Buyer guide: Thermal cameras
7 things to consider when choosing a thermal camera

This article provides an overview of thermal cameras. Prices for these devices range from EUR 300 up to EUR 16,000. We want to help you decide which product and price range is right for you. We compare the most important criteria and then apply them to different use cases to make sure you find the imager you need. We also compare handheld cameras with smartphone-based devices.

Camera type

Compact camera

Casual users, for those who need high-quality images – perfect for electrical engineers.

Pistol-style camera

Suitable for daily use with demanding applications.

Resolution

The resolution defines the pixel size of your image. How defined should your picture be?

If you just need an overall idea of the thermal image, 80×60 pixels might be enough for you. However, the higher quality picture you require, the higher your resolution needs to be.

80×60: bare minimum

EUR 250 - 1,200

Your target is less than 2.5m away. Just a rough image is needed. E.g. for troubleshooting in plumbing and heating installations.

320×240: high quality

EUR 2,500 - 8,000

Your target is less than 10m away.Detailed temperature differences need to be visible.

160×120: average quality

EUR 400 - 4,500

Your target is less than 5m away. No details needed.

1280×960: pro level

EUR 13,500

Your target is up to 40m away. Detailed temperature differences and a big picture needed.

Sensitivity

Sensitivity defines the level of detail that you will get in your picture. It defines the smallest temperature variation a camera can detect. So, how detailed do you need your picture to be? Sensitivity can be measured in milliKelvins or degrees Celsius. The smaller the value, the better.

0.1°C / 100 mK

EUR 250 - 2,000

0.06°C / 60 mK

EUR 1,700 - 3,000

0.08°C / 80 mK

EUR 1,200 - 4,500

0.05°C / 50 mK

EUR 2,500 - 13,500

Temperature range

The most obvious criterion might be the temperature range. What are you looking at?

In the home application industry, you are well served with the standard range of -20°C - 250°C. If you are working with industrial applications, higher temperature ranges might be required. Standard thermal cameras can measure temperatures up to 1,500°C. For special applications, cameras that can measure up to 3,000°C are available from select suppliers such as Flir.

Max. 330°C

EUR 300 - 4000

Troubleshooting in home applications

Max. 660°C

EUR 1,500 - 7,000

Industrial applications

Max. 1000°C

EUR 7,000 - 13,500

Special applications

Field of view

The field of view is certainly something you want to look into, but in most use cases it won’t be your priority. A common angle is 25°, which is suitable for most applications. If you know you need a wider angle on your camera, you can get angles of up to 50° to fit more into your frame.

Unlike the previous criteria, a larger angle does not always equal a more expensive camera. Law enforcement and industrial inspections sometimes need a tighter view to get a telephoto zoom picture. These cameras with angles of just 10° can cost just as much as wide-angle cameras with 40°.

10-25°

EUR 350 - 10,000

Very detailed picture for long distances.

25-35°

EUR 1,000 - 13,500

Standard view FOV (field of view). Suitable for most engineers and applications.

30-48°

EUR 600 - 3,000

Wide picture with not so much detail.

Frame rate

Most cameras have a frame rate of 9Hz. This means the camera creates nine pictures per second to give you an almost fluent video.

This is slightly slower than the human eye. However, without fast changing images, it is sufficient for most applications in the field of electrical engineering.

9 Hz

EUR 250 - 13,500

Simple applications with steady temperature and slow changes. No fluent picture needed.

60 Hz

EUR 5,000 - 13,500

Special applications

30-33 Hz

EUR 2,500 - 8,000

Applications where temperature changes must be captured instantly.

30 kHz

EUR 8,500 - 10,000

Special applications

Handheld vs. compact

In the past years, SEEK thermal and FLIR invested in the development of smartphone-based devices. These tiny cameras are more powerful than you might think and could just be the right product for you.

The cameras are attached to your smartphone. They are either separately charged or use the power of your smartphone. As for which one is better than the other; that is debatable. With the separately charged camera, you have to remember to charge two devices. With the one connected to your phone’s battery, you will use up battery life far more quickly.

See the table below for an overview of advantages and disadvantages of compact cameras vs. handheld cameras: