Nit (cd/m²)
The candela per square metre, called the nit, is the SI unit of luminance: how bright a surface or screen looks. Laptop screens give 250–500 nits; HDR TVs 1000 nits and more.
Symbol: cd/m² (ASCII: cd/m2)
Quantity: luminance (brightness of a surface or screen)
SI relation: cd/m² is the coherent SI unit of luminance.
Derivation: 1 nit = 1 cd/m².
Exact: yes, by definition
Typical uses
- Display brightness (phones, monitors, TVs)
- HDR standards
- Road and signage lighting
Convert nits to other units
| Conversion | 1 cd/m² equals | Reverse |
|---|---|---|
| nit to foot-lambert | 0.291863508 fL | foot-lambert to nit |
| nit to apostilb | 3.141592654 asb | apostilb to nit |
| nit to candela per square foot | 0.09290304 cd/ft² | candela per square foot to nit |
| nit to candela per square inch | 0.00064516 cd/in² | candela per square inch to nit |
| nit to stilb | 0.0001 sb | stilb to nit |
| nit to lambert | 0.0003141592654 L | lambert to nit |
Open the Luminance Converter (Nits, cd/m²) to convert any value between all units.
Sources
- The International System of Units (SI), 9th edition (SI Brochure), Bureau International des Poids et Mesures , Table 4 (becquerel, gray, sievert, lux) and Table 2 (candela).
Last reviewed: . Factors are stored exactly and computed with 50-digit decimal arithmetic. See how we verify conversion factors.
Cite this page
APA
Scientific Converters. (2026, October 15). Nit (cd/m²). Retrieved October 25, 2026, from https://scientificconverters.com/units/candela-per-square-meter/
IEEE
Scientific Converters, "Nit (cd/m²)," scientificconverters.com. Accessed: Oct. 25, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://scientificconverters.com/units/candela-per-square-meter/