How to atach gels to flash head

[dman726749]

I just got my Apollo gels in the mail today( totally forgot about ordering them):D I was wondering how some of you are ataching them to your flash head so they are usable and wont fall off when moving the flash around

I have found this (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=251705) thread, and it is interesting, but was wondering what else is out there.......please share your info and tips:p

Thanks!

[René Damkot]

Tape? ;)

[FlyingPhotog]

Rubber Bands

[TMR Design]

Hi Dustin,

Yeah, that was my thread from a long time ago. It worked but wasn't exactly practical or sturdy. Preferred methods seem to be either velcro, tape or rubber bands. I believe Curtis N has a thread where he shows his method of attaching them with velcro. It's neat and clean and seems to do the job quite nicely. I don't have the link on hand.

If Curtis doesn't chime in, or if no one else posts the link I'll find it and post.

[Curtis N]

My velcro method here:
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=218280

The indoors only method is here:
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=415671

[ben_r_]

I am going to velcro them the way Curtis has done but instead of sticking velcro to the flash itself I am going to cut the end off of a StoFen Omni Bounce, black out the sides probably with Gafers tape and put the velcro on the StoFen that way I dont have velcro on my flash and can still use gels and still dissipate heat well.

[TMR Design]

The cheap ebay Stofen knockoffs are great for that.

[ben_r_]

The cheap ebay Stofen knockoffs are great for that.
Precisely what I intended to get!

[zwollenaar]

I am going to velcro them the way Curtis has done but instead of sticking velcro to the flash itself I am going to cut the end off of a StoFen Omni Bounce, black out the sides probably with Gafers tape and put the velcro on the StoFen that way I dont have velcro on my flash and can still use gels and still dissipate heat well.

Great! Could you please post a picture to see how it looks?

[Franko515]

I am going to velcro them the way Curtis has done but instead of sticking velcro to the flash itself I am going to cut the end off of a StoFen Omni Bounce, black out the sides probably with Gafers tape and put the velcro on the StoFen that way I dont have velcro on my flash and can still use gels and still dissipate heat well.

Or you could buy a strap for your flash like THIS (http://www.lumiquest.com/lq002.htm) or THIS (http://www.honlphoto.com/servlet/the-8/speedlight-strobe-flash-nikon/Detail) (you could probably make one cheaper and save yourself shipping cost and paypal fees)

[ben_r_]

Or you could buy a strap for your flash like THIS (http://www.lumiquest.com/lq002.htm) or THIS (http://www.honlphoto.com/servlet/the-8/speedlight-strobe-flash-nikon/Detail) (you could probably make one cheaper and save yourself shipping cost and paypal fees)

Huh, I have never seen that setup before... But how does it not slip off? I like the idea though.

[martinsmith]

Rubber bands.

[SBCmetroguy]

I just got my Apollo gels in the mail today( totally forgot about ordering them):D I was wondering how some of you are ataching them to your flash head so they are usable and wont fall off when moving the flash around

I have found this (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=251705) thread, and it is interesting, but was wondering what else is out there.......please share your info and tips:p

Thanks!

Can you link me to the gels you purchased? I'm in the market for some gels and I know absolutely nothing about them... I've never purchased any before. Thanks.

[dman726749]

fill this out, and they will send you a swatch book for free...(be sure to check that you want the gel swatch book ;) ) takes a while for them to get here, but they do eventually arrive.

http://www.internetapollo.com/ContactUs/MarketingMaterials.aspx

[corosario]

Dustin,

All your info is on the form when I click the link. You might want to edit the link.

[Franko515]

Huh, I have never seen that setup before... But how does it not slip off? I like the idea though.

The surface of the side that touches the flash has a non slip substance ;)

[xxmxaxrxyxx]

My velcro method here:
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=218280

The indoors only method is here:
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=415671
thanks...i will be needing this info soon also...hehe!

[SBCmetroguy]

fill this out, and they will send you a swatch book for free...(be sure to check that you want the gel swatch book ;) ) takes a while for them to get here, but they do eventually arrive.

http://www.internetapollo.com/ContactUs/MarketingMaterials.aspx

Well that sucks. When I tried to fill out their form it wouldn't let me submit it. I wonder if they got flooded with requests so they took the page down... the form is still up, but it doesn't appear to submit anymore.

