Update:
October 2023

We are semi-closed, but we still have some remaining inventory.  Please email before coming by so we can give you an exact list of what’s currently on the shelves.  And please make sure we know when you’ll be coming by!

 
SOME OF THE ITEMS IN STOCK:
  • Diffusion rolls (Opal Frost)
  • Gel rolls (ND.3, Party Colors, some CTO/CTB, Plus/Minus Green — Email for details)
  • Gel sheets (24″x21″, lots of colors available — Email for details)
  • Dust Off Classic refills
  • Lens tissues
  • Bluestar eyepiece covers
  • China balls, household bulbs, and more

THE EXPENDABLES RECYCLER "SORT OF CLOSED"
ON MARCH 10, 2023, BUT... WE STILL HAVE STUFF!

A MESSAGE FROM THE EXPENDABLES RECYCLER…

Thank you all for the kind messages that we’ve received after announcing that we’ll be shutting down.  It’s so nice to know that we’ll be missed!   In answer to the most frequently asked question:  We didn’t fail, Todd just decided to try retirement to see if he can stand it.  (We’ll see!)   We’ve been “the industry’s best kept secret” since 1991.  So glad that we’ve been able to help so many of you get your start in this crazy industry.   Don’t be shy… we still have some gels and other expendables if you need them.    Send us an email before you come by to make sure we have what you need.

Thanks so much for 32 wonderful years!

Todd Parker and all the Expendables Recycler staff

LEARNING RESOURCES

LED vs gel:
the problem with RGB lights

LED lights are certainly the future of lighting — but does that mean gel is now a thing of the past?

Grab a Skypanel, Gemini, or other RGB LED light, and you’re just the quick turn of a dial away from any color imaginable. But as the folks at Indy Mogul illustrate in this video, when it comes to getting accurate colors, there’s more to it than meets the eye:

So what's the big deal?

The long and short of it is that when set to a color other than white, RGB lights don’t emit the full spectrum of color — meaning when the light strikes an object, the object’s actual color may not show up correctly.

Check out this comparison from the video — first is a Skypanel being shot through yellow gel, and second is the same Skypanel programmed to emit a yellow color:

A Skypanel shot through yellow gel
A Skypanel set to yellow

Note the drastic differences between the objects in the shot — especially the change in the orange pepper at the bottom of the frame — as well as the overall lack of a yellow hue to the image. Certainly not the same effect!

Bottom line: if the accuracy of colors is important to your shot, you should use gel — even on a color-programmable LED light!

"If you really care about color... use a gel when it really matters."

- Tim Kang, Quasar color scientist

CONTACT


Email: info@ExpRec.com