Eliminating window reflections
 

Has anyone used Lenskirt? It seems like a great idea but I have read complaints that the suction cups don't hold for an extended time. Since i want to do time lapse, that would be a problem.

Thanks for any other suggestions.

Window glass is an U corrected layer with contaminants, etc. better without it, but if you must, a circular polarizing lens. Every photographer should have one, IMO, and it's certainly more useful and portable than the Lenskirt device. (I don't believe it will eliminate reflections 100% anyway, as your lens may have brightwork or cast reflections, and reflections from the glass and light beyond the glass).

Faced same problem, this is what I looking for..

I usually just use a lens with a hood which essentially the same thing, but much smaller.

This product is ridiculous. black cloth with a simple hole cut into it and a bit of gaffer tape and you're good to go. this thing doesn't even neatly stack, it's the size of an ipad when folded. rubbish!

I find a collapsible rubber lens shade/hood usually does the trick very effectively on the reflections on front of the glass. However, there may also be reflections coming from the other side and those are almost always impossible to eliminate.

What I don't get about the Lenskirt is what you're supposed to do with it. It goes against the glass? What happens if you're shooting a store window and you need to stand back ten feet from the glass? As a photographer, if I were facing this problem I'd cut a hole in a black piece of cardboard. I've seen photographers documenting department store windows here in NYC and they come prepared with several 4 by 8 foot pieces of black fomecore just in case.

It's not that useful. You can always fix a part of the problem by changing your shooting location, and the other part with a lens hood and an extra shirt (if you must).

There have been so many times I've wanted something like that but $50 is a bit steep...

In that situation, I just use a collapsible rubber lens hood. They cost about 5 bucks and serve to dampen vibrations from train or plane windows as well as block most reflections.

A few pro aviation photographers I know will dress in black and wear a black hood.

The whole black hood thing on an airliner, is likely unwise and may get you sent to a black site.

+1 ^

I've got one of those. As already mentioned when folded it takes up as much or more room than an iPad. The suction cups are attached to the lens skirt with a plastic button. This means they can fall off easily. I've predominantly used it to kill the glass reflections when taking photos of aircraft parked at the gate, or when I went to the viewing deck at the Shard in London. In these situations it performed well.

Well, I just use a simple solution for pictures during nighttime.

http://sky.velp.info/extremeastro.php

Requirement 1 is that it should be a smooth flight, otherwise it is impossible to make longer exposures.
I wrap the camera in a blanket (provided by the airline), hold the camera against the window as low as possible, pull down the window slider until it hits the camera/blanket. Hold the camera steady, take a deep breath and make an exposure. I managed to make pictures up till 8 seconds without any glare, even with the cabin lights on.
The best is getting at the doors where you can just let the camera rest before the window but that is only possible in a 747. A 777 or 380 have no 'camera rest' on the doors (see the 'do not sit here' sign in the 747).
Another option is pasting a suction cup with the camera upside down mounted on it on the window which is much more steady.

I shoot time lapse all the time and use the LensSkirt. My only issue is the lack of one that works with wide angle lenses. For those I revert to black fabric and gaffe tape. Sometimes, I don't have tape and must MacGyver the fabric to the window. I'll use hotel lamps, hangers, you name it.

Best thing I ever started traveling was an Allen wrench set that will open most hotel windows.

I've been happy with the LensSkirt, and once I superglued the suction cups to the fabric, I haven't had any issue. Quick fix to an age old problem.