In recent years, the application of infrared thermal imaging cameras has developed rapidly around the world. Thermal imaging technology has played an important role in product quality control and monitoring, equipment online fault diagnosis, safety protection, and energy conservation. The following are the factors to consider when choosing a suitable thermal imaging camera.

Temperature measurement range (range)

The temperature measurement range is the entire temperature range (range) that the thermal temperature cameras are calibrated and capable of measuring. Some infrared temperature cameras are set with multiple ranges to more accurately measure a wider range of temperature. Each model of thermal temperature camera has its own specific temperature measurement range (range). Therefore, the user's measured temperature range (range) must be accurate and comprehensive. According to the law of black body radiation, the change in radiant energy caused by temperature in the short-wave band of the spectrum will exceed the change in radiant energy caused by the emissivity error. Selecting a temperature sensor camera with a higher temperature range (range) is especially important for certain industrial applications, such as measuring high-temperature equipment such as boilers, kilns, or furnaces. Therefore, you must be familiar with the temperature measurement range (range) required by the industry before choosing an infrared thermal imaging camera.

Field of View (FOV)

The field of view is determined by the infrared thermal imaging camera lens, which is the range of the scene seen by the thermal camera at any given moment. For close-up work, you need a lens with a wide field of view (45° or higher). For long-distance work, you need a telephoto lens (12° or 6°). Some cameras may have multiple lenses for different applications. For example, the FLIR T840 is equipped with a 6° ultra-telephoto lens, which is suitable for working at longer distances.

Infrared resolution

The resolution of a thermal camera is how many pixels the infrared temperature camera has in operation. Higher resolution means that each image contains more information: more pixels mean more details, so the possibility of obtaining accurate measurements is greater. When choosing an infrared camera, it depends on your application: when you can get close to the target, you can choose a low-cost, low-resolution camera. When measuring smaller targets from farther away, higher resolution is required.

Thermal sensitivity (NETD)

Thermal sensitivity or noise equivalent temperature difference (NETD) describes the smallest temperature difference that can be seen with a thermal camera. The smaller the number, the better the thermal sensitivity of the infrared system. Be cautious when choosing an infrared temperature camera: thermal imagers from low-cost manufacturers may hide low sensitivity and set the NETD to 50°C instead of the industry-standard 30°C.

If the temperature difference of the target you need to measure is large, there is no need for a thermal imager with too low thermal sensitivity. However, for more precise applications, such as detecting moisture issues, you will need higher thermal sensitivity.

Focal length

The focal length of the infrared temperature camera can be fixed or adjustable, which means that the user can manually adjust the focal length on the camera or automatically adjust the focal length. Generally speaking, the entry-level infrared temperature camera has a fixed focal length, and the high-performance thermal imager will have a manual or automatic adjustment of the focal length. The advantage of manual focus and autofocus is that the user needs to adjust the focus to adapt to more scenes.

Spectral range

The spectral range is the wavelength range detected by the sensor in the thermal imager, measured in micrometers (μm). Most gas detection thermal imaging cameras (such as propane, methane, and butane detectors) are medium-wave thermal imaging cameras, which means that their spectral range is between 2 microns and 5 microns. Most thermal imaging cameras are long-wave thermal imaging cameras with a spectral range between 8 microns and 14 microns. Long-wave thermal imaging cameras are suitable for various infrared applications, such as electrical inspections, fire rescues, etc.

Infrared thermal imaging technology has good concealment and strong detection ability, which can achieve high efficiency and high accuracy targets. After reading the above content, if you still have doubts about the choice of infrared thermal imaging camera or want to know more information, you can contact us for more detailed solutions.

As a professional infrared temperature camera manufacturer, we are always committed to providing a safe and efficient environment for everyone's life and work. We have an experienced team and staff that can provide you with professional infrared thermal imaging technology. We will also provide you with thoughtful services and solutions. If you want to buy our high-quality infrared thermal imaging camera, please contact us immediately!