How did this pix happen?

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ctclibby

New Member
Hi All!
Hope y'all are well

Ok, so I stopped at Sandpoint station the other day and got some shots of her for modeling purpose. I could not get inside as it is only open at 0:dark:30. I figured that I would place my lens flat on the window and attempt to get shots of the inside. You can see from the photo some of the inside detail which helped.
My burning question is: how in the world does my reflection show up? This is single pane glass. If I remember light theory from way back, since it is single pain glass there are two planes that incident light hits, one going in and one going out. Ok, so the light bends slightly on each, but to have pretty much my whole reflection in the result?

Pentax K70, mode was Auto
SMC Pentax DA 18-135mm

Shadow.JPG


Bridge construction has pretty much stalled. They are still at the same place as a couple of weeks ago. Some of the barges are now in the water, but nothing further into the lake.
 
Does the camera use any image from a second lens that may not have been flat on the glass? Maybe for the auto focus?
 
Hmm, don't think so. As far as I know, all of the Pentax I have owned; both film and digital focus through the lens. When I took that shot, focus was at infinity as I don't remember rattling the glass. If there were a 2nd lens for auto-focus, would it not be off center somewhere which would skew the image?
 
Hmm, don't think so. As far as I know, all of the Pentax I have owned; both film and digital focus through the lens. When I took that shot, focus was at infinity as I don't remember rattling the glass. If there were a 2nd lens for auto-focus, would it not be off center somewhere which would skew the image?
It possibly would. If you have the camera handy, turn it on, leave the lens cap on, and see if you can see anything through the viewfinder. If you can, you have your answer. If not, we can keep suggesting
 
Been awhile, but think that the K1000 was the only Pentax that was not sight through lens; and I am not sure of that. Got that one in 87ish.
 
If the lens was truly against the glass, this shouldn't be possible.

It appears that it was quite a ways back from the reflecting surface. So either you were holding it back further than you realize, or there's a second sheet of glass / plexiglass inside.

That's my guess anyway.
 
Lens was flat on the glass as I figured that way the camera could see inside instead of the glass reflecting the end of the lens back. I will check again, but am pretty sure it was single pain. This is a head scratcher.
 
Are they all like this? Or did you maybe hit the shutter before you put it against the glass?
 
Ok, so this has me bugged. I guess that the lens is offset from the window glass by about 1/8 inch: distance from UV filter outer ring to filter glass. The sun-shade is not attached. Have to go to Spo today and will give it a go without the UV filter on the way back.
 
Are they all like this? Or did you maybe hit the shutter before you put it against the glass?

Hi Bob, ALL of the interior shots were like that. When I got home the first time and looked at the pix, I deleted them because you really could not see the interior all that great. Figured that I would find another way, or get there when station was open. I got to thinking about those deleted pix and wondered to myself how that was possible. So, couple days later stopped again to verify what happened; hence the pix in the post.
 
Welp, the universe can now rest! The outside window was single pain, however there is another complete window on the inside about 6 inches in, painted black or some dark color. It was hard to see even when looking for it. Boy, what a dumb sh.t was I!
 
At least the mystery is solved. Can you get the picture when it is lighter inside the building than where you are taking the photo? That may keep the second window from reflecting the great outdoors.
 
I haven't been through there in the early evening and don't know if they turn in inside lights on. Station is open for both the EB and WB Builder at 01:00 and that is my sleep time! I can't just go there as it is a 80 mile drive.
 
Welp, the universe can now rest! The outside window was single pain, however there is another complete window on the inside about 6 inches in, painted black or some dark color. It was hard to see even when looking for it. Boy, what a dumb sh.t was I!

Ah, that makes sense. It's really the only thing I could think of. Even if you weren't completely tight to the glass, the reflection was pretty wide.

No worries, it was a fun mystery!
 




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