If you're looking for a thermal camera, why not pick up a phone into the bargain? Thinking of taking it on a job – to a difficult worksite where there might be no power, or a lot of water or dust that could ruin a phone or a generic thermal camera? Oukitel have got you covered there too.

The WP61 Ultra is a rugged phone – meaning it's built to cope with difficult situations, as well as some pretty rough treatment. Into the bargain, Oukitel has decided to add in 20,000 mAh of battery. It's about four times the amount in a typical iPhone Pro, so as you can imagine, the idea is that you won't run out.

At the same time there are features which might help use it up, like a big built-in light; so big, in fact that it could be characterized as a small LED panel. The light it gives off can be used to light a job, or even a photo subject.

This is a powerful device by many measures, but is it what you need? As DCW's thermal camera expert, I check it out...

Oukitel WP61 Ultra: Price

At launch, this phone is listed as $739.99 down to $429.99 (in the UK £425.99 to £325.99), and the difference is significant. The first prices aren't bad, but the discounted numbers represent amazing value given that they are below the amount of a similarly specified thermal camera from the leading brand.

🇺🇸 Oukitel USA store – $739.99 $429.99

🇬🇧 Oukitel UK store – £425.99 £325.99

Oukitel WP61 Ultra: Specs

Oukitel WP61 Ultra: Build & Handling

Make no mistake, this is not a small device. There was a time when people would jokingly refer to bigger phones as bricks, but this is a significantly bigger proposition even than the devices I remember from that era. It nevertheless manages to put a lot of functionality into that very practical lump, so size is no reason to discount it. Perhaps the opposite.

The rugged build, with screen of Corning Gorilla Glass 5, amounts to a phone it is genuinely difficult to damage.

The optical camera, together with an additional 8MP low-light camera, are on the back of the phone next to what looks like a small LED panel – a small but powerful light which is called a 'camping light' but can be used to light work or set to flash and attract attention in an emergency. They are slightly recessed to protect them.

The camping light is not the same as the one that is included as part of the camera system, so you don't block that light with your hands.

The selfie camera is a small punch out from the otherwise giant 120Hz screen, and in general the phone feels fast and powerful – with storage expandable up to 2TB via MicroSD.

The phone charges via USB-C and has a nice, long bright orange cable and 45W charger in the box which, weirdly, feels quite old school these days! The charging port is protected with a rubber seal.

Buttons on the side of the phone are large and can easily be found by feel.

The thermal imaging camera does need to be launched via an app (though you can set up a shortcut button). The app is well designed, highlighting hot and cold points. The resolution is as good as plenty of separately bought cameras.

The camping light also has its own app for control, and there is a folder of other apps built in including things like a tool to measure whether you're resting the phone on a flat surface which, frankly, would make more sense if the phone had a flat base!

The battery, incidentally, can be used as a power brick too – to top up the charge on a smaller device like an action camera (a GoPro).

Oukitel WP61 Ultra: Performance

In terms of general operation, the phone is comfortably powerful enough to run the 396 PPI screen at 120Hz, but it is possible to expand the memory to 36GB if you add 24GB RAM.

Android 16 supplied was perfectly adequate for my needs, and setting it up was no easier or harder than any other Android phone (with the one note that the OS's understanding of the 'Torch' means turning on the small camera light, not the massive 'Camping light', which is a bit counterintuitive).

The system also has a 'Facebeauty' mode, while the night vision uses infra-red – in other words the image is black and white (using IR lights in the camera). Could be used for making a spooky movie as well as finding pipes or cables in the dark.

Video is perfectly adequate – 2K at 30fps, and the selfie camera is surprisingly good too, especially when it comes to color.

There is enough power here to run an average 3D game, too. The speaker is loud – definitely enough for a call to be heard in a noisy location. It also didn't seem to mind my pouring a good deal of water over it; it worked just as well afterwards.

Oukitel WP61 Ultra: Sample Pics

Oukitel WP61 Ultra: Overall verdict

This device is very much for those who need the core features in their kit bag (thermal camera, bright light, phone), and perhaps aren't too shy about how they treat them – dusty job site, perhaps? The phone can save a bit of space, though it's not without heft of its own (and some might see it as a case of eggs in a basket).

Knowing many HVAC workers and plumbers like to send report images to themselves or superiors via their phones, having the thermal camera built right in seems to be cutting out a technical middleman, so for me I'd see it as worth it here since – as established – the camera isn't really a compromise against separates.

Sure, there are things I'd like, but they are never true with these devices – it'd be great if the main camera app had a Thermal option rather than having to go to a separate app. It's a minor inconvenience, though (and may actually be helpful for some).

This phone is definitely not for everyone, but for those for whom it does make sense for it might even save them carrying the weight of a power pack, a thermal camera, and a work phone.

Oukitel WP61 Ultra: Alternatives

If you're looking for an alternative, one solution is to take any regular phone – the one you already have – and plug a thermal camera into it. We have a guide to the best thermal cameras at DCW.

Hikmicro has quietly become one of the most exciting names in thermal imaging, and this Black Friday the brand is rolling out some seriously strong discounts across a handful of its most popular devices. If you’ve been curious about adding a thermal camera to your toolkit - whether for home inspections, outdoor use, automotive diagnostics or general problem-solving - these offers are the perfect excuse to jump in before stock tightens.

The biggest saving lands on the Hikmicro E01, which is now 26% off at £132.99, down from £179.99. This compact handheld unit punches above its weight for the price, giving you clear, detailed thermal readouts in a lightweight design that’s ideal for quick checks around the house or workshop. For anyone looking for their first thermal camera, this is one of the most accessible starting points you’ll find this season.

If you want something more advanced, the Hikmicro B10S now sits at £339.15, down from £399. This model offers higher resolution and a more robust feature set, making it a great choice for tradespeople, DIY enthusiasts, or anyone who needs reliable thermal accuracy with a professional feel. It’s a meaningful discount on a tool that’s designed for more demanding tasks.

