[JimL]

Does anybody have a handle on candela versus lumens?

"Out there" I see the brightest defense flashlights rated at 150 or 200 lumens.

Today I saw a defense flashlight rated at 12,000MCD that hurt my eyes.

According to converting calculators I have found, 150 lumens converts to about 6.3 million MCD - well over 500 times as bright as the above flashlight.

Working the other way the 12,000 MCD light calculates out to about a quarter lumen.

This makes no sense whatsoever unless looking at the 150 lumen flashlights advertised is something similar to looking at the sun.

Apparently MCD essentially refers to the intensity of light in a point source (best I can tell), while lumens refers to the amount of light covering, in this case, a circular area. But the technicalities don't help. I'd like to know how the 12,000 MCD light compares to a 150 lumen light and I see no way to find out other than to buy them both and aim them on a wall or something.

Any explanations?

Thanks