Crazy question: What do you think "orbs" are?

[Dr.Girlfriend]

I've been trying to get some redecorating ideas for our kitchen and living room and I've been noticing orbs...lots of orbs...in the photos. It's not dust. The camera lens is clean. And they kind of freak me out.

Like this (excuse the messy kitchen):

And this (same room, one from Wednesday night, one from Thursday night):

And excuse the obviously demonic cat.
I was thinking if it was a dirty lens, the orb/circle things would be the same size and in the same location in each picture. And they're not. Thoughts?

 

[budmonster]

You should post this on the photography board. I'm almost 100% sure someone there would have the anwser.

My thought is maybe the inside of the camera needs to be cleaned.

 

[MushyMushy]

I think it's the flash reflecting off tiny dust or particles in the air that you couldn't see with your naked eye.

 

[SpecialK]

Well, I was going to say looks like water spots, but they're not consistent picture to picture. Maybe you have some Halloween visitors....

 

[cluvsdisney]

I know a lot of people think they are the spirits of deceased loved ones.

I think it's light refracting through paricles in the air.

 

[4nana]

Or ~ perhaps your guardian angels are letting you know they're always with you.....just sayin'.

 

[LilyWDW]

They are dust. In fact, they are perfect examples of what happens when light reflects off of dust particles in the air. You can tell by the texture and shape.

I have NEVER seen an orb that can't be explained... and I look at quite a bit.

 

[ndelaware]

It is light being reflected back towards your lens from the different surfaces in the picture.

 

[Geoff_M]

I doubt that it's airborne dust... unless your house it REALLY dusty (which it doesn't seem to be). I think the most likely culprit is dust on the internal lens elements. If the photos are taken at different zoom settings, that may explain the fact that the spots are not always in the same location as the elements may rotate at the lens changes focal lengths. In addition zooming may make the spots larger or smaller respectively. To prove, or disprove this. Take two or more photos from the exact same position without moving the camera or changing any settings. If the spots are different, then the problem is airborne... if they're the same, it's dust inside the camera.

 

[Geoff_M]

It is light being reflected back towards your lens from the different surfaces in the picture.

I doubt it, it usually takes a pretty bright light source to do that. I thought of that and the only light source that MIGHT do that would be the kitchen table lamp. In addition, such reflections are normally symmetrical with the source from the center of the image.

Edited: Sorry, I misread what you were suggesting. I thought you were taking about the effect where light from a bright light source in the image can bounce off the sensor, bounce off the back element of the lens and hit the sensor, and create a "ghost" image (usually green in color).

 

[disneybound2010]

Those are typical dust orbs. Nothing to worry about I've been a paranormal investigator for a few years and have spent way too many hours pouring over orb photos. The really crazy ones are the water/moisture orbs. I've seen a couple of those that almost looked like they had a face in them but they can be proven to be nothing more than your run of the mill moisture orb

 

[KimR]

They are ghosts......BOO!

 

[KimR]

Those are typical dust orbs. Nothing to worry about I've been a paranormal investigator for a few years and have spent way too many hours pouring over orb photos. The really crazy ones are the water/moisture orbs. I've seen a couple of those that almost looked like they had a face in them but they can be proven to be nothing more than your run of the mill moisture orb

awww, now you're spoiling all the fun.

 

[disneybound2010]

awww, now you're spoiling all the fun.

OOOPS! I retract my previous statement. Those are WITHOUT A DOUBT the skeeriest ORBS of all. They are worse than dut bunnies, they are flesh eating ZOMBIE orbs! BE AFRAID...Be very afraid





Better?!

 

[ChrizJen]

I think it's the flash reflecting off tiny dust or particles in the air that you couldn't see with your naked eye.

That's exactly what I've heard they are. Nothing to do with the camera itself, just particles in the air catching the light. But others speculate that they're proof of a paranormal presence. Who knows...

 

[Magpie]

While I was doing some research for a novel, and my partner and I came across many hilarious sites about spirit orbs, including one that seemed to have its caps button stuck down.

We can't even hear the word now without looking at each other and exclaiming, "ORBS!"

Seriously though, I do believe they're just tiny particles of dust - either in the air, or in your camera.

Here's how it works:

Particles of dust (fibers, flakes of human skin, bug bits, etc...) are floating in the air all around us, all the time. Even in a very clean environment, there's still dust. That's because you are constantly shedding, along with every fiberous object around you (like your clothes, pillows, etc...). And when you move, you stir up these tiny bits of matter and they float up into the air.

When you take a picture, your camera picks up specks of reflected light off of these floating bits and magnifies them into "orbs". You can see the same effect when you try to take an out of focus picture of Christmas tree lights and they show up many times bigger, and perfectly round.

Orbs are a fairly recent phenomenon (last 20 years or so) because cameras have become much more sensitive to detail, especially digital cameras.

But if you want to believe your home is haunted, go for it! There's lots of folks who'd be happy to interpret your photos for you.

ORBS!!!

Oh wait, those are just Christmas lights... My bad!

 

[Toad_Passenger]

As another DIS-er who has spent enough time on paranormal research, I think your orbs are just dust and other light effects your camera is picking up.

The first thing I noticed in the kitchen picture was the large amount of reflection coming off of the refrigerator. Not saying, 100% that is what caused your orbs, but a reflection off of a surface like that can cause some strange anomalies on your photos.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Go take a picture outside to compare.

 

[Magpie]

Go take a picture outside to compare.

You'd have to make sure you were taking the picture in comparably dim light conditions to be sure, though.

Otherwise it's comparing apples to oranges.

I'd suggest rather than taking pictures outside, she could try taking pictures in other peoples' home, at the same time of day with the curtains drawn. And preferably with similar surfaces around. Sunlight can really change things, even if it's just coming in through the window.

 

[Deb in IA]

Here's what Wikipedia says:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orb_(optics)

The orb artifact can result from retroreflection of light off solid particles (e.g., dust, pollen), liquid particles (water droplets, especially rain) or other foreign material within the camera lens.