The Hikmicro Mini2 V2 is also discounted, now priced at £198.54, down from £209. It’s a small saving, but this phone-connected thermal viewer is a tidy option for those who prefer a compact, plug-and-play solution. It attaches directly to your smartphone, turning your device into a portable thermal monitor without adding bulk to your kit bag.

One of the strongest value cuts is on the Hikmicro PocketE Thermal Imaging Camera, now just £242.63 after an 18% discount from its original £309. With a slim, pocket-friendly design and impressive clarity, it strikes a great balance between portability and performance, making it ideal for frequent use around the home, workplace, or outdoors.

With deals already landing ahead of Black Friday, these Hikmicro offers are well worth snapping up early. Thermal cameras rarely see deep discounts, and with Amazon’s Black Friday Week kicking off on November 20, there’s a good chance these prices won’t stay around for long. If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to invest, this is it.

Hikmicro has unveiled the Lynx 3.0 thermal monocular series, a pocket-sized trio aimed at hunters, outdoor pros, and security teams that brings professional-grade detection to compact gear.

The new LH19, LH25, and LH35 share the company’s shutterless imaging technology to eliminate the momentary “freeze” of traditional thermal calibration, promising uninterrupted viewing and quicker target acquisition. Detection ranges span from 900 metres to 1,800 metres, depending on model, positioning Lynx 3.0 as a serious field tool in a travel-light form factor.

Across the range, you’ll find a 384×288 VOx sensor with 12μm pixel pitch running at 50Hz, paired with AI-driven Image Pro 3.0 and Zoom Pro algorithms to sharpen contrast, detail, and digital magnification. A 0.49-inch AMOLED display renders thermal imagery at 1920×1080, while power comes from a replaceable 18650 cell good for up to 4.5 hours of continuous use even at –20°C. Controls include manual focus, diopter adjustment from -5D to +3D, and extensive image tuning with six colour palettes, brightness/contrast, and Cold/Warm tone options.

The LH19 3.0 is the compact all-rounder for close to mid-range work. Its 19mm f/1.0 lens delivers 1.9× base magnification and the widest field of view in the line at 13.8° (24.2m at 100m), with 8× digital zoom on tap.

Weighing just 331g, it offers detection out to 900m and excels when speed, situational awareness, and shutterless responsiveness matter—think dense woodland, tracking at shorter distances, and general exploration.

Stepping up to the LH25 3.0 brings a 25mm f/1.0 lens with 2.5× base magnification, extending detection to 1,200m while keeping weight to 328.5g and field of view to 10.5° (18.4m at 100m). It’s the balanced pick for open terrain, perimeter checks, and hunting scenarios where targets appear at varied ranges, offering steadier handheld identification where the LH19 would be limited to detection.

At the top end, the LH35 3.0 targets professional users who need reach. A 35mm f/1.0 lens, 3.4× base magnification, and 1,800m detection range are matched to a 7.5° field of view (13.1m at 100m), all in a still-portable 355g body.

With digital zoom up to 27.2× and NETD sensitivity below 15mK, the flagship model is tuned for mid-to-long-range surveillance and extreme-distance observation where fine thermal differentiation and continuous, shutterless operation are critical.

See our guide to the best monoculars, and our guide to the best thermal imaging cameras

FLIR is one of the biggest brands in thermal imaging cameras, and the new C8 is a significant upgrade to the simple 'compact camera' design that is popular with consumers. It has a simple and familiar design and uses FLIR's MSX system – Multi-Spectral Dynamic Imaging – which uses an optical camera as well as a thermal camera to deliver extra detail.

The big upgrade is the resolution of the thermal camera, which now has 320 x 240 pixels of resolution – 4 times that of the 160 x 120 of the C5 – meaning it's possible to identify much smaller details in the thermal image.

The thermal camera includes a 3.5-inch integrated touchscreen; the maximum temperature it is able to 'see' is 842°F / 450°C, and the minimum is freezing point (32°F / 0°C).

Features are designed around simplicity, for practical use cases for inspections. The device has a selection of imaging modes that make you feel like the Predator from the movies; there are options to highlight the hottest and coldest parts of the image seen, and to set a temperature above or below the areas that are highlighted. So, for example, you could use it to check the servers and instantly see if something was above the suggested operating temperature.

The optical camera is still 5MP, the same as the FLIR C5, so if you're content with a lower thermal resolution, it may be an option to look out for our previous best rugged camera choice on the best thermal imaging camera list – after all, it might now be more accessibly priced!

Images are saved to onboard memory and then transferred via WiFi using the FLIR Ignite cloud app. When I last reviewed a FLIR device, up to 1GB of storage was provided at no cost.

The new camera is already visible on retailers' sites, including:

🇺🇸 USA: FLIR C8 on B&H – listed as coming soon
🇬🇧 UK: FLIR C8 on Amazon – will ship after September 27

You can learn more about it at the FLIR site where the RRP is $899 (around £800 / AUD$1,360).

You might also like

Check my guide to the best thermal imaging cameras, and my review of the best thermal drones.

You should also check out some of the thermal imaging binoculars – many of which have built-in cameras.

There was a time when thermal camera technology seemed like the preserve of the military and specialists, but now it is within everyone's reach, not least because of brands like HSFTools which offers a full range of thermal cameras in practical DIY and workshop friendly form factors and, more importantly, wallet-friendly prices.

Even more excitingly – in timing with Amazon's latest event – their prices have dropped even further, some up to 27%. These include simple trigger and button-press systems that work just like regular cameras, and overlay visual images using so-called 'fusion' tech for a 'super high resolution' effect (and to help you produce easier-to-understand reports).

