Beam angle describes how wide a fixture spreads its light. This reference groups the common categories from tight spots to wide floods, with typical uses for each.
| Category | Beam angle | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Very narrow spot | under 10° | Accent, long throw |
| Narrow spot | 10 to 18° | Accent, displays |
| Spot | 18 to 28° | Retail, art |
| Narrow flood | 28 to 40° | General accent |
| Flood | 40 to 60° | General, wall wash |
| Wide flood | 60 to 90° | Ambient, washing |
| Very wide | over 90° | Ambient, indirect |
Beam vs field angle. Beam angle is measured to 50% of peak intensity. The field angle (to 10%) is wider, so the visible pool of light is larger than the beam figure alone.
See the Beam Spread Calculator and the Beam Angle Formula.