Who's Using Gelatin Filters?

[sinjans]

Anyone here using gel filters with their 17-40 like lenses? I have been searching around here without much luck. I was thinking on picking some up for ND type work with water. What do you think of them? And what are your techniques when using them?

 

[KmH]

Gel filters are for lights and don't have the optical quality needed for addition to a lens.

 

[TJ K]

The gel filters are for flashes and other lights. They are color or fix certain lights so the flash will match the already available light. Like CTO gels. They don't go on a lens.

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Rosco-Strobist-Collection-Cinegel-Strobes/dp/B002SWIOOM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1265474167&sr=8-3]Amazon.com: Rosco The Strobist Collection, Strobist 55 Piece Cinegel Filter Kit, 1.5" x 3.25" to fit most Shoe Mount Strobes.: Electronics[/ame]

Just bought that gel kit there. It's great there are many of each gel and they work great. For 10 bux you can't beat it. You can just use velcro/gaffers tape/electrical tape/ or w.e. else you want to hold them on. Hope that helps.
TJ

 

[dxqcanada]

Kodak used to produce a number of Wratten gelatin filters.
I believe that Tiffen has taken over.

Lee Filters makes Resin and Polyester filters.

A glass filter will have more optical issues than a gelatin filter.

TGel filters are more fragile, and they wear down faster.

 

[Derrel]

There are gelatin filters designed specifically for lenses. I have a full set from "the old days" from my 4x5 camera studio kit. I mounted them with a gel filter holder. They allegedly cause less distortion than traditional glass filters. They can be mounted in front of the lens, or inside the camera, at the rear of the lens.

Oddly, for ultra-critical work with the Nikon D2x, the use of a Wratten 40cc gelatin filter is recommended by one of the most technically-critical people I know; he claims it perfectly balances out all the spectral response of the RGB channels of the D2x's sensor. The D2x had,at its inception, one of the most technically accurate color responses, and was and still is used quite a bit by people who specialize in copying paintings and other art works, and Iliah has determined that a 40cc magenta gelatin is the perfect channel equalizing filtration for that camera's sensor when the *utmost* color fidelity is needed.

These camera lens gelatin-style filters used to be sold by Kodak in 3x4 inch "packets", sort of an envelop-style carrier. Complete sets like the one I got 25+ years ago often came in a hard, hinged case with little plastic leaves, likie a miniature photo album. With color slide film, this was how you made minor color corrections, using 10,15,20,30,and 40cc gelatins.

 

[sinjans]

Thanks for clearing that up. I was speaking to an enthusiast who mentioned one the his friend has used as a 10 stop ND at the rear of his 17-40L. I guess i wont bother with it. Thanks again