1/16 CTB

Technical Specifications

Color Temperature Shift:

• Shift: approx. 45-50 K towards Daylight (5600 K)
• Mired Value: approx. 16 Mired
• Output Temperature (from 3200 K): approx. 3250 K

Optical Properties:

• Light Loss: approx. 0.1 to 0.2 f-stops (negligible)
• Transmission: approx. 99%
• Durability: Long lifespan, yellowing over a long period when stored

Application

The 1/16 CTB filter is extremely weak and is used for:

• Subtle Color Corrections: In mixed lighting when the majority of the illumination is already set to Daylight temperature
• Fine Tuning: When another filter (e.g., 1/4 CTB) is already too strong
• Studio Additions: Small halogen spots alongside large Daylight fixtures
• Digital Workflows: Combination with electronic white balance in post-production
• HD/4K Shoots: Especially with modern sensors that already have good color separation

Manufacturers & Products

Lee Filters:

• Lee 201 (available in 1/16 quantity as gel snippets)

Rosco:

• Rosco 3202 (available in the corresponding strength)

Tiffen:

• 1/16 CTB (available as cut gel)

Practical Tips

1. When to use 1/16 instead of 1/4? The 1/16 CTB is used when you have already experimented with 1/2 CTB and found the correction to be too strong. It is the smallest standardized filter in this category.
2. Combination with ND Filters: The 1/16 CTB is so thin that it produces virtually no ND effect and can therefore be easily combined with other neutral density filters.
3. Snippets instead of complete filters: Due to its minimal effect, the 1/16 CTB is often purchased only as small gel snippets and taped into the filter holder of lights, rather than buying a whole filter.
4. Electronic White Balance: With digital cameras, the 1/16 CTB can often be replaced by Kelvin adjustment in the camera settings, but it is useful as a physical filter if you prefer not to make adjustments to sensor settings.
5. Storage: Minimal gels like the 1/16 CTB should be stored cool and dry to prevent yellowing.