Need advice with Thermal Imaging camera

Thread Starter

Lumenosity

Joined Mar 1, 2017
614
Recently bought a seek thermal compact pro thermal imaging camera.
But there seems to be an issue and I don't know enough about thermal imaging devices to know what it is.

The device seems to record good images where there is a high thermal differential and most of the subject is above ambient.
In those cases, the image is clear and sharp.

However, when focused on objects where the temperature is close to ambient such as the dashboard area of an automobile at night after everything has cooled down, the image is VERY grainy and hard to make out.

I think it's a problem with my particular camera because I have seen images of automobile dashboards that other people and posted on YouTube and the image is Far sharper and clearer where mine would be grainy and almost of no value image quality wise.

The best way I can equate this is to compare it to regular photography where the light is low and the image is underexposed resulting in a very poor and dark image with a very grainy appearance. It's not "focus"....it seem more of an underexposure problem.

But I'm not familiar with the properties of thermal imaging devices and whether they can actually have an underexposure issue since the image is created by temperature differential.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Here is an image of an automotive dash from MY Camera
BlurryDash_1.jpg


Another Photo of the same dash with My Camera
BlurryDash_1A.jpg


And here is an image posted on YouTube of a similar automotive Dashboard
BlurryDash_2.jpg
 

crutschow

Joined Mar 14, 2008
34,280
Only way to know if you have a problem is to compare your camera with another camera of the same make and model.
The difference is likely a difference in thermal sensitivity between cameras.
More expensive thermal cameras can have better thermal difference sensitivity, just like better standard cameras can have better low light sensitivity..
 
Last edited:

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
18,167
The only thing that will show up is contrast and if everything is at the same temperature then you have no contrast. A thermal imaging camera shows differences in temperature, it does not display what the scene looks like. So when you look at an area with no contrast the camera electronics raises the gain trying to see contrasts. But if there is no contrast then you only see noise.
 

Thread Starter

Lumenosity

Joined Mar 1, 2017
614
As the photographs above show, one camera produced nice, clear detailed images under the same conditions that the other could not.
One produced excessive image noise or could not render an image.

Yes, it does appear to be a difference in thermal sensitivity.
Maybe the Infrared sensor was weaker on the one.

I found this information at the SEEK Thermal website
It gives more detailed information as to how Thermal cameras work.
It could also be a bad or weak signal processor
https://support.thermal.com/hc/en-us/articles/115001285630--So-what-makes-it-TIC-

 
Last edited:

crutschow

Joined Mar 14, 2008
34,280
Some IR cameras also have a thermoelectric cooler for the sensor to improve sensitivity.
If that wasn't working, it may still work but with reduced sensitivity.
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
18,167
Some thermal cameras also have some light sensitivity, and many amplified light cameras will produce excellent details in what appears to be total darkness. But for a true thermal camera, that only reacts to radiated heat, there is not much to see looking at things all the same temperature. That is why firefighters us a thermal camera instead of a "see in the dark" camera. It can spot a human on the floor so that they can do rescues, and the same camera can spot fire through a wall, floor, or ceiling, when nothing at all shows. Then there are the cameras that are used for spotting overheated electrical things in industry. Those cameras also provide both a visible and a thermal image. So there are different kinds and they produce vastly different images.
 

mcgyvr

Joined Oct 15, 2009
5,394
And here is an image posted on YouTube of a similar automotive Dashboard
What camera was used in that picture?
One shouldn't expect much with a sub $1000 thermal camera..

I'm not clear on what you are asking about though.. Just resolution? The other camera seems to have a higher resolution vs yours...
Its also of course a totally different heat signature..

Have you tried to adjust the thermal level setting? Maybe that what you are talking about..
 

Thread Starter

Lumenosity

Joined Mar 1, 2017
614
What camera was used in that picture?
One shouldn't expect much with a sub $1000 thermal camera..

I'm not clear on what you are asking about though.. Just resolution? The other camera seems to have a higher resolution vs yours...
Its also of course a totally different heat signature..

Have you tried to adjust the thermal level setting? Maybe that what you are talking about..
I would love to get a $5,000 thermal camera. Maybe next year.

I was just comparing photos of inside cars (dashboards) by various people with the exact same device. Their images looked MUCH better so I had to assume mine had a problem.

I returned it within the return time frame and received a full refund.

Not sure if I'm going to try again right now. The whole experience was a bit "off". I tried to get support from Seek but to be honest, the support is dismal. You call and they say leave a message. You leave a message and it can take 2 - 5 days for them to get back to you (if they do at all) and even then, they shoot you some non helpful stuff like...."please refer to the User's Guide"....

I'm just not in a hurry to try Seek products again at this time.

My gut feeling is that the technology is going to advance rapidly over the next two years and by then, The Chinese will have a better operating unit for under $100 and higher resolutions will come down in price a lot. Just a guess.
 

jpanhalt

Joined Jan 18, 2008
11,087
Do not confuse superposition of a near IR image (about 1-2 um) with a thermal camera image (about 13-14 um) with better resolution. A user named "Fraser" builds, repairs (commercially), and collects thermal cameras. I have been interested in one for awhile and find his contributions objective and invaluable. Unfortunately he is not a member here, but he can be found here: http://www.eevblog.com/forum/thermal-imaging/flir-e4-the-useful-information-thread/?topicseen He has several threads there including one on the Seek camera and comparing it to the lower cost FLIR cameras.

John
 

ebeowulf17

Joined Aug 12, 2014
3,307
Recently bought a seek thermal compact pro thermal imaging camera.
But there seems to be an issue and I don't know enough about thermal imaging devices to know what it is.

The device seems to record good images where there is a high thermal differential and most of the subject is above ambient.
In those cases, the image is clear and sharp.

However, when focused on objects where the temperature is close to ambient such as the dashboard area of an automobile at night after everything has cooled down, the image is VERY grainy and hard to make out.

I think it's a problem with my particular camera because I have seen images of automobile dashboards that other people and posted on YouTube and the image is Far sharper and clearer where mine would be grainy and almost of no value image quality wise.

The best way I can equate this is to compare it to regular photography where the light is low and the image is underexposed resulting in a very poor and dark image with a very grainy appearance. It's not "focus"....it seem more of an underexposure problem.

But I'm not familiar with the properties of thermal imaging devices and whether they can actually have an underexposure issue since the image is created by temperature differential.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Here is an image of an automotive dash from MY Camera
View attachment 151184


Another Photo of the same dash with My Camera
View attachment 151186


And here is an image posted on YouTube of a similar automotive Dashboard
View attachment 151185
Looks to me like your dash didn't have much temperature difference across it in the second pic, while the other person's dash shows obvious warmth coming from the stereo. Maybe you just needed to crank your stereo up for a while and get it working hard before trying that pic. Hot stereo would give good contrast.

Of course, if your stereo already was hot and that's the image you got, then maybe it just doesn't have the sensitivity you want.
 
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