Any found and/or use a flir alternative? Seems like theyre the Apple of IR cameras.
Ive found great deals in the secondary market even over at the inspectorsdepot…just curious.
I have both a FLIR C5 and a pocket HIKMICRO. Both are very good products. Teledyne FLIR is an Oregon-based company that is a bit more polished overall, with excellent documentation and US-based product support (they replaced my first unit that had a bad battery with a new one two months before the warranty ran out, no problems). HIKMICRO is a Chinese-based company. The documentation is a bit terse and it definitely has a some minor operational quirks, but nothing terribly annoying. They pretty much tried to replicate (perhaps surpass) the C5 in both form and function. The bottom line is that I actually prefer using the HIKMICRO, simply due to the better image resolution. The HIKMICRO provides good bang-for-the-buck, it just might not be the right fit for some folks based upon the above.
3 Likes
I’ve owned the HIkmicro Pocket 2 for almost 2 years now. Still going strong.
2 Likes
Seek makes a pocket sized unit that also has higher resolution. I’ve been using mine in attics for 7 or 8(?) years. It failed once several years ago and I sent it to them and they repaired it for free. As always training is a key and higher resolution(s) make a huge difference.
3 Likes
You want cheap cameras, stick with Flir or HIKMICRO.
You want Professional Grade, go see Fluke…
2 Likes
While I love Fluke products and yes, they are great in manufacturing/industrial/commercial applications, I’m not so sure much, or any of that applies to Home Inspections.
Fluke products come in hard cases, they can be dropped off a scaffold and probably survive. They have years of electronic component experience and you get top notch gear. They also tend to be bulky, overly complicated and frankly, you’ll need to mortgage your house to buy one. They don’t make their own sensors.
Flir, one of the first in the industry when it comes to thermal imaging, pretty much brought the industry forward. They make their own sensors, they have better sensors, even if marginally compared to a fluke. They have sorta hardened gear, but not quite up to the level of Fluke. Also, cost-wise, not cheap, but not on the level of Fluke.
If I were a plant manager(oh, yeah, I was one) for a manufacturing facility, I would lean towards Fluke for thermal imaging needs.
For a home inspector, or even a commercial inspector? Fluke is a complete waste of money and space for that matter. My van is packed to the gills with stuff, I wouldn’t want to haul a small suitcase around for my thermal gear. Of course, if you are only a thermal inspector and just do commercial jobs, Fluke is probably something to look at. It’ll give you years of solid work.
4 Likes
Glad to see you guys are in agreement.
Apple sucks and flir doesn’t. Please do not compare anything to apple. Apple has always been at the bottom since the 70’s.
Maybe in execution, but not in spirit.
Owning a Fluke for a home inspector is like using a Boing 737 to travel 3 miles. Sure, it’ll get you there, but it’s expensive, bulky and a complete waste of everyone’s time and money while being too complicated for pretty much anyone to use.
Is that why Apple dominates the cellphone market?
2 Likes
This is pretty much for anything over a C-5. Most home inspectors do qualitative inspections, not quantitative inspections.
So, both of you were correct. Fluke has high-end professional grades for quantitative; Flir has both.
We use both depending on the scope of work. So the first question for anyone seeking to purchase a thermal imaging device is, “What ya gonna do with it?”
2 Likes
They don’t, there are 3 billion active android phones in the US vs 1 billion iPhones.
They may surpass in profits, but that’s because iphone users will pay $2000 for a new iPhone.
And world wide apple is only at 27% of sales.
But then again no android user is going to use an iPhone and say it’s better.
Same going for a PC vs a Mac. A Mac is good for one thing only. They make for a good paper weight
I had a apple IIe way back in the day. And it was crap compared to my commodore vic 20.
1 Like
After the Apple battery degradation scandal, I doubt I will ever convert to Apple. And the $25 settlement per Apple owner affected by the battery scandal was laughable. However, I have an iPad, and it is a decent product but nothing special.
1 Like
When you complete your Level 1 training, you learn how to make use of “too complicated”. Owning a Fluke, I seldom use it for home inspections. I don’t want to create added liability, although I do use it to identify if hydronic floor heating systems are working. I’ve never had the opportunity to use a Flir imager.
It’s an invaluable tool for problem solving and energy audits, where it does earn its keep.
2 Likes
the Android vs. Apple is a little off topic, but it all boils down to user preference. I am all IOS based and never had any issues, as a matter of fact, very ‘old school’ and all is working fine with what I need. I’m not one that runs out and buys the most updated version of anything. Currently, my phone is a iPhone 8, my iPad is over 6 years old and my MacPro is pushing 20 years or so. They all sync well together and no issues as of yet, however my MacPro won’t update to the latest version for certain apps, so I have to use my wife’s laptop to do our taxes, 
The migrants are enjoying their free Android. Uncle Sam is keeping China sales high.
It’s strictly a ‘Status Symbol’ for snooty poor people trying to look important!!
1 Like
That’s why I still have my iPhone 8…to be “cool”… 
1 Like
You didn’t like your free Snap EBT card that came with every Android?