How to Choose a Best Thermal Camera for Smartphone？

With the rapid development of thermal imaging technology, thermal imaging has become cheaper and smaller with higher quality. More and more products and devices are embedded with thermal imaging modules or can work with thermal imaging accessories. In recent years, "mini" thermal imaging cameras that can be directly connected to smartphones have appeared on the market.Thermal camera for smartphone can be used directly by plugging it into the charging port of the smartphone to transform your smartphone into a thermal camera with night vision and temperature measurement function. To choose the best thermal camera for smartphone for you, you must know the working principle and your application first, and then the main specifications must be taken into consideration carefully.

Working Principle

Everything with a temperature over -273.15℃ emits infrared radiation. The higher the temperature, the stronger the radiation is. Thermal camera for smartphone can detect infrared radiation and transform it into electric signals containing thermal images and temperature data information. The electric signal will be put out to the smartphone through the charging interface. Then the thermal images and temperature can be shown in the APP on the smartphone.

Applications

Thermal camera for smartphone can be used in many night vision and temperature measurement applications.

Thermal camera for smartphone can detect infrared without the limitation of darkness, smoke, and fog. The animals are hotter than the environment, so thermal camera for smartphone can highlight them from the background and environment. Thus, it is widely used in night vision for hunting and animal observation, making targeting and tracing easier and clearer. Due to its small size and the convenience of plug-and-play, thermal camera for smartphone is much more popular than the traditional outdoor thermal cameras and imagers.

Thermal camera for smartphone can also measure the temperature of the object at a distance by detecting its infrared radiation. The temperature of short circuits, overloading wires, and tubes can be measured at a safe distance in a non-contact way. Thus, it is widely used in industrial temperature measurement and HVAC maintenance. The thermal images and temperature of thermal camera for smartphone are displayed on the screen of the smartphone and can be analyze in APP, which are much clearer and more beneficial than traditional handheld thermal cameras.

Main Parameters

Which parameters are the most important when purchasing a thermal camera for smartphone?

(1) Thermal Resolution

It should be known that thermal resolution directly affects the clarity of the thermal image that can be recognized by the naked eye, and indirectly affects the applicable occasions. The higher the resolution, the clearer the thermal image, and the faster identification of abnormal points of the observation target. At present, InfiRay® Thermal Camera for Smartphone can reach a high resolution of 384×288.

(2) Lens

The material of the lens determines the light transmittance, which will have a certain impact on the imaging. The focal length of the lens also determines the observable range. The larger the focal length, the farther the observable distance. InfiRay® Thermal Camera for Smartphone can observe up to 870m away, which is currently the longest observation distance among the known thermal cameras for smartphone.

(3) Frame Rate

Frame rate is the number of image frames that the thermal camera can capture per second. The higher the frame rate, the more frames can be captured per second. At present, most of the products on the market have a frame rate of 10~15 Hz, but InfiRay® Thermal Camera for Smartphone can reach a maximum of 25 Hz.

(4) NETD (Sensitivity)

NETD may be ignored by many amateurs. In fact, it is this parameter that determines the sensitivity of the thermal camera which means the minimum temperature difference that the product can detect. If NETD≤40mK, it means that the minimum temperature difference that the detector can detect is 0.04°C. Thus, the smaller the NETD, the more sensitive the thermal camera. The largest NETD of InfiRay thermal camera for smartphone is 50mK, which is better than the average level in the market.

Recommended Products and Their Advantages

Currently, thermal cameras for smartphone are mainly divided into two applications: outdoor night vision and temperature measurement. T2 is a great choice, if you focus on outdoor use, such as animal observation, night vision, hunting, and camping. First of all, it is more cost-effective than other traditional night vision devices. Secondly, it can detect up to 870 meters, which is comparable with heavy and large traditional night vision products. Finally, it has ultra-small size and is plug-and-play with the smartphone, which is easy to carry and use outdoors. You can turn your smartphone into a thermal camera anytime, anywhere without worrying about power supply. Of course, these thermal cameras for smartphone designed for night vision also have temperature measurement functions. But due to different algorithm, the measurement accuracy is lower, compared with the thermal cameras for smartphone designed for temperature measurement.

If there are more requirements on temperature measurement in daily use, then P2, T2L, T3S, T3Pro are suitable for you. P2 and T2L have a resolution of 256×192. P2 is equipped with a fixed focus lens and the world's smallest body, and T2L is equipped with an adjustable lens. All are very suitable for circuit board troubleshooting, HVAC maintenance, and other occasions. One of the new highlights of P2 is the offline analysis function, which can analyze previously captured infrared images anytime and anywhere. Both T3pro and T3S have a resolution of 384×288. For professional engineers, T3pro and T3S can provide clear thermal images with rich details and help them improve detecting efficiency. Thermal camera for smartphone can also improve working safety. The temperature measurement range of T3pro is up to 400℃, which can meet the demands for most industrial applications. Thermal camera for smartphone not only has the same function with handheld thermal cameras, but also is much cheaper and more convenient.

InfiRay thermal camera for smartphone uses the world's most advanced image processing algorithms and top infrared detector chips. The battery-free design not only reduces the weight but also prolongs the operating time. Thus, the battery life is not a problem, and safety is always by your side. If you are looking for a cost-effective thermal camera for smartphone, please contact us by submit a form below or according to the information below.