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UFO UpDates Mailing List

From: Bob Shell <bob@bobshell.com>
Date: Mon, 9 Feb 1998 06:52:08 -0500
Fwd Date: Mon, 09 Feb 1998 17:32:22 -0500
Subject: Re: 'UFO Sphere/Orb' over Brooklyn, NY

>From: XELAUFO@aol.com [Alex Cavallari]
>Date: Sun, 8 Feb 1998 21:40:48 EST
>To: updates@globalserve.net
>Subject: Re: UFO UpDate: Re: 'UFO Sphere/Orb' over Brooklyn, NY

>HI LIST,

>I will try to answer everyone=EDs questions in this one email, if I
>miss anyone please tell me and I will get back to you. I am not
>tying to avoid any questions you have  but I have received over
>300 email about this pic and it is a slow process to answer all
>of them, so please be patient and I will get to them.


>The camera is a Minolta Freedom Zoom 90C

>This is a partial list of its technical details from the small
>book it comes with:

>Type: 35 mm auto focus lens-shutter camera

>Lens :38-90 mm f / 3.5-7.7 power zoom lens

>Auto focus System : 3-beam infrared type with cancelable focus
>hold; range: 0.75m / 2.5 ft.(wide),0.9m / 3.0 ft (tele) to
>infinity

<snipped>

OK.  Thanks Alex.

What you have here is your garden variety point-n-shoot camera.

You COULD NOT see lens flare with this camera because when you
look into the eyepiece you are NOT looking through the taking
lens, but through a separate viewfinder which is only very
approximately accurate in perspective and framing.

Because the camera is fully automatic, when you load it with 400
speed film, it will set a fast shutter speed and very small lens
aperture when pointed at the sky.  This small aperture is the
ideal situation to capture and accentuate lens flare.

Your idea of doing tests is a good one.  Try shooting some photos
at the same time of day in similar weather and point the camera
in the same direction.  The sun will be in a slightly different
position due to seasonal change, but you can compensate for this
by shifting your angle slightly north.  Shoot a whole roll with
the sun just outside your frame.  You will most likely get a
bunch of lens flare photos.  If the front of the lens is dirty or
scratched this will make it even more likely.

Scanning the image at higher resolution won't accomplish
anything.
I would need to see prints or the original negatives to determine
anything.

Do your sky photo tests first, though.  I'm pretty sure that you
will convince yourself that the photos only show lens flare.

BTW, I'm sorry if I offended you.  I was being dismissive of your
photo, not your story.  I've seen one of the bloody things
myself, so I know that UFOs exist.  Unfortunately we are not
going to prove it with photos.

Bob