SO Thermal Imager

[D7es3l]

Since the EETH300 imager has been out for a little bit now. What is everyone's thoughts on them? My driver said he is going to be getting some more in December or so and said he could hold on to one for me. Just curious for those that have one if they've found it useful.

 

[hoston23]

i got one with my 10% tool purchase when i got my new box, i really just like to play with it. i thought about trying to use it with my rifle scope

 

[paranoid56]

i would buy the FLIR setup that connects to your phone for 1/6 of hte price and might be better. i use mine all the time.

 

[Pipe]

I have one. Haven't actually needed it yet but it's fun to play with. My only buyers remorse is that surely the next model will be better. Like the borescope back in like 2009.

Sent from my 0PJA2 using Tapatalk

 

[rlitman]

Looks to be a 60x80 resolution (Snap On claims "See precise detail with complete thermal images made up of 4800 temperature zones" here: https://www1.snapon.com/diagnostics/us/thermal)

That's the same resolution as a FLIR TG165, which can be had for $360 on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NXJDQV0/?tag=atomicindus08-20
when Snap On is asking $1395.

It's not a great resolution, but it's not absolutely awful either. For automotive (or electrical and home inspection) uses, it's probably sufficient. But Snap On's retail price is not at all competitive.

Significantly, the FLIR thermal imager I listed appears to have a conventional camera as well as a thermal camera, though Amazon claims it does not have the MSX feature that merges the two images. It may sound like a gimmicky feature, but it's REALLY nice if you're reviewing old images and are not really sure what you're looking at in a relatively featureless shot (as thermal images all too often are). The Snap On does not appear to even have the conventional camera, so it's essentially a generation older technology there.

That being said, thermal imagers are AWESOME! I've got a FLIR E8 on my desk, and there are days that I'd feel blind without it.

 

[WhataTool]

^ Why pay for the screen?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00W5PRY52/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[rlitman]

^ Why pay for the screen?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00W5PRY52/?tag=atomicindus08-20

If you're going that route, there's this option:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NYWABAA/?tag=atomicindus08-20
And they offer 256x156 pixels too.

 

[kd3pc]

FLIR for the money is a much better buy, for casual use - get the phone add on version

 

[MadTinkerer]

The flir TG165 is not a true IR camera. It is just a spot thermometer with a picture. If you want to compare the snap-on to something, it's more like the Flir E4. If I was to buy one I would get the E4, that can be hacked for way better resolution, essentially making it an E8 which is a $5000 tool. The E4 also has the dual cameras for better detail

 

[rlitman]

The flir TG165 is not a true IR camera. It is just a spot thermometer with a picture. If you want to compare the snap-on to something, it's more like the Flir E4. If I was to buy one I would get the E4, that can be hacked for way better resolution, essentially making it an E8 which is a $5000 tool. The E4 also has the dual cameras for better detail

Not sure where you come up with that. Refer to my post above. The FLIR TG165 has the SAME resolution as the Snap On. Yes, the E8 is much better.

 

[paranoid56]

If you're going that route, there's this option:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NYWABAA/?tag=atomicindus08-20
And they offer 256x156 pixels too.

its not nearly as good as the flir. i bought and returned the seek one and picked up the flir. the dual camera setup that overlays the images is super slick.

 

[MadTinkerer]

Not sure where you come up with that. Refer to my post above. The FLIR TG165 has the SAME resolution as the Snap On. Yes, the E8 is much better.

Do some more research. The tg165 is not a true thermal imager. It only gives you a temp at one specific spot. The snap on and the E4 take a temp reading at thousands of points giving you the temp scale on the right of the screen. Like I said previously, the Tg165 is just a temp gun with a picture just like your link indicates. "Spot thermal camera".

 

[rlitman]

Do some more research. The tg165 is not a true thermal imager. It only gives you a temp at one specific spot. The snap on and the E4 take a temp reading at thousands of points giving you the temp scale on the right of the screen. Like I said previously, the Tg165 is just a temp gun with a picture just like your link indicates. "Spot thermal camera".

