Gel filters - please explain - DPChallenge Forums

Fisher Price Kid-Tough Digital

01/20/2009 05:21:54 PM · #1

The Canon website states this about their fisheye lens :

Filter Size: Rear Gel Holder (accepts up to 3 pre-cut gel filters)

What are those? WHERE do they go? Where can you buy them? Why WOULD you buy them?

I tried googling, but couldn't find anything about it. Please enlighten me :-)

ralph

Nikon Z9

01/20/2009 06:06:04 PM · #2

you buy sheets like the cokin system or the old kodak wratten & cut to fit
from the ones i've used (Sigma & Nikon) have little clips that could be unscrewed (carefull!!!) or a place to slide slide in(very difficult!!)

Bugzeye

01/20/2009 06:33:14 PM · #3

what they are is the equiv to the filters you would normally put on the front of your lens, Polarizing, ND etc.. Because the fisheye is not threaded a front mount filter is not an option and usually wont work very well anyway because of the wide angle.

They slide into a little clip on the back of the lens I believe you can stack up to 3 different filters for various effect.

01/20/2009 06:37:04 PM · #4

So those filters are as thick as the Cokins? I can't see where they would fit (looking at the photo of the lens). And where do you buy them? I can't find any links and our local camera stores are useless.

dahkota

Canon EOS-7D

01/20/2009 06:40:29 PM · #5

When this thread came up, I jumped on the chance to get the Rosco swatch pack for use in my 17-40L, which also has a gel holder. They are almost the right size and are easy to use. Of course, some of the swatches are unusable due to density but some of them add great effects to images, others are great for color balance and in place of neutral density filters. The only thing you have to remember is to remove them, which I forgot to do in a current challenge entry.

Fisher Price Kid-Tough Digital

01/20/2009 06:57:19 PM · #6

Originally posted by dahkota:

When this thread came up........

I remember trying that, too, but never heard from them.
Guess I'll try again, sounds like it would be worth the $7.50 just for the fun of playing with them on my flash even if I never get the fisheye lens.

I assume you would go for the "cinegel" rather than the "roscolux" pack?

Bugzeye

01/20/2009 07:00:43 PM · #7

they are very thin.

dahkota

Canon EOS-7D

01/20/2009 07:02:39 PM · #8

Originally posted by Beetle:

Originally posted by dahkota:
When this thread came up........

I remember trying that, too, but never heard from them.
Guess I'll try again, sounds like it would be worth the $7.50 just for the fun of playing with them on my flash even if I never get the fisheye lens.

I assume you would go for the "cinegel" rather than the "roscolux" pack?

I got in before they started charging and they sent me all of them. You can also get them from e-bay. Other companies make them. I think the thread referenced mentions a few.

dahkota

Canon EOS-7D

01/20/2009 07:10:14 PM · #9

Lee
Lee Filters website
Rosco shows a lot of included gels.
Amazon has them

soup

Canon EOS-30D

01/20/2009 07:12:23 PM · #10

using them on a digital camera ( at least in the normal color mode ) will likely not get you the effect you're looking for anyway. unless you want the entire photo tinted whatever color the gel is. expect for a few that are color cast adjusters - and used when the light source is of a specific temp.

not sure they work with digital black & white modes.

you'd have more luck using them on the light source - like the flash.

for instance in this shot - the wall/BG is bright blue. i used a yellow gel on one of the flashes to make it green...