[xxmxaxrxyxx]

Well that sucks. When I tried to fill out their form it wouldn't let me submit it. I wonder if they got flooded with requests so they took the page down... the form is still up, but it doesn't appear to submit anymore.
I just tried and it submitted the request. You may be missing a plugin on your browser.

[hawk911]

It took about 5 weeks for me to get my roscoe samples. Now i'm waiting on my backdrop to arrive.

[zwollenaar]

Well that sucks. When I tried to fill out their form it wouldn't let me submit it. I wonder if they got flooded with requests so they took the page down... the form is still up, but it doesn't appear to submit anymore.

Try it at 1 cent /ea. plus shipping from:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?shs=roscolux&ci=0&sb=ps&pn=1&sq=desc&InitialSearch=yes&O=RootPage.jsp&A=search&Q=*&bhs=t

[xxmxaxrxyxx]

Try it at 1 cent /ea. plus shipping from:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?shs=roscolux&ci=0&sb=ps&pn=1&sq=desc&InitialSearch=yes&O=RootPage.jsp&A=search&Q=*&bhs=t
i also ordered these...i ordered 3 since the shipping was the same for 1 or 3...keke

[zwollenaar]

This is so neat! Would Curtis or anyone else know the way how to hold the gel firmly like this, please share with us step by step? Thanks.

236033

[Curtis N]

First, you get yourself some adhesive-backed velcro tape, 1" wide. It comes in sets, with a roll of "hook" and a roll of "loop". I used the term "velcro" in the generic sense. Velcro is a trademark of 3M, but the patent has expired so other companies make the same stuff and sell it under a variety of terms.

The loop side (the fuzzy stuff) wrap around your flash head, just back from the edge 1/8" or so. With this on your flash, you can mount almost anything to it, as long as you have the "hook" velcro stuck on whatever you want to mount.

Then you take a few pieces of the hook velcro tape, cut to the width of the gel, about 1 1/2". You stick about 1/4" of the end of the gel to the adhesive side of the velcro tape. Now you'll have a 3/4" strip of exposed adhesive on the velcro that you'll need to cover with something. It doesn't matter much what you cover it with, I used Scotch transparent tape since it fit.

Now with the hook velcro on each end of the gel, you can stick it to your flash head. It leaves a tiny gap between the gel and the flash - this is all you need.

What I would not recommend is sandwiching the gel between the flash lens and the flip-down diffuser panel. I have never tried this, but my fear is the gel would heat up and melt, sticking to the flash lens.

Here's a link to a strobist article (http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101-using-gels-to-correct.html) showing a similar method. His is a little different, and keep in mind he's using flash units that are not quite as wide as the Sigma Super so he has more gel to work with on the ends.

Also note that the reason I specify mounting the "loop" side of the velcro on the flash is because my Lumiquest attachments come with the hook side attached to them.

[woodsac]

If you haven't already, dig around strobist.com

Here's a link specifically about the gels, but there is a world of knowledge there.
http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101-using-gels-to-correct.html

I just received my Speed Straps and snoot from Honlphoto (http://www.honlphoto.com/servlet/the-8/speedlight-strobe-flash-nikon/Detail) and they are great!

[SFzip]

Not a solution to the OP's question, but an alternative gel product.

http://www.stickyfilters.com

It's a bit costly and doesn't seem to have adequate ventilation for constant firing of the strobe.

[zwollenaar]

Curtis! Thanks so much for both your helpful Gels Sticky and the handy DIY in practice! Gocha! If the provided length of the gel is just a bit longer then the job would be much easier though.

[Curtis N]

Curtis! Thanks so much for both your helpful Gels Sticky and the handy DIY in practice! Gocha! If the provided length of the gel is just a bit longer then the job would be much easier though.Hey, they cost $0.01 for a whole book of them. You get what you pay for, and I ain't complaining. ;)

Once you figure out the gels you use most, you can buy a 20 x 24 sheet for not a lot of money.