# Which gels to get and how many



## sagittariansrock (Jul 18, 2014)

Hi all
I am looking for gels for my 600s.
Which color gels should I get, covering most if not all cases of color correction? 
Which color gels should I get, for most common/popular color effects?
How many of each should I get, to cover for burnouts and tears, etc. 
Thanks!


Back story: I have recently started using shoe mounted flashes (600s) quite a bit, and now want to get some gels. I like the way the Honl gels attach to the flashes (transversely via velcro), but found there filter kit choices somewhat limiting. I contacted Flashgels.co.uk and Jason replied within a couple of days saying he will be happy to custom cut.
Now, considering shipping expenses and his having to custom cut, etc. I would like to make sure I ask for all the gels I need at least for a while. Hence, the question.


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## privatebydesign (Jul 18, 2014)

Don't buy into any system until you know what you want.

Here is another thread where I illustrate what I use. http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=21290.msg407701#msg407701

$2.50 for over 100 is hard to beat! Plus there are colours you would never buy but are nice to have, plus the Cinegel swatchbook has ND filters in it too. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/45184-REG/Rosco_950SBCNG0103_Cinegel_Swatchbook.html


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## sagittariansrock (Jul 18, 2014)

privatebydesign said:


> Don't buy into any system until you know what you want.
> 
> Here is another thread where I illustrate what I use. http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=21290.msg407701#msg407701
> 
> $2.50 for over 100 is hard to beat! Plus there are colours you would never buy but are nice to have, plus the Cinegel swatchbook has ND filters in it too. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/45184-REG/Rosco_950SBCNG0103_Cinegel_Swatchbook.html



I actually followed all your comments on the linked thread when you had posted them, and that guided me towards getting the Rosco Strobist 55-pack kit from B&H for ~8 bucks. The advantage was there were more of the commonly used ones (5x) and not those I am less likely to use. And it was still cheap.
However, I wanted to use the transverse attachment style if the prices weren't very different, so wanted to ask Flashgels. They will cut the gels into 4x4 pieces which will give me flexibility to do whatever I want- not tie me to any system, really. And Jason charges ~ $ 20 for 50 Lee color correction filters. If it is too expensive to go with the custom cuts I might just get the Rosco pack.
However, what I am trying to figure out from experienced gel users is- which gels are most commonly required in the field. And your input will be most valuable. Thanks!


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## privatebydesign (Jul 18, 2014)

That's easy 

If I was buying sheets or getting them custom cut then >90% of the time I use 1/2 CTO (colour temperature orange, Cinegel 3408) and CTS (colour temperature straw, Cinegel 3442), I like 1/2 stop gels because two of them make a full stop, seems obvious but makes for more flexibility. I use CTO and CTS interchangeably but sometimes just really like a CTS shot.

If I could only have one gel it would be a bucket of 1/2 cut CTO's.

I also have a lot of 1/4 CTO's which I rarely use by themselves but use to adjust other gels. I am happy to mix a CTS and 1/4 CTO.

About 5% of the time I use 1/2 CTB (colour temperature blue, Cinegel 3204), this is useful for cooling the flash which via post process WB gives some control over the ambient, that is you can make a blue, or cool, scene warmer whist keeping your subject "normal".

Since giving up film I have very rarely used a green (Cinegel 3304), though if you were bringing florescent ambient into your scene regularly then gelling your flash to green would be good, though if you are like me that would be rare enough to be covered by the swatch book and there are so many different fluorescent output colours now it is better to go B&W! This goes for the "specials" too, the bright greens, blues and reds for effects and backgrounds are easily covered by the swatchbook.

Like I say, if I was custom cutting them then the 1/2 CTO is far and away the most useful.


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## old-pr-pix (Jul 18, 2014)

Good advice from PBD... I've found I like the Rogue gels with rubber band attachment. Universal kit includes typical color correction plus reasonable selection of colors. Or, for multiple flashes, go with the color correction kit that will equip up to three strobes. The Rogue gels are all marked with Lee numbers and give approximate # of stops adjustment.

For me there are no "go to" colors other than 1/2 CTO and green for fluorescents (although as PBD points out there are now so many different "colors" of fluorescents there is no standard filter recommendation that always works.)

Bright colors are a matter of personal taste, specific subject and effect desired. I might like purple and you might not! Play around to develop your style. I used to do lighting for stage productions so I have a stash of cut-off scrap I kept. If you can find someone who works in theater, their scrap can keep you in gels for a long time... but, they likely won't have the color correcting ones (like CTO, CTB, etc.)


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