It seems like you do not understand what a thermal imager is.

 

[D7es3l]

Thank you for the replies everyone!

 

[WhiffySpark]

I'm going to buy it soon. For what I'm going to use it for it's fine.

 

[firworks]

It seems like you do not understand what a thermal imager is.

No, he is right about that. The TG165 gives you a relative idea of the temperature, but it does not actually give you a temperature reading at every point like the E4. So for example, the TG165 will say that the center cursor is 68C, and then it will show you things that are hotter or cooler but it can't tell you that something else on screen is 52C and that another point is 91C unless you point specifically at it. On the E4 and up, it will show you the range saying the deepest blue regions are 30C and the brightest orange regions are 105C and you will know the actual temperature of each point in the image, not just that it is warmer or cooler than the center point.

Watch this for an indepth look and explanation:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xFFXUc4Bwjs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

It's more like an infrared temperature gun on steroids. Still a very cool and useful tool, just technically different than the E4/E8 and other thermal imaging cameras.

 

[engineer2]

I read an article that in a few years cell phone cameras will have thermal imaging capabilities.

 

[MadTinkerer]

I read an article that in a few years cell phone cameras will have thermal imaging capabilities.

The cat s60 cell phone has an ir camera built in

 

[firworks]

I read an article that in a few years cell phone cameras will have thermal imaging capabilities.

There's actually a cell phone on the market with a thermal camera.
The Caterpillar S60: http://www.catphones.com/en-us/phones/s60-smartphone

If the future means that all cell phones will have this sort of thing though, bring on the future!

I really do want to get a thermal camera at some point. They're just too fun and also very useful for quick diagnosis of electromechanical systems.

 

[engineer2]

The cat s60 cell phone has an ir camera built in

I want one!

 

[WhiffySpark]

Looks like the comparable non snap on imagers all start around $1k. So why not

 

[jcbarry]

I got to play with one on the truck. Seems like a pretty neat tool, and possibly very helpful, but even on sale at $1000 and change it seems a little pricey. Does anyone use one day to day? Id love to hear some real world feedback.

 

[rlitman]

I use the FLIR E8 all the time.
This morning, it was looking at a UPS battery in thermal runaway:

 

[awdblazer]

this is what i use at work

 

[pedrodagr8]

I want one!

Get a FlirOne for your choice of phone (it comes in an Android and an Apple variant). It the thermal features but allows you to switch phones as you wish. It also has a higher thermal resolution than the s60 IIRC

Sent from my LGLS992 using Tapatalk

 

[bpankratz]

Do your research and you WILL buy a Flir E4, and you WILL "hack" it to the resolution of the E8. Even the Flir E4 will outperform the Snap On. The MSX image overlay is WELL WORTH the money.

 

[rlitman]

Do your research and you WILL buy a Flir E4, and you WILL "hack" it to the resolution of the E8. Even the Flir E4 will outperform the Snap On. The MSX image overlay is WELL WORTH the money.

Last I heard, the current crop of E4's has a signed firmware that cannot be hacked to an E8. Has that changed?

 

[pedrodagr8]

Last I heard, the current crop of E4's has a signed firmware that cannot be hacked to an E8. Has that changed?

That has changed. They are hacking even the newest firmware ver 2.11 over at EEVBlog. Unfortunately, there is no good summary but if you read the last few pages of the thread over there you can find the relevant posts.

Sent from my LGLS992 using Tapatalk

 

[sergiol83]

Plus one for the Flir one or even the Flir One Pro. At least you are not paying for the body and display of TG165 thermal imaging camera.

 

[HoosierBuddy]

Once you have the flir for your phone you find all kinds of uses for it. Here I've identified a late night predator that has been prowling around my house:

 

[danski0224]

The cat s60 cell phone has an ir camera built in

That actually looks like a pretty awesome phone.