While ant thermal camera can highlight issues and give you a temperature reading, serious pro work can need a high resolution, and HFSTools deals have you covered there too:

The higher end P2W also boasts extra features like picture in picture. There are times, though, like working on a car engine, when the best thing possible is to be able to grip the thermal camera like a pistol, and the Big Sale deals have you covered there too:

Again offering the ability to automatically highlight the hot and cold spots for you, and to adjust the emissivity depending on your work environment, this is a practical tool at a surprisingly accessible price. HFSTools also feature a buzzer for audio alerts so the camera can be tripod mounted and set to warn when a certain temperature is reached.

Whether you are looking for something to keep an eye on your overheating games console, assess where heating or cooling is leaking to reduce your heating or HVAC bills, or something to help with car maintenance, this is a cheaper way to improve your DIY kit right now!

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If you're interested, check our guide to the best thermal cameras and the best thermal drones.

We've got several FLIR devices in our guide to the best thermal cameras, but the company has also just extended its range of acoustic cameras with three additional models – the new Si2 family.

Just as a thermal imaging camera lets you see the temperature, an acoustic camera is designed to detect and highlight sounds; this can be especially useful in picking up a gas or compressed air leak in a factory environment, for example. Other issues which generally only have audible signs – gas leaks, problems with bearings, or partial discharges at a sub-station for example – can also be plotted on an optical image by FLIR's cameras.

The three new models are the Si2-Pro, the Si2-LD and the Si2-PD. Improvements over previous acoustics cameras include a 12-megapixel color optical camera to provide the visual feedback. The new version also boasts 8x digital zoom and LED illumination built-in. Data from the acoustic imaging is overlaid onto this and a touchscreen provides the controls to store images/data.

Flanking the optical camera is an array of 124 microphones. The pistol-grip camera's software has the ability to determine the leak rate from the sound and even estimate the cost in gasses lost; software improvements have extended the number of industrial gasses covered. Savings from gas leaks have the potential to be very high, but then (as a piece of industrial equipment) don't expect to get away with a minimal amount for the camera either!

The most advanced version, the Si2-Pro will offer automatic frequency tuning, mechanical fault detection, and the ability to detect partial electrical discharges though it'll set your business back $25,000 / £20,499 before tax.

The other versions do bring some savings for a feature trim. The Si2-LD – will not have the partial discharge capabilities, while a Si2-PD version will miss out the leak and mechanical fault detection ability and focus on discharges.

“Increasing safety while avoiding costly failures is the aim of the new Si-Series... The new Si2-Series of cameras cement their position as the industry’s most complete, enterprise-ready solution,” said Rob Milner, Business Development Director, FLIR.

Value, then, will depend on your purposes, but it's another three cameras from FLIR that can see the invisible!

To see more FLIR products check our guide to the best thermal cameras or see my review of the FLIR One Edge.

Late last year Canon revealed at the 2023 IEDM (International Electron Devices Meeting) that it's working on a new design of image sensor. The technology is a development of Canon's existing dual-pixel autofocus sensor technology. Launched in 2013 in the EOS 70D, DPAF improves autofocus speed when using contrast-detect AF. Around 80% of the pixels on the image sensor incorporate two separate light-sensitive photodiodes. The signal from these is combined when capturing an image, but can be split during autofocussing, so the camera can measure the difference between the two individual signals to determine the distance of your subject more quickly. It's proven to be an effective way to speed up contrast-detect AF, as without DPAF such focussing can be prone to focus hunting.

Read more: What is Dual pixel AF and why is it important?

However, while current DPAF sensors are very good at autofocus accuracy, there is room for improvement. The system works best when focussing on subjects which are aligned in a significantly different orientation to the horizontal left:right split of the pixels. Should you happen to be focussing on a horizontally aligned subject, the difference in signal data between the two photodiodes is minimal, and PDAF becomes much less effective.

This issue can be resolved by instead splitting each pixel into four photodiodes, resulting in Quad Pixel AF, or as Canon latest development paper calls it: "Cross Dual-Pixel Twisted-Photodiode Image Sensor for All-Directional Auto Focus". This sensor is said to provide faster and more accurate autofocussing in low light conditions, thanks to twisting the alignment of the sensor's photodiodes. The twisted-photodiode image sensor stacks two identical photodiodes, one oriented to capture horizontal patterns and the other rotated ninety degrees to capture vertical patterns. This arrangement should enable the sensor to quickly and accurately detect subjects, regardless of their orientation within the image frame.

An added advantage to simply twisting the alignment of a percentage of the sensor's photodiodes (rather than developing an entirely new diode structure) is that the overall data generated by all the photo diodes requires no additional image processing power, thereby maintaining high AF speed.

As yet this technology is very much in the development stage, and there is no word on when (or even if) it might appear in a consumer camera.

Story credit: Image Sensors World

I have a little Flir One Pro camera that I pop into my camera bag now and again. It’s a cool little thermal camera that connects to my iPhone and visually records the temperature of things. I won’t go into any scientific detail as I’m out of my depth and don’t know what I’m talking about. Suffice it to say, it’s a gadget mainly used by engineers for engineering things that I also don’t know anything about. However, I do know that the images it makes are super-cool and I love how the world is rendered in psychedelic colors as it captures and visually renders the temperature of things.  

I took it with me on this trip as I knew I’d be visiting some exciting places in the north Atlantic, including parts of Iceland and Greenland, and I hoped the camera might prove a useful addition to my creative toolbox. To my delight, the thermal hues beautifully rendered the landscape – in particular, Kirkjufell mountain on the north coast of Iceland’s Snæfellsnes peninsula, near Grundarfjörður (the top-left image).

Finding yourself in front of such an iconic mountain is a challenge; it has been photographed so often and from just about every angle that it feels like there’s nowhere to go creatively. So I was thrilled to make an image using the thermal camera that had an original twist. Other scenes from my trip also came out beautifully through the thermal eyes. One of the many glaciers I witnessed while sailing through Prince Christian Sound in Greenland (the bottom-right image) looks amazing. Just look at the contrast in temperature between the land and the glacier spilling into the water.

