Lensball: A look into the crystal ball

This thing doesn't have an OLED display. You can't listen to music or surf the internet with it. It's not handy or light. You can't upgrade the memory, connect a USB or install an app on it.

It's just a glass ball. And you can take photos of it.

Digital camera accessories

EUR22,72

Rollei Lensball 90mm

Optic

132

Digital camera accessories

EUR22,72

Rollei Lensball 90mm

Optic

132

What's the point? The sphere allows you to create original compositions that you wouldn't otherwise be able to achieve with an overdose of Photoshop. Everything that shines through the glass is upside down. In addition, a kind of fisheye effect is created: a lot of the surroundings are captured and depicted in a highly distorted way. In short: what the photo shows is also visible in the sphere, but not as a mere repetition, but in its very own way.

As with any glass, the same applies here: Depending on the situation, it reflects more or less strongly. So not only can you see through it, you can often also see yourself. It reflects particularly strongly if the side where you are standing is brighter than the opposite side. Just like normal window glass.

Glass is tricky. The ball scratches quickly on hard surfaces. I wasn't paying attention when I tried it out and the sphere actually has signs of wear now. It comes with a padded case and a microfibre cloth for cleaning. The cloth is very generously sized and the ball can be wrapped in it several times.

A few tips to get you started

The Lensball is not a tool for making something boring exciting. It only produces a good photo if it would at least be okay without the Lensball. So you have to make a certain effort: Find an interesting subject, wait until the light is favourable, and above all: pay very close attention to the composition of the picture.

Normally, the best shots are taken from the side or slightly from below. Otherwise, the floor will take up too much space in the sphere.

The easiest way to achieve this is for you or someone else to hold the sphere in your hand. Then it won't get scratched.

If you want to have the sphere large in the picture, a macro lens is an advantage. With a normal lens, you may not be able to focus on the subjects in the sphere.

I use A mode, so I set the aperture manually. It's important to experiment with the depth of field. Depending on the situation, a wide open aperture may be right, or a more closed one. With a closed aperture, the edge of the glass sphere will be sharp. However, this also applies to unwanted reflections. Which is better depends on the situation.

You can find more impressive pictures than mine with the Instagram hashtag #lensball. However, many of these pictures are the result of a lot of Photoshop employees
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A final safety warning. In sunlight, the glass ball creates a focal point, and you can take the burning literally. So be careful.

Looking too deeply into the glass - a glimpse into the future

What's also practical: if I stare at the crystal ball long enough (3 to 4 days) and take enough mescaline at the same time (3 to 4 kilograms), it flashes me so much that I enter a trance-like state. Under hypnosis, the future spreads out before me like an open book and I recognise the inner truth of all existence. Unfortunately, I forget everything as soon as I return to my normal state. It's best to forget this paragraph right away.

A sober look into the future tells me that I will get the crystal ball out again later to take photos.