighting design, photography, or just trying to get the right ambiance at home. Think of candlepower as the intensity of light shining from a candle, whereas lumens measure the total amount of visible light emitted.

How to Calculate Candlepower to Lumens

Here's the formula you'll use:

[\text{Lumens} = \text{Candlepower} \times 12.57]

Where:

  • Lumens is the amount of visible light emitted
  • Candlepower is the luminous intensity measured from a specific light source

To flip the equation and convert from lumens back to candlepower:

[\text{Candlepower} = \text{Lumens} \div 12.57]

Whether you're dealing with imperial or metric units, this formula remains consistent.

Calculation Example

Let's say you've got a light source with 60 candelas. How do you calculate its lumens?

First, convert those candelas to candlepower. We know that:

[\text{Candlepower} = \text{Candelas} \times 0.981]

So:

[60 \text{ Candelas} \times 0.981 = 58.86 \text{ Candlepower}]

Now, use our Candlepower to Lumens formula:

[\text{Lumens} = 58.86 \times 12.57 = 739.87]

So, a 60-candela light source emits approximately 739.87 lumens.

To help you visualize, here's a handy table:

Candelas Candlepower Lumens
50 49.05 616.56
60 58.86 739.87
75 73.575 924.84
100 98.1 1233.12

Now you're armed with all the knowledge you need to convert between candlepower and lumens. You can tackle any lighting problem that comes your way, impress your friends, or just have the perfectly lit space you've always wanted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Candlepower measures the intensity of light from a source in a specific direction, while lumens measure the total amount of visible light emitted in all directions. Think of candlepower as how focused the light is and lumens as the overall brightness.

The conversion factor 12.57 comes from the relationship between candelas and lumens over a sphere. It equals 4π (approximately 12.566), which represents the solid angle of a complete sphere in steradians.

Yes, to convert lumens to candlepower, divide the lumens by 12.57. The formula is: Candlepower = Lumens ÷ 12.57.

Use candlepower when you need to know how intense a focused beam of light is, such as for spotlights or flashlights. Use lumens when you want to know the total light output for general illumination, like choosing light bulbs for a room.