Quick reference table
Common luminance conversions
| From | To |
|---|---|
| 1 nit | 0.2918635080 fL |
| 1 fL | 3.426259100 nit |
| 1 cd/m² | 0.0001 sb |
| 1 cd/cm² | 10,000 cd/m² |
How to convert luminance
Luminance is how bright a surface appears. Displays are rated in nits (cd/m²), and the foot-lambert is used in cinema screens.
Every luminance unit is a fixed multiple of one base unit, the cd/m². To convert a value, multiply it by the size of the starting unit and divide by the size of the target unit. For example, to convert nit to fL, multiply by 0.2918635080. To go the other way, divide by 0.2918635080.
The converter above does this for you and shows the exact formula under the result.
Worked examples
Nits to Foot-lamberts
| Nits (nit) | Foot-lamberts (fL) |
|---|---|
| 1 nit | 0.2918635080 fL |
| 2 nit | 0.5837270159 fL |
| 5 nit | 1.459317540 fL |
| 10 nit | 2.918635080 fL |
| 25 nit | 7.296587699 fL |
| 50 nit | 14.59317540 fL |
| 100 nit | 29.18635080 fL |
| 1,000 nit | 291.8635080 fL |
Foot-lamberts to Nits
| Foot-lamberts (fL) | Nits (nit) |
|---|---|
| 1 fL | 3.426259100 nit |
| 2 fL | 6.852518199 nit |
| 5 fL | 17.13129550 nit |
| 10 fL | 34.26259100 nit |
| 25 fL | 85.65647749 nit |
| 50 fL | 171.3129550 nit |
| 100 fL | 342.6259100 nit |
| 1,000 fL | 3,426.259100 nit |
Luminance units explained
| Unit | Symbol | Equals |
|---|---|---|
| Candelas per square meter | cd/m² | 1 cd/m² = 1 cd/m² |
| Nits | nit | 1 nit = 1 cd/m² |
| Kilocandelas per square meter | kcd/m² | 1 kcd/m² = 1,000 cd/m² |
| Candelas per square centimeter | cd/cm² | 1 cd/cm² = 10,000 cd/m² |
| Stilbs | sb | 1 sb = 10,000 cd/m² |
| Foot-lamberts | fL | 1 fL = 3.4262590996 cd/m² |
| Lamberts | L | 1 L = 3,183.09886184 cd/m² |
| Apostilbs | asb | 1 asb = 0.318309886184 cd/m² |
Popular conversions: nits to cd/m2, foot lambert to nits.
Frequently asked questions
Is a nit the same as cd/m²?
Yes. One nit is exactly one candela per square meter.
How do I convert nit to fL?
Multiply the value in nit by 0.2918635080 to get fL. For example, 10 nit = 2.918635080 fL.
How many fL is 1 nit?
1 nit = 0.2918635080 fL, and 1 fL = 3.426259100 nit.
Does this luminance converter work offline?
Yes. After the page has loaded once, all calculations run in your browser, so it keeps working without an internet connection.