Aside from the cool look and funky vibe the camera creates, I also like the story it adds, especially in this area of the world. Against the background of the climate crisis, revealing the melting glaciers takes on a different meaning altogether. These images might deliver a more poignant message – and some food for thought.

• Other articles in the Art of Seeing series

Read more:
• The 50 best photographers ever
• 100 best photography quotes from famous photographers
• The best coffee-table books on photography

Many new products have been unveiled during CES 2024, showcasing the latest and greatest state-of-the-art consumer products, many of which are pushing the boundaries of technological advancement. One of the manufacturers doing just that is Spectricity, a company that creates spectral sensing solutions.

Spectricity has unveiled the S1, the first miniature, mobile device-ready multispectral image sensor. The new sensor will be utilized in the best cameraphones to recreate true colors by analyzing the spectral signature of an object or scene. The ability to capture accurate colors offers benefits across all areas of mobile photography however, it would make a significant impact in commercial and e-commerce photography.  

• Keep up with CES 2024 with our CES live blog

So what exactly is spectral imaging?

Spectral imaging combines the disciplines of spectroscopy and photography, reading data from many wavelength bands. Ordinary cameras can read Red, Green, and Blue (RGB), but spectral imaging can read full visible to near-infrared range. Spectral imaging is often used in industries such as medicine for testing and land surveying to detect various layers of dense matter such as foliage. (DJI, for example, offer a version of their Mavic 3 drone with a multispectral camera for agriculture, but it has several lenses). It is also used to distinguish subjects through unique spectral signatures, analyzing their colors in more detail than we can with the naked eye. Spectricity's S1 sensor aims to use this to enable mobile devices to record true-to-life color.

Jonathan Borremans, CTO of Spectricity states, “The S1 marks a phenomenal advance over any multispectral imager on the market. No one to date has managed to fit these specs into a miniature chip. The S1 can be integrated into any mobile device.”

The S1 is currently being tested on current and upcoming mobile devices from the most popular phone manufacturers. It is expected to make a 'significant commercial impact in the consumer devices market'.

Spectricity states, “Essentially, even your high-end smartphone camera is color blind. The S1 uses richer spectral signature data, resulting in much higher color fidelity in your pictures. We’re confident that spectral imaging will become an essential component in all devices that include a camera.”

We are seeing mobile photography advancing at what feels like an unprecedented rate, with features like periscope lenses and AI assistance becoming the new norm (found in the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra). This tells us that consumers are still demanding more from their camera phones, especially with the popularity of content creation. The ability to record cinema-grade video and DSLR-quality photographs on one device that is always in your pocket is becoming vital for social media users.

The S1 by Spectricity is a piece of the puzzle that has yet to be addressed and has the potential to offer even greater value and performance to mobile devices by helping them and their software replicate true / perceived colors. It will be interesting to see which cameras use this technology, and how (and of course if any brands hold out against it!)

You may also be interested in our guides on the best stylus phones and the best phones for video and vlogging. 

When I first became interested in photography, I was seduced in part by the alchemy and magic of the darkroom. The process of making an image using chemistry was awe-inspiring. I don’t use film so often these days, but occasionally I’ll run a roll through my camera and process it in the kitchen sink. That sense of magic never ceases to amaze me. 

Despite the myriad advantages of digital photography, the lack of ‘magic’ in the digital process is a disappointment. However, there is still a lot to marvel at in the digital world: if someone had told the 10-year-old me, in my darkroom, that one day I would be taking photographs on a smartphone and beaming them around the world in nanoseconds, I would have been astounded. 

And if someone also said that I could plug in a little adaptor and the smartphone would be able to take thermal images, I would have been flabbergasted. While it might not be the same as the alchemy of the darkroom, there are many things you cannot see with the naked eye that you can only see with a thermal imaging camera – and that is magic in my book.

I have a small Flir One Pro which plugs into my iPhone 11 Pro: using the relevant app, hey presto, I have a thermal imaging camera. It’s really intended for engineers and other more practical uses, but being the experimental creative that I am, I relish in the potential. Apart from anything else, on a purely aesthetic level, I love the wonderful hues of a completely new color palette to work with.

This image was taken in my kitchen just as a test; but the more I looked at it, the more I was taken by the near-abstract arrangement of color and shape. The vase of flowers and the window give some tangible evidence of what the image is. In our current time, when the temperature in humans is so relevant, I can see some potential in exploring the world from a thermal perspective. 

• Other articles in the Art of Seeing series

Read more:
• The 50 best photographers ever
• 100 best photography quotes from famous photographers
• The best coffee-table books on photography

This isn't the first Doogee rugged phone we've covered; the brand has established a great reputation producing almost indestructible handsets for what is a very competitive niche in the phone market. One where svelt design gives way to something that can withstand some serious drops.

People looking for the best rugged phone aren't always looking for the absolute top specs (not, of course, that they'd complain). Instead the term "toolphone" is common – a phone considered part of a toolkit while, perhaps, a smarter phone is the daily driver. In other words plenty of contractors want an on-site work phone that can cope with some roughness, and some might also have another handset.

The Doogee V31GT, however, tackles both sides of things. It is clearly of sturdy construction, with a massive battery, continuing the tradition of the company's Doogee S96 GT and S96 Pro before it. It also boasts a thermal camera – a very useful tool for electricians, HVAC engineers and others. (Hey, you can even use a thermal camera to win at hide-and-seek!)

What's interesting is that, for those comparing functionality (if not, perhaps, headline specs) with premium handsets, the phone is also a contender. The design cleverly places stereo speakers at either end of the screen so it can be used to enjoy video in a way many rugged designs fail to consider. Perhaps the Doogee V31GT has the potential to save carrying two handsets...

