Finally: Reliable Sources for Small Gels

Gels are critical for balancing different light sources. And they are used for creating moods and color schemes with your flashes.

But the problem has been buying them in a way that made sense for people using small speedlights.

The standard, 20"x24" sheet is overkill for us, even at $6.95 a pop. What we want is smaller pieces, and more colors included at a reasonable price. The swatch books are perfect - and theoretically free, if you can find them. But that is not always an available option.

Now there are no fewer than three sources for just the kinds of gels we need. The first two are small sheets of our faves - various CTO's, CTB's, fluorescent green, etc., and the third is an easy way to get the sample pack fer sure. Each setup is a little different, so pick and choose from the smorgasboard of chromatic delight:

• MPEX: Custom-made packs, with generous-sized sheets, in colors that we need.

UPDATE: MPEX is now throwing in free, full sample-sized gel packs with the $14.95 gel pack orders while supplies last. So you got dat going for you, which is nishe, as Carl Spackler would say.

• Photogels.com: Set up by a Strobist reader, tailor-made packs just for us. He has several different versions to choose from.

• Amazon: Now selling the small sample packs for $2.50. Not as good a deal, to be sure, but a good fallback when the freebies are out of stock.

UPDATE #2: There are other sources popping up the comments, including some EU sellers. Click here to bring up the post with the comments attached.
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Thanks to those who picked up the ball on this one and ran with it - Moishe and Mason. And to Jim R. who hipped me to the Amazon samples pack.

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