Understanding Candela

Candela (also known as candle-power) is defined as the measurement of light intensity that is produced by any light source.  

Most visible effect of higher Candela rating is the distance and intensity of a light beam as seen in the below image.

Click on the link to learn about the differences between Lumens and Candela value on your flashlight...

How Candela Effects The Light Beam

To really understand why Candela is important we need to look at the some ways it has an impact on the light beam.  

Just to reiterate, Candela is defined as the intensity of a light beam.

So what does really mean?  Typically, a more focused light beam will  have higher Candela or the intensity of a light beam regardless of the power output.  

The above image illustrates the different sizes of a light beam.  

The smallest diameter light beam will typically have the most Candela if the power output is the same.

The intensity of a light beam is typically determined by the angle at which the light is emitted.

Higher Candela light will reach further distances and have a more blinding effect.

Images Below Illustrate Candela Effect on a Light Beam

Why Candela Matters

Now that we know what Candela is and how it effects the light beam lets see how to best utilize an EDC flashlight with higher and lower Candela.  

Higher vs Lower Candela Flashlights

To keep it simple, we'll show you how to best utilize Candela outdoors and indoors using higher or lower Candela.

Higher Candela Rating

Typically, higher Candela EDC flashlights are most effective for outdoor use.  However, as you'll see below there is some situations when higher Candela is more effective indoors.

Outdoors: during activities such as camping, hiking, boating, etc... it's recommended to utilize higher Candela since we'll typically need to see further distances with a more focused beam of light.

Indoors: warehouses, parking decks, etc... that typically have wide open spaces are also great for higher Candela.

Real life example: as a police officer I've conducted many building searches inside warehouses during alarms and possible burglary calls when it was critical for me to see what's further down range rather than what's closer.  

Click on this link to learn about how to best utilize an EDC flashlight during an emergency...

Lower Candela Rating

Typically, lower Candela light beam is more effective for indoor use however, as you'll see below there is some situations when lower Candela is more effective at closer distances outdoors.

Indoors:  in close quarters or more confined spaces having a wider light beam or less Candela will help you see what's around corner and down the hallway when it's critical to see what closer to you rather than further.  

Outdoors: when outdoors in more confined areas such as a backyard or a wooded area, a lower Candela or a wider diameter light beam will be more effective than a focused beam. 

Real life example: as a police officer I've search many houses during burglary calls attempting to locate suspects in more confined spaces.

Having a light beam with a wider diameter or less Candela was more effective since it was critical to see a threat that could be hiding only a few feet away from me.

To see how Candela compares to Lumens and Lux click on this link...

Summery

Yes, that was a lot!  If you're still confused let's put it all in a nutshell.

Higher Candela light will be more focused, brighter, and it will reach further distances kind of like a laser pointer.

Lower Candela light will be more widespread like a street light that is not really bright, but it covers a wider area.  

For Candela, it's really not the power output that matters, but rather the angle at which the light is emitted.  

Good example of this is using a magnifying glass in sun light to start a fire.  

Although, the sun's light has a consistent power output, it's light can be intensified by focusing or changing the light's angle. 

Image is Curtesy of https://m.blog.naver.com/

To find out how to best utilize an EDC flashlight for self-defense click on this link...

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