Budget thermal cameras

[RevDisk]

So, I was reviewing economic thermal imaging solutions for a customer.

http://obtain.thermal.com/category-s/1818.htm

Seek is cheaper and has a higher thermal rate, also Android compatible
$200, -40º F to 626º F

http://shop.flir.com/dp/B00K0PXFB6
Flir One has better graphics, but more expensive, iPhone 5 and 5s only
$350, 32 °F to 212 °F

If you own an iPhone 5 or 5s, pay the money and get a Flir One. Flir One has much better graphics, but is larger, iPhone only and nearly twice the price. The better graphics are worth it.

If you own Android devices, Seek is cheaper, Android compatible and would be much easier to use as a general camera.  6ft MicroUSB extension cables are available for $10 or less, maximum total distance with active repeater cable is 100 ish ft. If you don't own an iPhone already, the cost of the Flir One ($350) and iPhone ($600) are roughly equal to a handheld Flir E4 ($850-1000). The E4 has -4°F to 482°F range, can be connected to a PC via USB and is better quality than the Flir One. So go with a Seek for $200, or buy an Flir E4 for $850.

[Ben]

Interesting that the FLIR has better graphics. Resolution looks to be 80x60 compared to Seek's 206x156. I was casually looking at the Seek a while back as they're just down the street from me. I've never really looked into the FLIR since I'm an Android fanboi. Thinking of asking for the Seek for Xmas if the dang things still aren't on backorder.

[AJ Dual]

The FLIR's One's better graphics are an overlay/merge with the iPhone's visible light camera throwing up a false-color view with the thermal data mixed in. It does a high contrast edge-detection routine so you get a better sense of what you're looking at when you see the temperature gradients. If you're in the dark, the thermal-only view is very very lo-rez and blobby.

[Ben]

The FLIR's One's better graphics are an overlay/merge with the iPhone's visible light camera throwing up a false-color view with the thermal data mixed in. It does a high contrast edge-detection routine so you get a better sense of what you're looking at when you see the temperature gradients. If you're in the dark, the thermal-only view is very very lo-rez and blobby.

That makes sense. I used to do something similar at work post-processing with Landsat data, throwing the Band 6 thermal in with a higher rez reflective IR and one of the 1-3 visible bands. Seek oughta be able to come up with the same realtime methodology as FLIR. I'm kinda surprised they didn't, since the FLIR was already out with it.

Oops, meant band 6, not 7.

[AJ Dual]

206x156 is enough to be useable. .03 MP I guess.. 

The Flir One is only 80x60. 

[MechAg94]

My night vision monocular doesn't have thermal.  I just want something to allow me to spot animals at a little extra distance.  If the animals are not moving, it can be hard to spot them with just light enhancement sometimes.

[cordex]

I ordered the iOS version of the Seek Thermal camera on 9/26 with an order number in the low 300s. Still haven't received it.

[Boomhauer]

When standalone thermal comes down I'll be buying one for work. I anticipate it being rather useful...

[cordex]

I should also note, the Seek cameras have a known lens issue on some devices that causes a thermal gradient on the image that they are trying to correct with firmware updates. Even so, some folks have already figured out the interface and have ginned up some Windows-based software to interpret and clean up the image of the android versions.

The Flir One's only real redeeming quality is the visible light overlay, but at almost twice the price for lower thermal resolution I wasn't as interested.

Then again, if I had ordered Flir One I'd have it already ...

[Ben]

Thread Necro.

Hey Cordex, I see they have the cameras back in stock. Did you ever get yours? I'd be interested in a SITREP.

[cordex]

Thread Necro.

Hey Cordex, I see they have the cameras back in stock. Did you ever get yours? I'd be interested in a SITREP.

Apparently their Android cameras are shipping regularly now, but they canceled all iOS orders - including mine - because of some issue with their Apple MFi certifications.  Oddly, a couple of weeks before they cancelled the orders they charged the credit/debit cards (not a hold as they kept claiming, an actual charge) of the iOS orders, so they had to refund all that money when they canceled the orders.

Not thrilled with their service so far, and I'm not sure I'm going to reorder when they do get it figured out, even with the 10% discount they're offering iOS buyers.

I've heard that the Android units out there are hit and miss with regard to quality, and there was a bizarre software issue that caused it to misreport temperatures by a huge amount.

The FLIR units came down in price recently too...

[cordex]

Finally got it. If you want one soon try the code APPLE14DEC for 10% off. I need to play with it some before I give a review but so far it seems to work well.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

Down to 219 for android.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Ben]

I'll be interested in your thoughts after you've played with it some. Maybe if I get some Christmas dough I'll impulse buy one. :)

[Viking]

Are these things ITAR controlled? I kinda want one.

[CNYCacher]

In my research for building multirotors and autonomous model planes with a curiosity towards their use in search and rescue, I found a site that sells FLIR cores stripped from old military and industrial equipment.

You get exposed circuit boards and cut off wiring harnesses, very much DIY ingredients, but you can get qvga resolution for around $500 and VGA for slightly over a grand.

Can't find it now though. :(

[cordex]

Down to 219 for android.

It is $199 for either model from Seek directly (with a longer wait than Amazon, I'm sure).  With the coupon, the iOS version was $179.10 shipped.

Are these things ITAR controlled? I kinda want one.

No.  They squeak by because the refresh rate is low enough, or something like that.  It can be harder to get the apps outside the US, but people are managing.

When I first started playing with it I didn't see any gradient issue, but I'm noticing it now.  Not the end of the world, but it reduces the value of the mode that identifies the hottest and coldest pixels.

[cordex]

Some images from my camera.
Dryer:


Leaky front door with heating vent above it.


Furnace


Faucet on hot

[AJ Dual]

Oh come on... Where are the fart pics?

[cordex]

I don't think farts themselves would even be visible.

I did find out that my stainless steel fridge is almost a perfect thermal mirror - to the point that in the reflection you could tell which direction I dress.  No, you don't need pictures of that either AJ.

[CypherNinja]

Just saw this on YouTube. Knew about the problem before, but I remembered this thread.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Vc-69M-UWk

[cordex]

Just saw this on YouTube. Knew about the problem before, but I remembered this thread.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Vc-69M-UWk

I will try it out, but I doubt it works. Would only really be possible on plastic buttons (metal conducts and reflects heat too well to reliably grab a thermal imprint) and even then would be unlikely to show much.

[bedlamite]

I will try it out, but I doubt it works. Would only really be possible on plastic buttons (metal conducts and reflects heat too well to reliably grab a thermal imprint) and even then would be unlikely to show much.

check if using fingernails defeats the IR camera too.

[AJ Dual]

Just put your fingers/palm on the buttons for a second to warm them all up equally.

[cordex]

Tonight I got to compare the Seek Thermal side by side with a FLIR LS series that one of the county mounties carries.  As far as clarity and range there was absolutely no contest - the $4k+ FLIR allowed you to pick out much more detail.  That said, the much cheaper Seek gives some similar capabilities as well as the ability to make better determination of heat differences and a vast range of color pallets not available on the FLIR.  Definitely interesting.