If you buy one of these, let us know what you think.
About the size of a Go Pro camera, the DUO records 1080p visible light, and then blends it with 160x120
infrared imagery. FLIR says the DUO’s diminutive size is perfect for mounting on personal drones.
The FLIR One Pro, meanwhile, features multiple spot modes, and while resolution is same as the standard
FLIR One, the Pro model has a new image processing engine that FLIR says will producer sharper thermal
images and justifies its $400 price. The improved FLIR One and FLIR One Pro will go on sale this summer.
Finally, FLIR listens to the prayer… but…
I would say see and wait
If FLIR PRO can be used for professional, then, E series will be blow away.
And if they have small device with high resolution, I will wait for C2 2nd generation.
My experience of using mobile attachment is not very good, because the operating time is very short. The battery is from the phone
It is my understanding (from the first generations) that the device has it’s own battery.
That is still the Achilles Heal in my opinion. How do you change these batteries when they go bad? Buy a new Flir One? It would be cheaper…
I just ordered two new batteries for my T-400 yesterday. On my third set of two and I own 3 thermal cameras… All have new replacement batteries…
I like that the fixed the USB connection so you can use a phone cover.
The increased resolution only happens if you take the scan (not while looking around with it).
Mentioned that there are “tuning adjustments”. Not that any one of you “adjust your camera”.
I signed up for one to find shot deer when hunting or see what my dogs are raising hell about in the back yard. I’ll give you my opinion when is get my hands on one.
If you can afford $400 for something that may last 2 years to help you see that hot air is coming out of a heat register, an electric water heater with two operating elements, if the oven works, etc… (you know, things you will find out anyway through observation and other testing) it may be a worthwhile investment.
It is still a 120 pixel res (BCam equivalent), with only .18 sensitivity vs. 0.035 of what I normally use. But still:
The detector array shall be at least 120 by 120 pixels.
The thermal sensitivity (noise equivalent
temperature differences, NETD) shall be 100 mK or better.
I know your question was directed at John but I wanted to jump in.
If you watch Bens latest IR webinar from yesterday it show the comparison of the E8 and the Flir you are asking about. The images were very close in my opinion.
For Home Inspections and Qualitative Imagery this should work fine and is only $400 or $500 compared to the E8 at around $3K or 4K
I can see now why better cameras are needed for the experts doing commercial and energy (quantitative imagery).
Also besides the camera resolution the lens angle and type make a huge difference in price and the image.
Best to you and happy New Year!!
Johns IR webinar (class) as well as ITC free starter courses are well worth the time.
I would like to see some real world images from someone who knows what to look for.
Things are not always what they appear in print.
The Infraspection 2016 SOP is a good starting point Bob, if you want an expert opinion
from Jim Seffrin. I have been preaching this same standard for years.
Jim is the founder of the oldest school of thermography in north America.
120x120 (not enhanced) resolution, no more than 100 mk, and adjustments within the
camera for the image scale. This happens to be the same standard set by RESNET as well.
Get training before you buy… IMHO.
POP QUIZ… how many days after it rains would you like to be able to find moisture issues?
Low resolution, poor quality cameras are many times 400% below these standards and
cannot find moisture once much of it dries up. A better IR camera may find moisture
issues in the hand of a trained thermographer for up to a week or more after it rains.
Does this matter to you?
If your not selling yourself as a professional thermographer, then I guess you can use
any camera you want and it is does not matter. We have a moral and legal duty to our
clients to preform what we promise in our ads.
I wish someone would monitor the replies from the NACHI IR Training course…
Over 50% of the posted conclusions are incorrect (and they just took the course and own a thermal device).
I know they are just trying to throw something together to finish the course, but a little thought into the process would be nice.
I can just see these posts ending up in an Inspection Report. -o<
The image from the webinar you posted says the recommended resolution is
120x120.
After you look for hard to find moisture areas for a while, you will understand
why. A single image comparison does not reveal all the times that a better
resolution camera will see things that the other cannot. Even with a better
made camera, it can be very difficult to find some moisture issues.
Looking for moisture on the surface of a wall is not the same as looking for
moisture that is behind the wall board. Not even close.
On a personal note… people can buy whatever camera they want. It does not
matter to me.
Also, you do not always have the best conditions at the time of inspection for a cheap camera to work. If you want to limit yourself as to the perfect time to do TI that is fine.
There are times when conditions are too good for my T-640. I collect more than I need and it makes it messy.
If you cant see a nail head (in your example, you can’t see the stud) you may be missing things.
Right now your in winter in Ohio. This will not be this way many weeks out of the year.
Look at those side by side images, IMO they do more to show their differences… the image on the left has significantly more information. And if the MSX were off, even more so. Image on left has framing detail, image on right is blobbish IMO. To each their own, but the MSX does more to lure those to spend ill advised dollars than to make prudent decisions.
My challenge would be, turn the MSX and re-take those pics… it’ll really show.
Actually, if FLIR, as such a big leader in the field, markets the phone attachment device for “professional” use. I do not think many people can object this. Even the real professionals have the experience and knowledge to speak out. Their voice cannot be heard by majority.
Finally, maybe the one uses big IR camera(Like Fluke, Testo) will be looked odd from customers perspective. Because everyone is using small phone attachment device and share images by WIFI, while the traditional inspectors may still need to bring back their old Fluke TiR or E8 to home to upload photo…
Just my imagination, please do not take it too serious…
I see a world of difference if you ask me. Notice where there is no visual visual detail to allow MSX to make you think you are seeking IR detail - Like the studs in the wall. The toy camera is completely blind to the thermal information that is readily observable with the E model. If you look at other images in his seminar you will see serious parallax issues where the MSX doesn’t register properly over the IR image.
When are the appropriate times to use this feature? I use the E8. Only is residential homes to look for moisture and insulation deficiencies.
My best answer would be maybe in an electrical panel to better indicate the breakers. But then I would be more using for quantitative imagery and I better now my emissivity and reflected temperature settings or I will fall in the category of another home inspector giving improper imagery observations. (no offense meant to the inspectors)
I really want to be able to differentiate moisture from insulation and air infiltration defects.
My thoughts as well, take away the MSX and you’ll have blobbish images
Dave M. I don’t use MSX much on my T-Series camera, except for where visual enhancement is helpful, say when using at an electrical panel or where an anomaly is adjacent to another landmark type of item, say a moisture spot and a light fixture… there are others, but for most part I don’t use. My camera originally didn’t come with it, but when re-calibrated, I had the firmware upgraded to add this enhancement.
IMO, MSX is a great feature, but lends itself to sort of enhancing or making look better a poor Infrared image in a lower end camera.
In that side by side picture, if you would have had say a T or EXX Series compared and MSX was turned off, there would really be some differences there.
Well this makes one of my points.
Thermal Imaging is not “point and shoot” photography.
Just because you see a “blob” of color, it does not tell you what it is, nor does it show you everything in the FOV. If you don’t run your scans through your computer, your doing a half assed job because you are not properly tuning the scan 99% of the time.
Qualitative/Quantitative, it makes no difference. You must tune the scan or your walking away from a bunch of information that may very likely change your diagnosis.
If you don’t understand this, you will never be more than an IR Camera Owner Bull****ting the public.
