Everything You Need to Know About Lighting Gel Sheets

Are you looking to learn more about lighting gel sheets? This article is packed full of information about how to select a gel sheet color, how to attach a gel sheet, temperatures at which gel sheets will work, gel sheet dimensions, gel sheet functions, types of gel sheets, and popular gel sheet colors.

What is the primary use of a lighting gel sheet?

Lighting gel sheets are used primarily to change or filter the color of light. There are several categories of gel sheets, including color effect, color correction, diffusion, reflection, LED, and scrim. Gel sheets are typically used by theatre directors, technical directors, production managers, and stage crews to change the color of light in theatrical or stage productions Gels are also used for photography, television, film and movie production purposes. Gel sheets can also be used to block unwanted light, with the use of black foil, from a shoot.

Who are the primary manufacturers of gel sheets?

In the United States, consumers are able to purchase gel sheets from Lee Filters, Rosco, and Apollo. This article will focus on Lee Filters as this is the product line with which we are most familiar.

Where can I purchase gels?

• In the USA, you can purchase gel sheets, gel rolls, gel packs and swatch books from Knight Sound & Lighting.
• Outside of the USA, you can purchase gel products from Knight Sound & Lighting on their eBay store.

What types of gel sheets are there?

The major types of gel sheet categories are color filters, diffusion filters, and LED filters.  

• Color filters are used to change the color of a light.  
• Diffusion filters are used to soften or spread a light beam and reduce the contrast between highlight areas. The diffusion filter range includes many sub-categories including diffusions, frosts, flexi-frosts, grid cloths and spuns.  
• LED filters, which are known as Zircon filters in the Lee Filters line, are specifically designed for use with LED applications. Zircon gels are used to warm up or cool down and correct white LED light, remove green tints, or reduce light levels.

What size (dimensions) are Lee Filters gel sheets? Are gels available in a format other than a gel sheet?

Lee Filters gel sheets are available in many different sizes:

• Standard regular temperature gel sheets are in the dimensions of 21 inches by 24 inches.
• Zircon gel sheets which are made for LED lighting are in the dimensions of 24 inches by 24 inches.

Lee Filters gels are also available in different size rolls:

• Standard color gel rolls are 48 inches wide by 25 feet in length.
• Zircon gel rolls are 4 feet by 10 feet.
• Some gel colors are also available as "quick rolls". Quick rolls are available in 2 inch increments (2,4,6,8 inches in height) and are 25 feet in length. The customer selects the width inch increment that they need for their application.

How thick are gel sheets?

• Most polyester colored effect filters (also referred to as standard regular temperature gel sheets) are 0.08mm thick
• Diffusion filters vary in thickness
• Zircon gels are 0.18 mm thick

What if I have a competitors gel sheet number? How do I locate the Lee Filters gel sheet number that is the came as a competitor's product?

The Lee Filters website has a great function, which is named "gel comparator", which allows you to plug in the name of any make of gel sheet and find the comparable Lee Filters color. You can find the gel comparator at the following link: GEL COMPARATOR

What if I am trying to adjust for a certain type of lamp or fixture? What if I have an originating light source color temperature and want to adjust for a desired converted color temperature?

If you would like to figure out which gel sheet would work best with a specific type of lamp or fixture, then you can consult the Lee Filters "mired shift calculator" at the following link: MIRED SHIFT CALCULATOR You will input the original source value and the converted source value, in kelvin, and the mired shift calculator will recommend the appropriate gel filter color.

Is there an easy way to see all the gel sheet colors?

Lee Filters currently has about 250 different colors available in their product selection of gel sheets. There are a couple of different ways to look at the full offering of Lee Filters gel sheets:

The handy Lee Filters "Swatchball" has been replaced with the even higher-functioning "Lee Swatch Book App" which is available for iOS and Android. This app has the complete range of Lee Filters on one screen, with an innovative color picker so you can easily build and save palettes anytime inspiration strikes.