Lee 209

Overview

Lee 209 is a lighting gel from the British manufacturer Lee Filters' range of Neutral Density (ND) filters. It is a 0.3 ND filter that reduces the amount of light from a fixture by one stop without altering the color of the light. The filter is stretched in front of the light source or placed in filter frames or scrim holders and absorbs light evenly across the visible spectrum.

Lee 209 is part of a graduated ND family from Lee Filters: 209 (0.3 ND, 1 stop), 210 (0.6 ND, 2 stops), and 211 (0.9 ND, 3 stops). This allows for precise control of light levels in stop increments, for example, to darken a fixture relative to others or to grade window surfaces.

Technical Data

The filter is made of polyester and is more heat-resistant than thinner polyester color filters; dealer specifications indicate heat resistance up to approx. 180 °C. It is offered in several formats, including sheets (Full Sheet approx. 1.22 m x 0.53 m) and rolls in various widths and lengths (e.g., 7.62 m x 1.22 m).

On-Set Usage

Lee 209 is used to specifically reduce the brightness of a fixture when dimming via dimmer or adjusting distance is not desired – for instance, because dimming incandescent lights would shift the color temperature. Typical applications:

• Darkening individual fixtures in precise stop increments without changing the color temperature.
• Grading window surfaces or practicals (visible lamps in the frame) so they do not overexpose.
• Balancing multiple light sources against each other.

Since ND gels are neutral, they can be combined with color correction gels (CTO/CTB) and diffusion filters. Multiple layers of ND gels add up in their density, so Lee 209 can be stacked with 210 or 211 to achieve higher densities.