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Lee 218 (Eighth C.T. Blue) is a color correction filter by LEE Filters that converts tungsten light (3200 K) to a slightly cooler daylight-balanced tone (3400 K).
Overview
Lee 218 is a color correction lighting filter (gel) from the British manufacturer LEE Filters and belongs to the CTB ("Colour Temperature Blue") family. The official designation is 218 Eighth C.T. Blue. The filter slightly raises the color temperature of warm artificial light, shifting the light color towards daylight. Within the CTB range, the 218 is the weakest stage: it corrects only in small increments and is therefore the finest gradation when a light source needs to appear just a hint cooler.
Like all CTB filters, the 218 works in opposition to the orange CTO range: CTB makes light cooler/bluer, CTO warmer/orangier. The 218 is often used in conjunction with its stronger variants of the same CTB range. The official LEE CTB range includes: 201 (Full C.T. Blue, converts 3200 K to 5700 K), 202 (Half C.T. Blue, 3200 K to 4300 K), 203 (Quarter C.T. Blue, 3200 K to 3600 K), and 218 (Eighth C.T. Blue, 3200 K to 3400 K) as the weakest stage.
Technical Data
Conversion: converts artificial light 3200 K to 3400 K (manufacturer's specification).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Mired Shift | -18 |
| Transmission Y (Tungsten) | 80.2 % |
| Transmission Y (Daylight) | 81.3 % |
The negative Mired shift of -18 indicates a correction towards a higher (cooler) color temperature. The transmission of around 80% shows that the 218, as a weak stage, absorbs only a small amount of light – compared to stronger CTB filters, the light loss is minimal.
Available Formats (Manufacturer's Specification):
- Roll: 7.62 m x 1.22 m (25' x 48"), on 1" or 2" core
- Full Sheet: 1.22 m x 0.53 m (48" x 21")
- Half Sheet: 0.61 m x 0.53 m (24" x 21")
On-Set Use
The 218 is used for fine adjustment of color temperature when the full shift of a stronger CTB filter would be too much. Typical applications:
- Slightly cooling artificial light sources (Tungsten) so they don't appear too warm/yellow compared to daylight or daylight-balanced light.
- Fine-tuning individual lamps that show slightly different color temperatures among themselves.
- Minimal cooling as a creative tool, without creating a visible blue cast.
The filter is cut to size and stretched in front of the light source – classically in the frame of a barndoor, in a gel frame, or directly in front of the bulb with sufficient distance. As filters are heat-sensitive, sufficient distance from hot light sources and good ventilation should be ensured to prevent premature fading or deformation.
From the crafts
Perspectives
Producer
Diese professionelle Lösung erhöht die Produktionseffizienz und reduziert Post-Production-Anforderungen. Sie ermöglicht flexible, schnelle Anpassungen während des Drehs.
Gaffer
Als Gaffer ist dies ein unverzichtbares Werkzeug meines täglichen Handwerkszeugs. Es ermöglicht mir professionelle Lichtkontrolle und schnelle Anpassungen auf Set, was Zeit spart und Qualität sichert.
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Quiz
1. Zu welchem Department gehört „Lee 218 (1/8 CTB)"?
2. Wie viele verschiedene Fachperspektiven bietet dieser Eintrag?