Doogee V31GT: Specifications

Release Date: September 2023

Rear cameras: 34MP f/1.8 (nightvision) + 8MP fd/1.8 (wide) + 256x192 pixel thermal

Front camera: 32 MP f/1.8

Display: 6.58-inch 120MHz IPS 1080 x 2408 px (400ppi)

Operating System: Android 13

Chip: Mediatek MT6877V Dimensity 1080 (6nm) + Mali-G68 MC4 GPU

Max video resolution: 4K

Touch ID: Yes (side-mounted)

Face ID: Yes

5G: Yes

Resistance: IP68/IP69K dust/water resistant (up to 1.5 meters for 30 min) Drop-to-concrete resistance from up to 1.8 meters - MIL-STD-810H compliant

Capacity: 256GB internal with optional microSDXC card slot RAM: 12GB Dimensions: 167 x 81.4 x 15.5 mm Weight: 386 g / 13.62 ounces (on our scales)

Charger: USB Type-C 2.0 3.5mm Headphone port: Yes What's in the box?: Type-C to Type-C Cable and 66W fast charger, anti-explosion film, card user manual, warranty card. 

Doogee V31GT: Key features

A very tough 5G Android 13 phone, with elements of Kevlar and a 6.58-inch Gorilla Glass 5 screen, the device is job-ready boasting a thermal camera from infiRay which can spot body heat from up to 1km (over half a mile) and a 24-megapixel night vision camera. The handset also plays host to a 50MP main camera and a wide camera, so staying near flagship territory, plus stereo speakers for better leisure time during the breaks for on-site work. Oh, and for those excited by premium features, there is NFC, a 120Hz display, and (Apple has made a lot of this one) a programmable key.

It doesn't only support fast charging but includes a 66W charger in the box. Face or fingerprint scanner security is on offer, plus NFC. The enormous battery supports 960 hours of standby or 28 hours video playback. The handset is also packaged with an extra screen protector as well as the one fitted in the box.

Doogee V31GT: Build and handling

This phone has the look and feel of something you'd find in a toolbox, but fronted with a top-quality 120Hz display. Top and bottom of the display – or at the sides when you're watching movies or playing – are dual speaker grilles that help the phone provide a useable stereo sound (in marked contrast to many rugged designs that go for a loudspeaker on the back).

On which subject, rotating the handset the back carbon trim on the sides and a brushed center design is dominated by an enormous circular camera module which has a rim that protects a thermal camera, LED flash, wide and main optical camera, and a night vision camera. There are also two night vision infra-red lights tucked in the camera donut.

The rim of the handset is black coated metal with protective rubber at the top and bottom and coming to a decent distance around the corners so you can be confident this will survive a drop (and it did when we tried it). On the right side are a fingerprint-sensing power button and textured volume buttons, while the left has a custom button (yep, a bit like the iPhone 15 Pro), and a TF/SIM card slot (or double SIM).

Fingerprint ID isn't the only way to sign into your phone though – the forward-facing camera is capable of 2D face ID (meaning it works if you're not wearing glasses or 'face decorations' – similar to the Google Pixel Pro, but not matching Apple's FaceID system which uses a 3D scanner).

Charging is via USB-C at the base of the handset. As mentioned, a 66W fast charger is in the box (although UK customers will need an EU plug adapter). There is also a USB-C to USB-C cable – more than can be said for the premium brands. There is no always-on display, but a tiny red/green LED at the top of the screen will let you know it's fully charged more effectively at a glance.

Doogie V31 GT: Performance

Ignoring the bigness for a while, the phone feels premium in hand, with a responsive and bright screen hosting Android 13 with no obvious bloatware. There is the EasyLauncher tool which provides big easy buttons that might suit a rough workplace or a senior citizen, and a separate InfiRay app is needed to launch the thermal camera.

There is also a ToolBag which includes various distance estimating and alignment tools that make use of the gyro and GPS. This is all very useful but will remind you that a laser measure and perhaps lidar would make this the ultimate toolbag phone. Neither is essential, however (and let's face it a laser measure is easier to use when it's not inside a phone).

When you're not working, gaming and viewing benefit from the fantastic screen and the speaker positioning sets it far ahead of other rugged phones which commonly have a big speaker in the back (more concerned, perhaps, with acting as the site radio). The lower frequencies could be better, but the sound can fill a small room and the phone is thick enough it can be balanced on its side for viewing (so long as you're not sawing the same table!)

The battery life is also stunning – I've been able to leave the phone in standby for days and only consumed a few percent, especially where it can find a Wi-Fi signal. 

Doogie V31 GT: Camera Performance

The main camera produces excellent images and the Android 13 camera app has a reasonably straightforward interface. Oddly the the infrared Night Vision camera is one option on the list while the thermal camera has its own InfiRay app. It sits between Beauty and Video on the left of 'Picture' (the main camera mode) and High-Res, Super Night, and the 'More' option (that reveals manual mode, panorama, etc.).

Otherwise, everything is logical to use and the High-Res option produces a spectacular 8192 x 6144 pixel (50.3MP) image which skirts 17MB in file size and, except toward the corners, seems pixel sharp, at least when taken in daylight.

The Night Vision camera provides good illumination for an average-sized room or equivalent distance, so should suit some working in the dark. The Super Night is just a mode of the main camera, however – but it does produce color results.

The video clips I recorded were a little disappointing; I don't think I'd use the phone to record footage unless it was resting on something as the image stabilization is one area that hasn't really matched the premium brands.

The thermal camera app also manages to impress, since it uses an optical camera to create a hybrid image. It isn't perfectly aligned (they rarely are), but by overlaying a contrast map from an optical image (at least where there is enough light), the relatively low resolution of a thermal image can be made easier to understand by the untrained eye. This works well if you're a heating engineer or electrician turning in a report with a few snaps to illustrate a point.

