Candela vs. Nit — What's the Difference?

Measurement based on the human eye's sensitivity.

Used in various display technologies.

Essential for directional lighting applications.

Indicates how bright a display appears to the observer.

Unit of luminous intensity in a specified direction.

Unit measuring the luminance of a surface.

Used to characterize the strength of light emissions.

Derived from the candela per square meter.

Standardized under the International System of Units.

Relevant in assessing display quality.

The candela ( or ; symbol: cd) is the base unit of luminous intensity in the International System of Units (SI); that is, luminous power per unit solid angle emitted by a point light source in a particular direction. Luminous intensity is analogous to radiant intensity, but instead of simply adding up the contributions of every wavelength of light in the source's spectrum, the contribution of each wavelength is weighted by the standard luminosity function (a model of the sensitivity of the human eye to different wavelengths).

The egg or young form of a louse or other parasitic insect, especially the egg of a human head louse attached to a hair.

The SI unit of luminous intensity equal to 1/60 of the luminous intensity per square centimeter of a blackbody radiating at the temperature of solidification of platinum (2,046 K). See Table at measurement.

A foolish person

In the International System of Units, the base unit of luminous intensity; the luminous intensity, in a given direction, of a source that emits monochromatic radiation of frequency 540 × 10¹² hertz and that has a radiant intensity in that direction of 1/683 watt per steradian. Symbol: cd

Used as a warning that someone is approaching.

The basic unit of luminous intensity adopted under the System International d'Unites.

The egg of certain parasitic insects, especially a head louse.

The basic unit of luminous intensity adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites; equal to 1/60 of the luminous intensity per square centimeter of a black body radiating at the temperature of 2,046 degrees Kelvin

A unit of luminance equal to one candela per square meter, measured perpendicular to the rays of the source.

The egg of a louse.

A young louse.

A head louse regardless of its age.

A fool, a nitwit.

A nitpicker.

A minor shortcoming.

A candela per square metre.

(MLE) To have the modus vivendi of a drug addict, to live the life of a nitty.

The egg of a louse or other small insect.

A luminance unit equal to 1 candle per square meter measured perpendicular to the rays from the source

Egg or young of an insect parasitic on mammals especially a sucking louse; often attached to a hair or item of clothing

It's used to measure the luminous intensity of a light source in a specific direction.

A nit measures luminance, or brightness per unit area, unlike the directional intensity measurement of a candela.

They help in determining how intensely light is projected from a headlight, crucial for safety and compliance.

The candela is used to specify the intensity of light emitted in a particular direction from fixtures, aiding in the design and implementation of effective lighting solutions for both indoor and outdoor environments.

Generally, a higher nit value can lead to greater energy consumption, as brighter displays require more power to maintain increased luminance levels.

Manufacturers use specialized equipment, such as photometers and integrating spheres, to accurately measure the luminous intensity (candelas) of devices to ensure they meet regulatory standards and design specifications.

A higher nit value indicates a brighter screen, improving visibility and color representation in various lighting conditions.

While nits are primarily used to measure the brightness of electronic displays, they can also apply to other surfaces in scenarios where it's important to quantify how much light a surface emits or reflects, such as in architectural design and material studies.

No, TV brightness is typically measured in nits, reflecting luminance rather than intensity.

Yes, the conversion is contextual and depends on the area over which the luminous intensity is spread. Since a nit is one candela per square meter, converting candelas to nits requires knowledge of the surface area involved, using the formula nits = candelas/area in square meters.