Original Lensball Pro 80mm, K9 Clear Crystal Ball Photography Sphere with Microfiber Bag

**edit**These can bounce and roll! Knocked it up pretty good today when it tried to be a bird but ended up bouncing down a cliff. Best part is? I might still try to use it. Think I will have to reorder but it didn’t shatter and until I can get a new one, it might actually be useable as certain angles. I hope. Love this thing. Ps. REALLY hard to find once you half leap down a cliff for it.****Best used with a macro lens, the Lensball has been a lot of fun to learn how to use. While I have the fear of causing knicks and chips in it because I don't do the 'handheld' type photos, it has been fun finding ways to make up for that with random things found within the area I am shooting. It takes practice, but well worth the buy.Yes, it's heavy, and being in Seattle we don't have the powerful light that other buyers have had to deal with so the magnification of the light into fire hasn't happened I can see how it would. I plan on buying the smaller size for traveling further than around my own town, so looking forward to seeing the difference in that.It was shipped quickly. It was shipped well. There was not a scratch and the box is not only beautiful but also very good for storage when not in use.

I've seen this device criticized as being a gimmick, which it can be and in which case you'll be disappointed. But if you understand that it's a tool for seeing in a different way and taking a fun shot that just might knock your socks off, it's perfect.I made the mistake of buying a modestly less expensive glass ball before this one, and was very disappointed because the quality of the glass was awful. So it really did come across gimmicky, because it was such poor quality. With this, I've been able to take some fun, creative shots that are striking. The quality is great, the microfiber bag helps keep the ball clear of fingerprints.Will it make you a great photographer? Of course not, but if you're an advanced novice or above, it will help you capture some interesting views, and once you've done that, you'll think of even more ways to use it.I have only one caution: I made the rookie mistake of trying it on the dash of a car to get a shot in the distance. The sun hit the ball just right, and within a couple of seconds the dash started to smoke. Fortunately I caught it right away and remembered what happened with magnifying glasses as a kid, and before I burned a hole in it. Be careful with that and I think you'll likely to enjoy it. And do bother with lower quality glass - this is the real deal.

My friend who got my whole family hooked on the ultimate symbol of douchery- the Hydroflask, is also responsible for this purchase.It’s a really need thing, the quality is pretty clear when you look through it. The pictures are beautiful but... You will get looks.Like a tourist using a selfie stick, wearing a fanny pack and adorned in all of the cheap tourist garbage you could imagine- people will stare at you. Some with sadness for your pathetic life, some with genuine interest in to what in the actual H you’re doing.Also, if you live in a sunny place... This is almost a weapon of mass destruction. I live on the surface of the sun (Phoenix, Arizona). I walked outside to test this puppy out, walked about 4 steps (not even kidding) when my hand holding the ball got HOT AF.Obviously it says on the packaging to watch out for this, but considering there are warnings to not dry your hair in the bath tub on hairdryers, Darwinism is dead. So. Keep this sucker OUT of the sun, treat it like a little baby vampire until you get to where you are going to take your photo, then just be aware of what is underneath it.

Lensball is perfect for “flipping” the perspective and focusing attention in a unique way. Great for smartphone photos (the ones I posted were all taken with an iPhone XS Max) and if you have a DSLR with a telephoto you can really make it some incredible imagery, but even with a smartphone it creates amazing images.Great tool to use for Instagram and Snapchat stories, people will stop to look vs swiping to the next.Quality is amazing. It’s perfectly clear. Heavy/dense. Holding it in your hand you can tell it’s worth every penny.Get one and get creative!

I teach high school yearbook, which entails far more than one would think. Yearbooks aren't the scrapbooks they were when we were kids. Now, it's magazine journalism. (Think Life Magazine, as opposed to The Chicago Tribune) Thus, it is not only graphic design, since the kids design all the pages, but interviews, writing, and most of all, photography. I teach angles, composition, lighting, and yes, some trick photography. I have a year-long photo challenge, which teaches the art of photography, challenging them with a vague topic like "Reflections" or "Darkness." The winners get a spread in the book. For all of these reasons, when I saw the Lensball, I thought, "why not?" and ordered it. Honestly, the kids love it and are always looking for new ways to use it, whether covering sports events, student life, or creating interesting nature shots for the challenges. It IS a little awkward at first, balancing and trying to get the shot without having fingers involved, but after a little practice, the photos are fun and sometimes really artful.