New Zealand Ghosts & Other Haunts

Actually this is simply my opinion. After several years and rolls of film, I once percieved "orbs" to be a flight of fancy or some dust discovered by the CCD imager of the first digital cameras on the photography scene. After buying a digicam myself I began to collect hundreds (literally) of pictures containing orbs. The vast majority are dust particulates captured by the CCD. I have however had occasion to do a double take when perusing certain orbs in my haunted locations picture collections. Some appear to contain trails, to be three dimensional and to emit their own light. These are so thoroughly different in appearance that I can only discount the rest and hold these few self lit, path determining (regardless of windage or weather) and occasionally appearing between objects as if actually at depth phenomena as genuine orbs. These days I am a firm believer who rarely finds true orbs on film.

I used to believe that orbs were rubbish, dust, insects, (as in rods) artifact, light anomalies on the camera. But my opinion changed about 6 years ago. I was out one afternoon doing a cleansing in a house in Christchurch.
I was alone in the house but felt that I was being watched. I had with me my first digital camera a 3mp Sony Cybershot. I had been around the house once and had lighted the candles and incense and had gone into the kitchen to get a drink of water. When I looked behind me there was a large orb of white light floating in the dining room. I watched it for a few seconds then it disappeared.
During my second walk around, in the girls bedroom I felt a tingling on the back of my neck, this time I turned the camera on and took several shots, in one of them was a very small orb, it was moving and had a trail. I didn't see it at the time but later when I opened the photographs on the computer at home.
Since then I have encountered orbs on many occasions, as a result my opinion has changed I now believe that some orbs are definitely of paranormal origin.

Franklee - those characteristics you describe - the tail, own light emission, dimesion of depth - and also 'purposeful path' sometimes against any prevailing breeze even - or appearing to 'buzz' bystanders - are all descriptions of the characteristics of 'real' paranormal orbs.

I totally believe they are out there too - its just the fact they are so rare and far between that puts people off them.

I think as you and GG have described - you really need to have a close encounter with an 'actual' orb to really believe in them.