CAT S61

[hikanio]

Couldn't resist and got myself a CAT S61.
Currently the IR resolution is pretty bad and it looks lite Bullitt used the 80x60 Lepton 2.5 Flir module.

But... there are some doubts, that there really is the Lepton 2.5 inside or the IR image is intentionally crippled.
Interestingly when choosing the palette in the My Flir app, yo get to see 9 live pictures side by side in the different palettes and
I can't help, but the resolution in these smaller pictures looks much better than just the reduced size would explain.
And from the Flir Lepton specs, the low gain range to 400 degrees as specified for the S61  is specific to the Lepton 3.5, the Lepton 2.5. would be 450 degrees.

So I am not giving up the hope yet, that there might be the Lepton 3.5 module with the higher resolution inside.

The ThermalCamera+ app that seem to work for the CAT S60 does not recognize the thermal cam in the CAT S61, so I wonder when this app might be updated to support the S61 as well.

Besides: The idea of a thermal cam readily available in a rugged and universal smartphone has its perks and all the additional sensors in this S61 smartphone makes it a playground for physics nerds anyway (i.e. Sensirion Humidity Sensor SHTW2 (incl. temp) and Multi-Pixel Gas Sensors Sensirion SGP VOC gas sensor, pressure sensor and all the other usual smartphone sensors).

So I am looking forward to further apps and possibly some hacks to improve the thermal images. (Is the author of the ThermalCamera+ app member of this forum?).

Cheers
Hikanio

[Vipitis]

Hey, hope the phone works out for you. I have had the chance myself to hold it in my hand a few weeks ago. Comparing it to my S60 that I am using daily for more then 2 years now, it has some improvements - but also lacks a lot of things that I love about my S60.

So the Lepton they used. During the reveal and promotion phase, I asked FLIR directly about the resolution. They told me it is still 80x60 and just uses higher resolution visible images(like 1440p) for the MSX overlay... something that the S60 would be able to do anyway. Here is the video, look through the comments and find the answer from them:

Then when reviewers got hand of the product they said improved thermal resolution and I asked around again. An other thread had similar discussions: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/thermal-imaging/new-flir-products/600/

I have a feeling that there may be both. The advertisement is cleverly stated but BS. the 10m measurements with parallax laser... yeah parallax pixel measurements... is now only 8m(box, website and press release state 10m) and the air sensor is just a 30cent single pixel sensor they put into it... as a hobbyist you can buy a 3$ sensor pack and add it to your pi to get raw data instead of use a stupid rating of how many bad particles are in the air...

The developer of the ThermalCamera+ app is in this forum - but not very active I think. Just email him through the link in the app or on the playstore and ask him about a S61 adaptation. The new MyFlir app seems crippled to me because the new MSX is soo noisy when you hold your finger in front of the visual camera it makes it only worse. you can not turn MSX off like a C2/C3 can - but you can turn to visual only in the app... that is still the 1440p image.

Maybe share some radiometric jpgs and run them through Flir Tools and the other software around here to extract the most raw image you can. on the Flir ONE and S60 Flir upscales the 80x60 to a blurry 320x240 for no reason.


And looking at a low res image in lower res, like 200% at max.... helps your head to understand what you see. blurry or pixly upscaling only makes it worse.

[hikanio]

Just a quick update:

Asking CAT what version of the Lepton is used in the S61, they wrote in their answer that it is a Lepton 3....
But currently IR image quality still quite miserable after an MyFlir app update a few days ago.

Cheers
Hikanio

[Vipitis]

Could you share a few shots you did with it? The radiometric .jpeg should reveal the real resolution.

[hikanio]

Just another quick update:

I kept asking them about the resolution and that's what I just got back:

"Cat Rugged Phones Hi Rainer, I apologise for the previous information! I received a response from the escalation and have been informed that the S61s thermal resolution is 160x120 and the lepton sensor is Lepton 3. If you are having issues with the quality then you can force stop / reset the app to see if there is a difference. If you still have issues then please let me know and I will assist you further Sorry again for any confusion I may have caused!"

Interesting, isn't it?

[Raj]

Off  topic question,sorry!
Can a cat phone, survive bring around iron filings? My moto z 's speakers died because of them (makes crackling noise) and I often have to clean my moto defy (thank god, it is easy to clean, there's a fine mesh infront of the speaker that keeps dust and water away from diaphragm).
I had my eyes on s61 for quite a while, but I think, it too will be hard to clean.

[Vipitis]

The CAT S60 hat front facing speakers with a mesh. I lost that mesh after 20 months; others earlier.

The CAT S61 has speakers on the bottom. I guess they will be hard to clean as well, because a CAT phone is difficult to open.

[Barny]

Are there more confirmed details on the Lepton sensor / image quality available, now the phone is some time out in the wild?
Is the sensor 80x60, 160x120 or 80x60 digital zoomed to 160x120?
How is the S61 working in daily life?
I've found mixed information about it.
From "Its the absolute best phone you will get for money" to "Its absolute junk"


My current brick-phone is slowly dying on me after >15 years.
And I'm not sure if I should get a cheap "sweepy" phone with external Flir module or the S61.

[Vipitis]

as far as all confirmations go for the actual product.

it has a 160x120 Lepton. The Laser distance measurement is an absolute joke as it just parallax measurement on pixels. The air quality sensor only gives you alerts no real information. As stated above, it will not be my upgrade from the CAT S60 that is showing it's age by now for me. It is too expensive and the ergonomic changes turn me away.

If you can, try it in a store.

[Barny]

Thanks for the information.