FLIR ONE PRO LT USB-C Thermal Imaging Camera

Product Information

The pictures the One Edge Pro provides are about as good as those from the Flir One Pro, which is unsurprising because they use the same thermal imager. The lower-resolution visual camera isn’t as sharp if you view in visual-only mode, but in MSX mode the two devices seem to identify and outline contours well. Additionally, app developers have access to the FLIR ONE software development kit (SDK) to create custom applications for exclusive use with the FLIR ONE Edge Pro.

The FLIR One Edge Pro performs well but is not perfect. The fact that captured videos are limited to a jerky nine frames per second is frustrating. To be fair, that isn’t the company’s fault: The US government doesn’t allow higher-frame-rate cameras to be exported to other countries without an export license. While the FLIR C-Series produces useful images in good light via MSX, this camera can do so at any time, since it doesn’t rely on visual light to boost its resolution. For our money, that makes it the best thermal-imaging camera for night use today. With adjustable focus, the lens can be set on subjects as far as 550m (1,800ft). That’s not only handy for outdoor pursuits but allows you to take full advantage of the relatively high resolution to get sharp thermal images at any distance. Thermal imaging works in the dark, or through smoke, but can be fooled by the reflectiveness (emissivity) of a surface. Because IR is part of the electromagnetic spectrum, like visible light, it also has similar properties when it encounters lenses or rain. For professional use, it pays to read up a bit on understanding thermograms, but you’ll understand the basics the moment you power on your thermal camera. Depending on the software, you can also take retrospective measurements from the thermal JPEGs. How we test thermal cameras

This thermal-imaging camera also connects to your phone but provides more resolution (320 x 240 pixels) as well as higher sensitivity (-40˚F to 626˚F) than the Flir One – even the Pro version. And while that pushes up the price, it does make it a great choice for contractors, engineers, inspectors, and others looking for more detailed images. The device charges through the USB-C port on the side, and a single button on the front turns the camera on. The FLIR One app controls everything else. Near the top of the body are two cameras: a 160- by 120-pixel infrared camera and a 640- by 480-pixel visible light camera. In standard lighting, the images from the two cameras are combined to give you a picture with the invisible detail of the thermal image overlaid on top of the visible light image; a process FLIR gives the rather grandiose name of Multi-Spectral Dynamic Imaging. These dynamic visuals can be saved as 640- by 480-pixel photos or as a video that runs at about nine frames per second—rather choppy, but it's a limit imposed by the US government on technology that might be exported. IP54-rated, the rugged thermal imaging camera can measure temperatures up to 400°C (752°F) and it has a maximum 1.5-hour battery life. Unlike previous models, the FLIR ONE Edge Pro doesn't charge up from the smartphone and instead needs to be charged separately. The camera's default setting combines images from both cameras, so you can see an “outline” of a real-world object colored in with the temperature information. You can choose to view just the IR or visible light images. These settings can be selected in the FLIR One app, which is available for iOS and Android. This app controls the camera and keeps a library of saved images and video; no data is stored on the camera itself. This easy-to-use app allows you to control how the sensors’ temperature measurements are displayed in the images and videos, either by marking the hottest and coldest spots with crosshairs or setting up to three spots in the image to be continuously measured, which is especially useful in video mode. The FLIR Ignite app allows users to upload images and videos from the FLIR ONE Edge Pro to the cloud (Image credit: Teledyne FLIR) FLIR ONE Edge Pro features