Doogee V31GT: Camera samples

Doogee V31GT: Overall Verdict

If you're looking for a tool phone this is an excellent choice. In fact, dare I say it, if you're looking for a premium Android phone this is a fair contender too. Clearly, it won't beat the new Pixel 8 Pro on size and weight, but the cameras are surprisingly good for a rugged phone while there are no apparent compromises on workplace functionality – thermal and night mode are there. The only thing missing is a laser measure.

The excellent battery life doesn't just come at the expense of weight; you don't get the modern always-on screen for glance-checking the time or battery seen on the iPhone either. But if you can live without that, you're not making any other compromises. The cameras are the best in any rugged phone I've tested (and, at standard zoom, don't look bad against my shiny new iPhone, if I'm honest)

If you're looking for a tool phone or a rugged phone that can match or beat your daily driver as a phone, this is the one. And if you're used to carrying two phones, perhaps the weight won't be such an issue!

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If you're looking for one of the best rugged phones, we keep a separate guide. You might prefer to keep your thermal camera separate (or at least detachable) too, so we have a guide to the best thermal cameras and even the best thermal camera drones!

The Police Scotland Air Unit has released an image captured with a thermal camera, which was caught as part of its successful rescue of two children lost in a remote area of forestry roughly halfway between Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Though the children do appear to be on a track, they were missing and a search was underway in the Shotts / Fauldhouse area. The aerial image above was caught from a police helicopter.

• Check our list of the best thermal drones

and the Air Unit spokesperson said "The crew assisted Police Scotland Lanarkshire tonight and located two lost children in a remote area of Forestry between Shotts and Fauldhouse," an Air Unit spokesperson told the Glasgow Times. "Divisional officers were directed to their location and recovered them to safety."

Given the tech we've recently seen here at Digital Camera World, there is the question of whether helicopters are the best way to go about this kind of mission. The price-per-hour of a police helicopter mission in the UK, according to a Freedom of Information request numbered 1124/21 to West Yorkshire Police in 2021, is £3,200 an hour (around $3,880 / AU$6,125), whether the helicopter is in the air or not. The cost includes having trained pilots to hand, aircraft maintenance and so on, so no further breakdown is given.

The figure, however, suggests that an hour and a half of helicopter ownership would buy the police department a Mavic 3T thermal drone – a device that most officers could be trained to use reasonably quickly.

Drones are being widely used to save lives – we reported earlier this year that unmanned craft are thought to have saved over 1,000 lives worldwide – so why is this story one about the success of a helicopter?

Are some police forces being too slow to adapt? Is a helicopter still faster? Are restrictive rules on BVLoS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) taking too long to adapt? Can helicopters just carry bigger thermal cameras?

The answer is all of the above, though most importantly the story had a happy ending.

As well as our guide to the best thermal drones check our guide to the best thermal cameras and best night vision goggles and binoculars.

Thermal camera adaptors which can plug into phones have grown in popularity quickly as DIY enthusiasts joined the same bandwagon as professionals in using thermal imagery to help with engineering, electrical work, HVAC repairs, looking for plumbing issues, and many more things around the home. They're also fun for amateur detectives and watching wildlife in the dark.

We keep a guide to the best thermal cameras, including all-in-one designs and phone attachments, on these pages. Recently we encountered a device claiming to be the smallest thermal camera in the world, the InfiRay P2 Pro, but now it seems this is at the very least a contender for the same title – and it comes with a similar price tag, a few other tricks, while lacking one other. Which is right for you? The fight is on...

Specifications

Thermal resolution: 256 x 192 (49,152 pixels)
Thermal range: -20˚C to 350˚C (-4˚F to 662˚F)
Refresh rate: 25Hz
Field of view: 50˚ × 37.2˚
Accuracy: ±2°C or ±2% (whichever greater)
Storage: n/a
Connectivity: USB-C only (Android device needed)
Size: 43 × 30 × 11mm (1.7 × 1.2 × 0.4 in) including built-in USB-C
Weight: 9g (0.02lbs)

Build & Handling

Though I was a little surprised that the device describes itself as rugged, it does have IP40-rated aluminum alloy housing which feels pretty good – not that I'd be keen to try the 1m drop test it will supposedly survive. The facia with the logo, next to the lens, also sucks fingerprints onto it with a kind of magical power.

Connecting to my Android test phone seemed like it might be problematic – I have a ruggedized phone so tough it doesn't need a case, but that meant the Mini 2 couldn't connect either as the USB-C wasn't long enough. Or so I thought – Hikmicro had anticipated the issue in two ways – a small rigid USB-C extension that solved the issue without introducing (much) wobble, and a long flexible cable which was a brilliant idea not included with other mini thermal cameras I've tested before.

The manual was printed so neither phone I tested with could identify the QR code to load the app, but it was easy to search for Hikvision in the Google Play store, and from there things were easy. The app is elegantly designed with good on-screen guidance and everything works as you'd expect without having unnecessary personal information demanded of you.

If you are pointing the camera in the same direction as your phone camera, you can invoke a Fusion mode to overlay contrast detail from your optical images onto the thermal, which can make an image easier to understand (some cameras, like the FLIR C5, have a built-in optical camera and do this automatically).

Performance

For the most part the device was recognized quickly by the app, and the calibration period is on the shorter side (no thermal camera we've encountered is available instantly, all take a moment or two). Temperature measurements were accurate and the video updated fast.

Using the Fusion mode is problematic at short range as the app doesn't allow for the possibility (should that be inevitability) that the phone camera and the thermal are separated by most of the height of a phone. You can pinch/zoom and drag to set up the overlay, which should work, but you can't drag beyond the edge so – when trying to line the keyboard up in the example, the buttons would only align vertically, and were about a phone's length out horizontally. On a couple of occasions, when holding the phone horizontally, I found the phone actually put the Fusion mode image upside down so alignment was impossible. 

