Lee 204

Overview

Lee 204 is a conversion lighting gel from the British manufacturer Lee Filters, designated "Full C.T. Orange," commonly abbreviated in the industry as Full CTO. It is not a light source or grip equipment, but a colored polyester film for color temperature correction, which is stretched in front of a light fixture or window. It converts daylight (approx. 6500 K) to an artificial light characteristic (3200 K) and is therefore the counterpart to blue CTB gels (e.g., Lee 201 Full C.T. Blue).

On set, the gel is typically used to match daylight sources (HMI, LED in daylight mode, or incoming window light) to the warmer color temperature of incandescent artificial light, so that all light sources in a scene are uniformly adjusted to 3200 K.

Technical Data

Lee 204 is part of the Lee conversion series. The gel is colorfast, dyed-through, heat-resistant polyester. The essential specifications according to the manufacturer:

The gel is offered in various formats, including sheets and rolls in different widths. Specific dimensions vary depending on the distributor and should be taken from the respective data sheet.

On-Set Usage

A classic application is "marrying" different light sources: If a scene is lit with artificial light (3200 K) and daylight is also used, a Full CTO gel on the daylight source corrects its color temperature downwards, so that no color disharmony arises.

• Correction of HMI or daylight LEDs to tungsten level.
• Warming of incoming window light to match the interior lighting mood.
• Creative use to make light appear intentionally warmer (orange), for example, for sunset or incandescent lamp moods.

For graduated corrections, Lee also offers partial strengths, such as 205 Half C.T. Orange, 206 Quarter C.T. Orange, and 285 Three Quarter C.T. Orange. The gel reduces the light output (transmission loss) and should therefore be considered during exposure planning.