Second Generation Flir One

Has anyone jumped in and purchased the latest Flir One?

YOUTUBE Second Generation FLIR One for iOS and Android](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-iUfJBuRYs)

My only concern is the low one hour battery life and it will not charge from the phone. Combined with the two cameras the image has a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels. By the look of the video the picture looked great. The camera features are nice too.

Personally, I’m going to wait until I can touch and look at these cameras before buying.

The C2 is identical to the FLIR one but is a stand alone camera. The only difference being the temperature sensitivity and focus length.
I appreciate having the pictures on my iPhone 5s which is what I take all my inspection pictures with. I use it routinely on every inspection now. The FLIR One is discontinued and I’m thinking about getting a backup. It’s a remarkable must have tool that should be in every inspectors arsenal.

I used my one FLIR imager today too. They sure are great tools and capture fantastic images. Still don’t have MSX working on mine though. Found another leaky thermal envelope on new construction.

How are you doing getting those images posted from your ̷t̷o̷y̷ pro imager?

http://www.nachi.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=95213&d=1435905181

What is the thermal resolution number of the infrared sensors? Your pixel number that you gave is for the image produced after it has been manipulated by the camera and does not mean that thermal details are enhanced. What looks good to the eyes can still leave you blind in the realm of infrared details. What is the number for the mk rating on sensitivity also?

From what I can find on their website is the FLir One comes with a Lepton Camera that allows it to take the thermal imaging. The data sheet for the camera can be found here.

Features
■ Dimensions:
8.5 x 11.7 x 5.6 mm (without socket),
10.6 x 11.7 x 5.9 mm (including socket)

■ 51-deg HFOV, 63.5-deg diagonal
(f/1.1 silicon doublet)
■ LWIR sensor, wavelength 8 to 14 μm

■ 80 (h) × 60 (v) active pixels

■ Thermal sensitivity <50 mK

■ Integrated digital thermal image processing
functions, including automatic thermal
environment compensation, noise filters,
non-uniformity correction, and gain control

■ Optional temperature-stable output to
support radiometric processing

■ Export compliant frame rate (< 9 Hz)

■ MIPI and SPI video interfaces

■ Two-wire I2C-like serial-control interface

■ Uses standard cell-phone-compatible power
supplies: 2.8V to sensor, 1.2V to digital core,
and flexible IO from 2.5V to 3.1V

■ Fast time to image (< 0.5 sec)

■ Low operating power, nominally 150 mW
(< 160 mW over full temperature range)

■ Low power standby mode

■ RoHS compliant

■ 32-pin socket interface to standard Molex or
similar side-contact connector

What are good specs and what should we look for when buying a thermal imaging camera?

The specs you have posted and linked to are for the first gen FLIR ONE…
not the second gen FLIR ONE.

Always look for a resolution of at least 120x120. This can be listed in
several ways on the spec sheet. Sometimes called active pixels, detector
array, sensors, thermal resolution. Don’t pay any attention to the pixel
count of the image on the display screen or what the manipulated
resolution is after the camera processes it or the MSX outline feature.
These do not enhance the actual resolution. It’s confusing on purpose.

Then look for an mk sensitivity rating of no more than 100mk. This
relates to noise (fuzzy images). Lower numbers are better.

Good focus means a lot as well.

I have two techs searching for the specs on the second gen FLIR ONE
and they are having problems finding all of them. FLIR does not want it
known or it would be shouted on the roof tops… IMHO.

These standards are the RESENT minimum requirements and what is
needed for a professional level infrared camera for home inspections.

So far, the only comments I can glean is from someone who has compared
the second gen FLIR ONE to a 160x120 professional level camera and they
reported the FLIR ONE image is very very fuzzy and poor by comparison.
Not even close. I will post more info when I get it.

This comparison is important because how the IR camera processes the
image and how good the optics are can also be major factors.

You need a camera that can operate in the real world and find defects
in less than perfect Delta-T conditions.

Listen to**these podcasts**to help you understand these issues.

Register for the upcoming free InterNACHI webinar on the subject of
thermal imaging. Over 400 have signed up so far.

See details of our on line thermal imaging training via webinar and podcast
at … InfraredClass.com

I will be teaching an infrared class at theInspectors Universe convention](http://www.inspectionconference.com/)
also. Hope you can make it there in October.

Informative video on thermal imaging.

Keep seeking.

I think he might still be having issues with figuring out the “remarkable must have” ability to copy/unload images from his I-Phone? :roll:

Maybe he has to upload his professional images through Facebook?

There Ya go, maybe that’s it?

Here is a review of the second generation FLIR ONE.

It appears that the second gen FLIR ONE may meet the RESNET standard on some points but some other factors causes it to fall below the threshold of being a professional level camera for building inspections.

The review also states that even “**FLIR doesn’t tout the FLIR ONE as a measurement tool, pointing consumers instead to their more traditional imagers like the FLIR E4.”

**So even the camera maker says the E4 is better and that is not saying much, considering that the E4 is far below the level of being useful for a building inspection.

The review states that the images are “fuzzy”. The camera’s optics and processor can be lacking in their ability to produce an image that is clear and without noise (fuzzy). The MSX feature does nothing for thermal details but add an outline for the eyes to see. An IR camera is used to search for defects that the eyes cannot see. Outlines look nice but do nothing for finding defects in a poor delta-t environment.

Tiny lenses made of poor quality material can greatly cut the cost of producing these budget cameras… but it is the optics that can really count. The optics cannot be made of glass because infrared frequencies cannot pass through glass. The cost for making a camera with high quality germanium optics is very expensive. Without that, your back to a poor quality image.

Here is a side by side comparison of a roof leak on a warranty inspection using my Testo 885-2 and then my Flir One.

While you can detect “something is going on” with the Flir one (right image for those not asking), it is very difficult to determine what and/or the extent of what is going on. I wouldn’t want to try and interpret the right right image in the this instance. While a cool gadget, the FLIR One is in my opinion just that, a gadget.

Good post.

and… if you had showed up a few days later, the better camera would probably still be able to pick up the moisture issue, while the FLIR ONE would not be able to see it IMHO. Moisture areas will get harder and harder to see as the days go by.

If that area gets wet over and over, then there may be hidden mold, decay or wood destroying insects in that area. It is important that the inspector be able to find these areas with a dependable IR camera, even in less than perfect conditions.

But that Testo is expensive. How do you justify that cost?

I justify it by having less chances of getting into trouble for either missing or miss interpreting what could become costly roof leaks :smiley:
This camera paid for itself within the first 4 months of use.

For those wondering, does one need such an expensive camera for home inspections? Absolutely not, but I for sure wouldn’t go the cheap way or cheap quality and risk missing something.
I wouldn’t be able to justify that cost!

There are many good second hand cameras at low cost with much better resolution than the new less expensive cams that are coming out.

Chuck, I bought a second EX320 to have as a backup. Let me know if you ever need it.

Thanks everyone! I think I’ll get a higher end thermal camera and not a gadget. :slight_smile:

Hey Chuck,

It appears he has finally figured out how to download those images from his phone. He has posted a couple here.

Looks like he is adding to his services and found a new use for an imager. Seems he is inspecting electric guitars with it. :roll:

Perhaps they are suitable for tuning musical instruments???