When picking a flashlight, we must learn some vocabulary. We may generally understand some of it, but some people may just nod and ask if it’s bright. Well, my friends, I was once in your shoes. Let me share the answer to the age-old question: What the Heck are Lumens and Candela?
What the Heck are Lumens and Candela – Picking a Flashlight
Flashlights are essential tools in our lives. They are everywhere, from EDC tools to lights we keep around the house. However, when it comes time to shop for a light, we notice terms like lumens and candela prominently featured in product descriptions. These terms are vital to understanding flashlight performance, but what do they mean, and how do they impact your choice?
Lumens
Let’s look at lumens first. Lumens measure the total amount of visible light emitted by a flashlight. Think of lumens as the flashlight’s “brightness” in a general sense. The higher the lumen rating, the brighter the light appears to the human eye. For example:
- A 20-lumen flashlight produces a dim glow suitable for reading or close-range tasks.
- A 300-lumen flashlight offers enough brightness for general outdoor use.
- A 1,000-lumen flashlight is potent and capable of lighting up large areas or distant objects.
Lumens provide a straightforward brightness comparison across different flashlights but don’t tell the whole story. For instance, two flashlights with the same lumen rating can appear vastly different due to beam focus, reflector design, and lens quality.
Candela
Next, we have the term candela. Candela measures the intensity of light in a specific direction. Unlike lumens, which represent total light output, candela tells you how concentrated the light beam is. A flashlight with high candela produces a focused, narrow beam that reaches far distances, while one with lower candela disperses light more broadly. For example:
- A flashlight with 10,000 candela might cast a tight beam illuminating an object 300 meters away.
- A flashlight with 1,000 candela would produce a wider beam suitable for lighting a campsite or a room.
Candela is crucial for long-range visibility activities, such as search-and-rescue operations or hunting. A flashlight with high lumens but low candela might flood a large area with light but struggle to reach distant objects. Conversely, a high-candela flashlight can pierce the darkness with a sharp beam but may not light up a wide area.
Bringing the Two Together
Lumens and candela are interconnected but still have their own characteristic. A flashlight’s design determines how the emitted lumens are distributed. If the light is tightly focused, the candela value increases, creating a high-intensity beam. The candela value decreases if the light spreads out, producing a wider, less intense beam. For example, two flashlights with 500 lumens can have very different candela ratings depending on how the light is concentrated. This distinction is why understanding both categories is important when choosing a flashlight.
When you are shopping for a flashlight, consider its intended use. High-lumen, low-candela flashlights are great for indoor use, camping, or close-range tasks. This is what an EDC or home defense light would look like. On the other hand, we have high-candela flashlights. These are great if you need long-range spotting or signaling. These are more like spotlights than anything else.
Go Forth
Now, you can go forth and shop for the perfect flashlight. I encourage you to have a flashlight in every room in your house and at least two in your vehicle. Of course, we also want our EDC flashlight. LED and battery technology have evolved to allow us to have great lights in small packages. Happy shopping.
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