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Does a 100 mcd LED always emit more light than a 20 mcd LED?

April 26, 2017emit LED light mcd

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Does a 100 mcd LED always emit more light than a 20 mcd LED?

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There is no definitive answer. A millicandela rating is determined by an on-axis measurement of peak intensity at a specific current, not by measuring total light output. Since the light emitted by a diffused LED is spread over a wide viewing angle, the on-axis value may actually be less than a non-diffused LED from which all light output is concentrated in a narrow beam. Thus the total light output of a 20 mcd LED may be greater than that of a 100 mcd LED though the on-axis reading is less.