It is nevertheless a noticeably higher resolution than the device’s immediate predecessor, the IR0102, which had a 32 x 32-pixel resolution. As a low-priced device, adding this to your toolkit is a lot less painful than some of the devices on this list, and with fuel prices on the rise, locating leaks (an ideal task for this adapter) could cover the cost surprisingly soon. How thermal imaging cameras work The FLIR ONE Edge Pro is the most versatile and advanced thermal-visible mobile camera yet thanks to its detachable form factor, designed to fit comfortably in your hand. It offers significantly greater flexibility by eliminating the need for specific connection ports or operating systems,” said Chris Bainter, vice president of marketing and business development, Teledyne FLIR. “In addition to the new hardware design, Teledyne FLIR is providing more software tools to empower new and untrained users to conduct thermography inspections, process images, and create reports. Common uses range from building inspection and auto repair to industrial maintenance applications.” For the most part, the best thermal-imaging cameras work like regular ones, except that the image sensor detects invisible IR light and it is translated to a visual “thermogram”. This is what you see through the creature’s perspective views in The Predator and Prey. The FLIR ONE Edge Pro also features an extended battery life compared to previous generations of the FLIR ONE and an easily-recognized battery life indicator, making it ideal for more prolonged inspection situations including disaster restoration, home inspection, energy auditing, and industrial equipment diagnostics. The FLIR C3-X and FLIR C5 are good-looking compact thermal imagers that are well suited to DIYers and contractors.With a rugged body that’ll survive a bit of workplace rough-and-tumble, both have two cameras and a 5-megapixel optical lens. The IR maxes out at 160 x 120 on the pricier C5, allowing it to take advantage of Flir’s MSX technology. This patented method uses an edge-detection algorithm on the higher-resolution visual light image, overlaying this with the IR image to make the picture easier to comprehend.The camera is more rugged than the Flir One and Flir One Pro, but only slightly. Its solid, rubber-coated form is rated to survive a 6.6-foot drop compared with a 5.0-foot drop for the other cameras. It also meets an IP54 rating so it can handle drips and splashes, though it isn’t designed to be rinsed off under a faucet or submerged. The thermal core on the One Edge Pro is identical to the one used by the Flir One Pro. It has a resolution of 160 by 120 pixels and two selectable temperature ranges of -4 to 248 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 to 120 degrees Celsius) and 32 to 752 degrees Fahrenheit (0 to 400 degrees Celsius). It’s accurate to within 3 degrees Celsius, or 5%. Teledyne FLIR, a Teledyne Technologies company, is a world leader in intelligent sensing solutions for defense and industrial applications with approximately 4,000 employees worldwide. Founded in 1978, the company creates advanced technologies to help professionals make better, faster decisions that save lives and livelihoods. For more information, please visit www.teledyneflir.com or follow @flir. For cloud storage, imaging processing, and reporting, the FLIR ONE Edge Pro benefits from a rich set of Teledyne FLIR software including Tools Mobile, Ignite cloud, and FLIR Thermal Studio desktop software. This allows users to easily share Edge thermal photos with clients and seamlessly integrate them into professional reports. Note: the older CAT S61, still available in places, had a lower resolution IR camera, but offered laser measuring, offering an alternative with even more flexibility.

Both versions have a 3-inch touchscreen and can store around 500 images onboard to transfer via Micro USB. The ability to type notes via a touch keyboard can be handy, too. If you can stretch to it, the FLIR C5 model adds more analysis features and Wi-Fi so you can get images to your phone and to your software. But now anyone can access thermal imaging, whether you want to spot heat sources in dark places – ideal for wildlife spotting – or identify where heat is being lost from your property. If you simply want to measure temperatures, you may prefer our guide to the best infrared thermometers, but for HVAC, electronics, and plumbing these are now essential. The “RESNET” compliant and IP54-rated FLIR ONE Edge Pro has a spring-loaded clip designed to allow operators to attach the camera to many types of mobile phones and tablets. Thanks to the combined Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connection, users can operate the Edge Pro up to 30 meters away from their mobile device, providing the flexibility to effectively inspect hard-to-reach places or those scenarios requiring greater standoff distances to maintain operator safety. Although there are several of us on the team, including me (Adam Juniper), we generally test thermal cameras by using them in day-to-day tasks like inspecting ventilation/insulation, heating equipment (radiators, boilers) and plumbing (hot water pipes and taps). We also test any special claims made by the manufacturer about individual products, as well as the overall experience.When clipped onto my Samsung Fold 4, the FLIR One Edge Pro stayed firmly in place, but it felt like it could slip off at an inopportune moment. I found myself instinctively keeping a firm hold on both the camera and the phone. Offering effective image quality and processing to deliver results, the FLIR ONE Edge Pro features a 160×120 resolution radiometric Lepton ® thermal imaging camera paired with a visible camera. Along with VividIRÔ, which combines multiple image frames to deliver one sharper, final image, the cameras are brought together via MSX ®. The MSX patented image enhancement feature overlays the edge detail of the visible camera onto the thermal image without sacrificing any thermal data within the image, providing greater context and clarity to improve decision support. At first glance, it might seem that the chunkier One Edge Pro isn’t a step forward at all, but in reality, the larger size and the removal of the Achilles heel that was the physical connection makes this a much more practical device (it also means you can use on iPhones and Android devices without having to buy another!) Teledyne FLIR Announces FLIR ONE Edge Pro – The First Truly Wireless Mobile Infrared Camera Detachable form factor is i deal for inspecting hard-to-reach places