Bradley Laurent wrote:
I need to match the temperature of two AB 800 mono lights and two 1000 watt halogen hot lights. I want to gel the strobes, and  I’m pretty sure there is a gel designed for this purpose, but I’m not sure what it’s called. 
Can someone give me the proper description so I know what to ask for at Samy’s tomorrow?  :-)

CTO is the standard one: Color Temperature Orange. It converts daylight (5500K) to Tungsten (2900K). A 3/4 CTO will convert to 3400K, which is probably closer to the lamps you're describing, if the AB color temp is 5500 or so.

There's other names for it, and minor variations, but that'll be enough to get started. If you know the color temperature of both the flash and the halogen lamps, you can further fine tune. See Rosco's chart for an example.

Kevin Connery wrote:

CTO is the standard one: Color Temperature Orange. It converts daylight (5500K) to Tungsten (2900K)

There's other names for it, and minor variations, but that'll be enough to get started.

Ding Ding Ding.

Sadly, most everything I leaned about gels and modifiers and filters came from spending hours in the local photo supply stores talking to old guys that have been there for decades.  Very few of them these days so if you find one....enjoy.

Lorin Edmonds wrote:
Go to the Alienbee site and check to see what they say.

They list the color temp of all their tubes.

I did and can find every bit of information except the temp.  :-(

Bradley Laurent wrote:

I did and can find every bit of information except the temp.  :-(

The hot lights will vary with bulb age and line voltage -- they may even vary from shot to shot as heating blowers, refrigerators and the like cycle on and off in the building.

The ABs will vary with power setting and age of the flash tubes. And if you use softboxes, umbrellas or reflectors that will also affect the color.

Get a CTO and 3/4 CTO and test -- one of them will likely be close enough.