# Any ideas on getting good focus when shooting thru glass pane?



## skitron (Dec 23, 2014)

Wife tried shooting XTi with 70-200 IS2 + 1.4 TC3 through glass pane for birds at feeders. The focus confirms, but results are horrible. I put the lens setup on my 5D3 and get the same horrible results. 

When shooting the same distance without glass pane in the path, focus is dead on for both cameras. The glass pane is squeaky clean. 

Any ideas? I'd guess trying a polarizer but I don't have one the correct size...


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## PhotosbyChuck (Dec 23, 2014)

I'd have to see a photo to be sure, but assuming there is no screen then most likely, there is a reflection of the inside on the window. 

If you are shooting inside at the feeder regularly, you will greatly improve your shots by putting up a black cloth to kill reflections. If your AF sees a reflection, it could well lock onto that instead of the feeder. If you are shooting straight into the glass, the camera may see its own AF assist and lock focus at the glass instead of your subject just past it.

Also, the feeder is a fixed distance. Try putting the camera on a tripod and manually focusing (or use AF to get an initial good lock and then switch it off).


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## raptor3x (Dec 23, 2014)

Are you able to get right up against the glass? If so, buy one of those cheap collapsible rubber hoods and use that pressed up against the glass. It will make it as if the glass isn't even there.


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## lol (Dec 23, 2014)

Is the focus off, or is the image distorted? If the glass isn't perfectly flat, it will lead to distortions which both throws off the focus and also negatively affects the image. Only workaround is to move around and try shooting through a different bit of glass. On that note, keep as perpendicular as you can to the glass. Tilted glass will cause an effect like a prism.

Stopping down can help mitigate those effects to an extent.


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## jdramirez (Dec 23, 2014)

If the feeder is in an exact unmoving location, tripod mount, manual focus on the feeder, aperture of f/8 - or so, and used a wired shutter release. Done. 

Auto focus isn't really that necessary if the subject isn't moving outside of the depth of field...


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## KeithBreazeal (Dec 23, 2014)

Yes, the secret is perpendicular to the subject with the lens up against the glass. This photo was taken through 1/4 plate glass from the media room at the Sonoma Raceway. 7D with the 70-200L. Good results.



Infineon NHRA Sunday intros Tony Schumacher &amp; the Infineon Girls © Keith Breazeal by Keith Breazeal Photography, on Flickr


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## Lurker (Dec 24, 2014)

Live view.

Stand close to the glass or, if the feeder is far enough away, set focus limiter to not allow close focus. The goal is to keep the glass outside of the focus zone. 

Set focus manually so that it's close and then let auto focus take care of the detail. Focus is less likely to get confused by reflections if you start with focus set beyond the glass.

Keep square to the glass.


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## Don Haines (Dec 24, 2014)

Definitely black cloth or dark curtain behind you...... It's ( I think) the reflections in the glass that are killing you....

I do this fairly often at home. I have a thick navy blue curtain for the window.... I make sure it is behind me to reduce reflections back into the room. I also have three of those two foot square linked foam mats that I put against the window to help obscure the view of me....

My other solution is a pop-up hunting blind that I can put in the yard near the feeders..... Gets me a lot closer and no glass to worry about.....but it is cold in the winter.....


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## eml58 (Dec 24, 2014)

Manual Focus

If your attempting to shoot with AF the Focus will go to the glass generally, same applies when attempting to shoot images through the window of a Plane, use Manual Focus.

The other suggestions here regards reducing reflection are all valid.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Dec 24, 2014)

I've seldom had the issue, if you can dim lights in the room to help remove reflections it will help.


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## emag (Dec 24, 2014)

The glass may be squeaky clean, but it's not optical glass and is likely not very flat on either surface. If a MF shot doesn't look good either, then that's your issue. Using telephoto magnifies the problem.


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## ashmadux (Dec 24, 2014)

skitron said:


> Wife tried shooting XTi with 70-200 IS2 + 1.4 TC3 through glass pane for birds at feeders. The focus confirms, but results are horrible. I put the lens setup on my 5D3 and get the same horrible results.
> 
> When shooting the same distance without glass pane in the path, focus is dead on for both cameras. The glass pane is squeaky clean.
> 
> Any ideas? I'd guess trying a polarizer but I don't have one the correct size...



