1/16 CTB

116 cto 1 2 ctb 1 8 ctb

Color temperature conversion filter with minimal effect — shifts color temperature approximately 100K warmer. Used for subtle corrections between daylight and tungsten sources or fine-tuning color balance on set.

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

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.
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.
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.
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.
Storage: Minimal gels like the 1/16 CTB should be stored cool and dry to prevent yellowing.

From the crafts

Perspectives

Cinematographer

With 1/16 CTB filters, you hardly have to make any white balance adjustments. This minimalist filter intensity is ideal when your camera already handles mixed lighting well and you just want to correct a tiny color cast. With modern cameras featuring auto white balance, you can often combine this filter with manual WB adjustments instead of directly affecting the sensor.

Gaffer

The 1/16 CTB filter is mainly used when you're already very close to daylight's color temperature but still need a minimal, subtle adjustment. Ideal for mixed lighting scenarios where tungsten lights have already been blended with daylight sources and only a fine-tuning is required. Often employed in camera moves where halogen lights go through gradual brightness changes and the color temperature needs to remain stable.