Perhaps you are searching for a thermal infrared camera. However, it is very important for you to know the fundamental characteristics of thermal infrared cameras which can affect the quality of the infrared photos produced by these cameras. Follow through and this article will provide you a clearer view of the two major factors that may affect the quality of thermal image:
The Pixel Resolution: This is one important factor to consider. Remember that the usual resolution aspect of infrared cameras is lower than the regular digital photography which is around 10 Megapixels or more. The usual resolution of the thermal imaging infrared camera is 160×120, which is equivalent to 19,000 pixels like the Irisys’ IRI-4010. The Flir T360 or Flir T400 is medium resolution TIC that produces 76,800 pixels sharp images. Images of around 640×480 which is equivalent to 307,200 pixels are produced by very expensive high resolution cameras.
Consider first your budget, the image quality you wanted, and the application so you can easily choose the appropriate camera resolution. Take note that even a high resolution thermal camera can produce images of only 640×480 which fits only a portion of a 22″ monitor.
The image produced by the camera when you increase the image contrast is well determined through thermal sensitivity. Thermal sensitivity varies according to the temperature of the object. The slope of the sensor’s output signal will rise as the object temperature increases.
I have here an example to make things clearer. Let us take a look at the difference between a thermal infrared camera having 50mK thermal sensitivity and the one with 100mK sensitivity is 100 percent better. A high resolution thermal imaging camera like Flir B200 is a great camera with good sensitivity of 80mK.
There are two basic types of infrared cameras. The un-cooled and the Cryogenically cooled. The infrared detector aspects of the un-cooled are set up in the unit that operates at room temperature. This type of camera will not produce any noise, provides a built-in battery pack, and activates fast.
The Cryogenically cooled version of camera is a bit expensive and more fragile. The components are cooled to below 0C or 32F at freezing point. The extreme resolution and high thermal sensitivity offer better view as low as.2F or 1C from beyond 1000 feet or about 300 meters apart. This can already detect somebody holding a weapon from this far. There is no doubt that thermal infrared camera is among the most desired electronic device in 2010 and in the future.
Find out which brand manufactures the best quality thermal infrared camera.
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