Yep, live view and manual focus would help. Polarizer...hmmm


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## nonac (Dec 24, 2014)

I solved the birds through the glass at the feeder on my deck by making a bird blind. I cut it out of a piece of 2" thick rigid insulating foam, cut a viewing/lens hole, and weatherstripped it all the way around. I put it in place and leave it there for days at a time in some cases. It's probably got a better "R" value than the window itself. I cut it to fit tight and weatherstripped it to where there are no air leaks at all. I just pull up a chair, take out the plug and start shooting!


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## adhocphotographer (Dec 24, 2014)

nonac said:


> I solved the birds through the glass at the feeder on my deck by making a bird blind. I cut it out of a piece of 2" thick rigid insulating foam, cut a viewing/lens hole, and weatherstripped it all the way around. I put it in place and leave it there for days at a time in some cases. It's probably got a better "R" value than the window itself. I cut it to fit tight and weatherstripped it to where there are no air leaks at all. I just pull up a chair, take out the plug and start shooting!



Love it, though I think that might only work in areas where break-ins are low!  

Before now, i have set up a tripod next to the feeder for a long time, then slapped on my camera and lens using a wireless remote to get the pics..


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## jdramirez (Dec 24, 2014)

Do yall ever use flash? I was thinking that setting up a wireless umbrella/680ex rt set up to do high speed sync would be a good way to go about shooting birds... but then I REALLY don't want bird crap on my flash or umbrella.


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## nonac (Dec 24, 2014)

Love it, though I think that might only work in areas where break-ins are low!  

I'm lucky there, I'm in a good neighborhood with lots of watchful neighbors. Plus, the deck I'm shooting on is about 15' off the ground with no steps, so the burglars would have to bring a ladder. 


Before now, i have set up a tripod next to the feeder for a long time, then slapped on my camera and lens using a wireless remote to get the pics.. 


I've done that too. I use a CamRanger for the remote as it allows me to focus and adjust camera settings as well.


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## nonac (Dec 24, 2014)

jdramirez said:


> Do yall ever use flash? I was thinking that setting up a wireless umbrella/680ex rt set up to do high speed sync would be a good way to go about shooting birds... but then I REALLY don't want bird crap on my flash or umbrella.



I have. I set it on a small table about 8' from the bird feeders. They get no where close to it. The shot I included was with a glass. It really helps to bring out the details in the bird.


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## Khufu (Dec 27, 2014)

I'm not sure if anyone's mentioned already but: larger aperture lenses with larger front elements will gather light to be focused from a broader front element plane, so distorted light paths should be countered by more desirable ones and ultimately focus a sharper image than a narrower view through a smaller area of distorting glass... if this is making any sense?!

...and getting your lens/hood right up against the glass to minimise bounce from light sources and reflections on your side.

Most of all though, you're probably not shooting through glass that's been engineered to minimise aberrations and distortions, so breaking down the glass barrier would, photographically speaking, likely be the best option


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## tpatana (Dec 27, 2014)

About week ago I was shooting through a glass display case (actually probably plastic). Mostly I tried to shoot directly in, but some shots I had to shoot angled to get the angle I wanted. E.g. this one, about 45 degree angle on the glass:


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## skitron (Dec 27, 2014)

emag said:


> The glass may be squeaky clean, but it's not optical glass and is likely not very flat on either surface. If a MF shot doesn't look good either, then that's your issue. Using telephoto magnifies the problem.



Apparently this is the problem at my house. Closer I get to the glass, worse the problem manifests. I tried MF, IS-off, then did an "angle shot" of a flat textured surface I often do in order to spot check AFMA, and noticed the center zone was blurred, but it gets progressively blurrier forward or backward, meaning it is in as much focus as it is going to get shooting thru the pane... LOL, guess I'll have to research if I can get replacement panes for a few places that will do better...


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