Being fair, this isn't a device with a macro lens, and there is a distance adjustment elsewhere in the app – though I think this is only for the thermal properties. This is also less of an issue at a distance, but looking close up the issue is clear. 

There were a few other odd moments in use, when, we'd guess, the connection just dropped and we had to unplug and restart. Saving images and video, though, was mostly very straightforward and the app had a good gallery or could save to the system feed if you granted it access. We liked that it uses MP4, not MJPEG!

The gallery of sample images reveals how successfully the thermal images reveal what's going on where there is thermal variation, but also that the system seems to have trouble with device rotation.

Sample clip of the video shows a good frame rate, but also reveals the issues with Fusion mode.

Verdict

This is a handy compact tool that does the job very nicely. It earns bonus points for the excellent case, generally decent software, and inclusion of an extension cord and even the extender to fit my rugged phone.

In a way, it lets itself down by trying too hard! Fusion mode is – for now anyway – a bit of a disappointment. Some software improvements could change it, and it's definitely better to have it as an option than not, but it is a long way short of the quality of thermal cameras with built-in (and, of course, aligned) optical cameras. There are even phone adapters that take this approach, though they're a little less compact – see our FLIR One Edge Pro review – and rather more expensive.

Overall the Hikmicro Mini2 makes a good choice on the grounds of pure thermal resolution and the ability to re-direct using the flexible cord. For some, it'll be just the right choice. But for close-up work we suspect the InfiRay P2 Pro is at least worth a look too, since it is similarly priced, has matching resolution plus a macro lens. That device also offers iPhone support; this is USB-C only.

iPhone users have to look elsewhere, and Android owners can find cheaper (or more sophisticated) options too. At 350˚C it also doesn't have the highest maximum temperature out there. It maintains an edge, through pure image quality and through (fusion mode aside) a very tidy app with a thorough feature set, but it's the accessories – not the hardware – that make this a contender. Otherwise, it is good, but nothing special; a fine choice if it is well priced on the day!

Read more: I've reviewed several Hikmicro all-in-one thermal cameras, including the Hikmicro Pocket 2, which is an alternative worth considering. Do check our full list of the best thermal cameras, too.

The market for thermal cameras has grown since their use in DIY tasks – as well as professional motor engineering, electrical, HVAC, and plumbing – became so apparent, and their cost more affordable. There are several kinds, but one of the cheapest to own is the phone attachment, which can take advantage of the screen and processing power of your phone. This fits into that category and, while it might not seem rugged enough for a busy workshop, for many it's just the right approach.

We keep a guide of the best thermal cameras (spoiler: this is going to be added at the next update) so you can check if there is a design more appropriate to your purpose. The version I'm testing is the InfiRay P2 Pro and Magnetic Macro Lens bundle, but it is available for less without the lens attachment, so check what you need.

Specifications

Thermal resolution: 256 x 192 (49,152 pixels)
Thermal range: -20˚C to 550˚C (-4˚F to 1022˚F)
Refresh rate: 25Hz
Field of view: 56˚ × 42.2˚
Accuracy: ±2°C or ±2% (whichever greater)
Storage: n/a
Connectivity: Lightning or USB-C options
Size: 27 × 18 × 9.8mm (1.1 × 0.7 × 0.4 in)
Weight: 9g (0.02lbs)

Key Features

As mentioned, the design itself is the stand out feature of this device. The fact its weight is less than half that of a AA battery and it it's the size of a thumb tip is unarguably impressive. Other significant features are the refresh rate which, at 25Hz, is higher than many thermal cameras which are limited to 9Hz and, as a result, are quite juddery in use.

Speaking of, you can capture video as well, plus the app has an extensive range of options including a Professional Thermometry mode which allows you to take live measurements within defined areas, or lock to specific temperature ranges. Images and clips are, of course, recorded to your phone.

Build and handling

Opening the box reveals the device and, if you opted to get it, the macro adapter next to each other in a felt-like padding. It feels very plush, though for a moment I found myself worrying that – while the macro adapter has a plastic lens cap, the main body does not. Opening the wallet revealed a small bag for exactly that purpose.

Nothing, of course, is that big and heavy, but that isn't to say that it doesn't feel good quality. The body of the camera is a magnesium alloy in space grey – it looks very at home next to a MacBook Pro – yet despite the tiny proportions InfiRay have managed to add a tiny chrome trim on the edge. The only aspect of doubt has to be the Lightning connector protruding from hard plastic at the top, or, er, bottom. The very smallness of this part, combined with the risk of accidentally using it as a lever point as you put the phone down, is a worry – the thermal camera costs more to replace even than an Apple own-brand charging cable!

On connection to the phone, it automatically popped up a box inviting me to download and install the app from the App Store (I tested on an iPhone 14 Pro Max), and so I did. The app's first steps guided me through 5 pages of simple instructions before unleashing 'easy mode' on me, at which point I saw a thermal selfie. That was the first point I realized it'd matter which way around you plugged this Lightning port!

Performance

It is my practice to test thermal cameras on three things, heating, insulation, and tech. The fact spring has finally made it to the UK means the insulation test isn't as dramatic as it has been on other thermal cameras, but overall the device is responsive and the visual detail is good.

It is also snappier than some – I timed it as 9 seconds from a cold start (plugging in with the app running) to a functioning screen. I wish it didn't revert black and white, but the pallet option is right there.

The screenshots are saved as PNGs, so here are a selection in my preferred pallet. If you opt to show the optical camera you can, though it is simply overlaid and the lenses are a good distance apart.

Some thermal cameras include an optical camera to either capture matching photos at the same time (to aid a report) or to create hybrid images, using edge contrast from the optical image to help identify things. That's a great technology, seen in great effect in the FLIR C5 or the FLIR One Edge Pro, though obviously it add cost and isn't always necessary.

