A data collection system, comprising: a barrier having an outer side, an inner side, and at least one window, the inner side of the barrier being opposed across a thickness of the barrier from the outer side of the barrier, and the at least one window having at least one optic that is transparent or at least translucent and which allows light to pass through the window between the outer and the inner sides of the barrier; at least a first imager, the first imager being positioned to the inner side of the barrier to receive light that passes through the at least one window from the outer side of the barrier via the at least one optic; at least one primary illumination source positioned on the inner side of the barrier and oriented to pass light through the at least one window via the at least one optic without directly passing light to the first imager and substantially without reflection to the first imager from the at least one optic; at least one secondary illumination source positioned on the inner side of the barrier and a control subsystem including at least one processor, the control subsystem being communicatively coupled to the imager characterized in that the at least one secondary illumination source is oriented to direct light toward the at least one optic with partial reflection from the at least one optic to the first imager; and the control subsystem is communicatively coupled and operable to control at least one of the at least one primary illumination source or exposure time of the first imager responsive to at least one characteristic of a number of reflections by at least one optic of light from the at least one secondary illumination source. a barrier having an outer side, an inner side, and at least one window, the inner side of the barrier being opposed across a thickness of the barrier from the outer side of the barrier, and the at least one window having at least one optic that is transparent or at least translucent and which allows light to pass through the window between the outer and the inner sides of the barrier; at least a first imager, the first imager being positioned to the inner side of the barrier to receive light that passes through the at least one window from the outer side of the barrier via the at least one optic; at least one primary illumination source positioned on the inner side of the barrier and oriented to pass light through the at least one window via the at least one optic without directly passing light to the first imager and substantially without reflection to the first imager from the at least one optic; at least one secondary illumination source positioned on the inner side of the barrier and a control subsystem including at least one processor, the control subsystem being communicatively coupled to the imager characterized in that the at least one secondary illumination source is oriented to direct light toward the at least one optic with partial reflection from the at least one optic to the first imager; and the control subsystem is communicatively coupled and operable to control at least one of the at least one primary illumination source or exposure time of the first imager responsive to at least one characteristic of a number of reflections by at least one optic of light from the at least one secondary illumination source.