Taking photos through glass window (1 Viewer)

I have the opportunity to photograph wildlife from a hide at night which has glass windows.

A slave flash system is in place to capture the mammals from about 15 metres, and subdued lighting is in place which is turned up as the mammals continue to feed

I will be using a 7D and 300mm f2.8 MK II

Will the glass make any noticeable difference to image quality, and has anyone any tips/advice/experience on such things?

Many thanks

As no one has responded yet - here is my fourpence worth.

There are many things that can affect your results ranging from the use of double glazed hide windows for soundproofing - ageing one way glass etc.

If you can - make sure the hide glass is really clean - not always possible especially externally.

Shoot as close as perpendicular to the glass as you can.

There may be a colour cast that is removable in post processing.

Contrast and sharpening may need tweeking in the post processing - how much depends on the glass and its cleanliness.

Any light from your side getting between the glass and the lens will degrade the image and cause reflections to be captured - blackout fabric/black sugar paper or other techniques can be used to minimise this.

To be honest I have bumped into so many variables shooting through glass just in poor daylight ranging from bouncy floors to achieving accurate focus lock on a low contrast poorly illuminated subjects that it is difficult to be too precise.

If this hide is used a lot for this purpose everything may be straightforward - fingers crossed. Good luck.

Many thanks

I've shot > 10,000 pictures from inside my living room or in the kitchen out through energy efficient triple glazed windows. If I go outside, the birds leave and don't come back for 15 minutest to 1/2 hour. So, to get the shots of our Bluebird house or our feaders and trees (birdscaped yard), that is what I have to do. It works, but there are some limitations.

First rule, it has to be darker in the house than the other side of the window.
Second rule, camera as close to the window as practical.
Third rule, no filters on the lens when inside, the window is enough.

Contrast and color is not as good as outside, but its the difference from getting the shot and getting nothing.

Note my avatar. That juvenial goshawk landed on our bird feeder station, looked up, saw itself in a window, took off with its talons thrust forward and bounce off the window. Am I glad it was an "armored" window, or I would have been in trouble with a mad hurt large raptor in the house. It then flew over the small maple near the house. I was able to get my camera click off a few pictures through the window before it detected my movement and decided to leave.

Actually, if you do want a glass enclosed blind, then the best thing to do is to have the two panes of glass angled. Inside top is close than bottom, outside bottom is closer than top, forming a V shape. the reflections will be down, and there will be no acoustic coupling, keeping noise inside the blind.

Get your lens as close to the glass as possible.
If you can, wrap something around the outer edge o the lens and glass to stop any light from the flash, or other lights, from reflecting off the glass into the lens.
Make sure the glass is clean of course.
Happy shooting

A soft rubber lens hood is useful. Make sure it is in contact with the window to cut out any extraneous light.

Minimise any light on your side of the glass.

Take some lens wipes, or even kitchen paper pretreated with some window cleaner in a ziploc bag, to ensure the glass is as clean as possible.

Look across the glass from an angle. Even modern glass can have some areas which clearly distort an image, viewing from an angle makes these areas more obvious.