Help me choose a new camera?

[cvanc]

Hi all-

I'm shopping for a thermal camera but have not kept up with all these new companies.  This is for a friend who will use it for electronic repair, looking at PC boards and such.

The budget is USD$1000 or under.  Any comments on specific models (good or bad) are most welcome - especially if the software stinks and it's hard to use. 

Here's what I need:
Handheld 'radar gun' format - no phone dongles
Minimum resolution 320 x 240
Must have adjustable focus and a lens focal length that is suitable to the close work
As for connectivity, wireless (WiFi) would be great.  Don't need Bluetooth

What do we think we think?  Really appreciate any suggestions you've got.   Thanks!

[markb1980]

There are only three options:

Uni-T UTi320E (https://de.banggood.com/UNI-T-UTi320E-320x240-Infrared-Thermal-Imager-40~400-Industrial-Thermal-Imager-Handheld-USB-Infrared-Thermometer-p-1909319.html?cur_warehouse=CN)
HTI HT-H8 (https://hti-instrument.com/products/ht-h8-thermal-imager)
OWON TI332 (https://www.owon.com.hk/products_ti332_handheld_thermal_imaging_camera)

The Uni-T / OWON would need a ZnSe Lensholder Addon to allow you closeups, the HTI allow you to focus manually.

Downside: Uni-T and HTI have no useful software and you can basically forget any kind of reporting or analysis on the PC!
(About the OWON I don't know anything - so reporting yould be OK-ish or a total dissaster)

If you can get alon with a 256x192 resolution (ca. 30% less pixels) you could have a look at a Hikmicro B20 + ZnSe Lensholder. This would allow you some closeups. I attach some samples from my Pocket2 which have basically the same sensor. The benefir would be that you get a Reporting and Analysis-Tool that is quite close Flir Tools.

If reporting is not needed and you would be OK with a little less resoluion you can go as low as 400 USD.

If you need at least 320x240 and good reporting-options you need to look at the M30 from Hikmicro (aprox. 2500 USD) or Fotric 325M (aprox. 2000 USD).

What do you plan to do and whatfor do you need the resolution? If the used market would be OK you maybe get a older Flir camera with 320x240 which is since a while used in prof. thermal cameras. e.g. Flir T335 / B4 (not sure if it had WIFI)

[cvanc]

Thank you MarkB for that detailed response, it is much appreciated.

As I said, this is for a friend who will use it in his shop for electronic repairs.  He does not need analytics or FLIR Tools or anything - he just needs to easily 'get the pictures out' and into a PC.  And I feel he needs adjustable focus for this kind of work.

Does this simplified requirement open up any other models to consideration?  And thank you again for writing that up.

[ledtester]

There's a lot of discussion here about the Infiray offerings which connect to your phone or tablet.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/search2/?search=infiray

This one has a video review of the P2 Pro:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/thermal-imaging/which-thermal-camera-for-monitoring-my-raynauds-my-body-heat-p2pro-t2s-t3s/msg4659622/#msg4659622

At 11:45 in the video there is a demo of using it on a PCB.