InfiRay's solution can be a little awkward, however. As mentioned, the only way to save the image is as a postage stamp atop the original – not ideal. This looks extra weird since the app is smart enough to prepare a Word document report, with distance settings, but isn't able to capture two separate images.

Where it really falls down, however, is in macro mode. Since the camera lens and thermal attachment are at opposite ends of my iPhone – and most phones – the images are a long way short of lining up. It won't be much of an issue for most shots, but it'll have to be borne in mind if you're doing close-up electronics.

Verdict

This is a surprising and very useful tool at a competitive price, comfortably beating other phone attachment cameras while also being even more portable. For anyone with an occasional or on-the-road need for a thermal camera, it is an easy device for me to recommend, with top-notch thermal resolution and refresh rate.

There are a few worries, the main of which is whether the cable socket is strong enough to survive your applications. Heavy users might want to look to something more rugged, but for the average home user like me, with less frequent needs in situations I'll be happy to touch my phone, it's OK.

It works with the standard case, too, so no worries there. The other concern (especially true for close-up work) is the less-than-optimal use of the optical image from the phone's camera. There is no hybrid option, and the phone's camera is at the other end of the device so, in macro, the images don't really line up if you're using the side-by-side mode.

That's a shame as for the most part the app was very good, with everything generally well-designed and welcoming. I really appreciated the choice between Easy mode and Professional, so screen clutter was only necessary when needed but the detailed functions are still easily reached. As an aside, video-makes might also have fun with this camera thanks to the solid refresh rate – it has a surprising number of uses and it certainly won't weigh you down!

You might also be interested in:

• Best thermal-imaging cameras
• Best boroscopes and inspection cameras
• Best rugged phones

As an experienced drone pilot with plenty of commercial missions under my belt, I have plenty of admiration for the Mavic line. I've been on video jobs where the client was most excited by the biggest and heaviest drone I had, but the shot that ended up in the final edit came from a trusty Mavic 2.

The demands on the newer commercial drones are much higher, however, which is why DJI has split its line between drones with content creation in mind and those with serious tasks like data gathering and the mucky business of search-and-rescue and law enforcement where moments matter.

The Mavic 3 Enterprise series is similar to, but not quite, the same as the Mavic 3 at first glance, but is sold with a different controller and, crucially, different control software. There are two main variants, which have different camera units. The 3E has dual cameras, the main sporting a mechanical shutter which is useful for aerial surveying. I tested the 3T thermal drone which sadly lacks a mechanical shutter on its main visible light camera, but boasts a thermal camera for missions including search and resue. 

DJI Mavic 3T: Key features

The headline feature of the DJI Mavic 3T is the thermal camera, which has 640 x 512 pixels. Alongside it, in the same housing, are two other cameras, a 48-megapixel wide angle plus a telephoto zoom which can be pushed as far as a 56x digital hybrid zoom for remote inspection. The system is capable of smart low-light shooting.

The DJI RC Pro Enterprise controller allows for missions to be planned and launched for mapping – including thermal maps – without the need for a computer. It boasts a 5.5-inch multi-touch display with 1000 nits brightness, good enough to see outdoors, and up to 15km control range. It can display optical and thermal cameras split-screen.

DJI Mavic 3T: Specifications

Wide camera: 1/2-inch CMOS / 48 megapixels / 24mm EFL
Tele camera: 1/2-inch CMOS / 12 megapixels / 162mm EFL
Thermal camera: 12 μm pixel pitch, 30 Hz, 40mm EFL
Recorded video: 4K at 85 Mbs
Max speed forward: 21 m/s
Max speed descent: 6 m/s
Weight: 920g (max 1050g)
Size: 221 × 96 × 90 mm (folded) 348 × 283 × 108 mm (unfolded)
Range: O3+ 15Km in FCC areas, 8Km in Europe

DJI Mavic 3T: Build & handling

The Mavic 3 is a familiar design in the drone world, with fold-out arms which take a compact frame and make it a sizeable and powerful tool. Little more needs to be said of which is undoubtedly a successful airframe. 

In the Enterprise series, above the camera housing, stands a USB-C plug (covered with a rubber door) flanked by two screw mounts. These provide the fitting point for accessories like the RTK adaptor. I couldn't help but notice that, with the vent, these appear a bit face-like. At the back is a fixed beacon bulb that can be turned on and off in software, so no longer will you need to surrender the accessory port to fit a beacon (unlike the Mavic 2 Enterprise).

It feels rugged and — with the battery — even a little weighty. Perhaps I've flown too many ultralight! If we were looking for flaws the rubber cover over the back, just above the battery, which conceals the MicroSD card and USB-C charging port could be a little less fiddly. The legs also afford very little ground clearance, so always have a drone landing pad with you or be ready to do a hand launch.

The RC Pro Enterprise controller isn't what you'd call light, but the rubberized grips feel reassuring. Unlike the DJI RC (the controller with built-in-screen popular with consumer models), this looks a bit old-school with its fold-out antenna. If, however, you're flying at the end of visual range they do seem to offer a more reliable signal. What's really notable about the controller, though, is the 1,000-nit display which is perfectly viewable in daylight.

How easy you find the controller to use depends on your experience of Android-embedded devices because that's what's going on here. Luckily the processor seems up to the task, and there are 3 hours of charge in the battery, as well as a MicroSD card port for storage or, in my case, to save screen recordings to. There is also a mini-HDMI out socket too, should you need to share a live feed. 

We tested the drone around obstacles and as far as the law allowed with no sign of the video signal dropping out, so we're confident in DJI's 15Km / 8Km perfect-world range claims.

DJI Mavic 3T: Performance

Given it's purpose, it's worth pointing out that the Mavic 3T is very quick to take flight. You can keep a charged battery in it (in fact you can use it to charge a battery), and both the controller and drone boot in about 15 seconds. It takes about ten seconds to open the arms and set the drone on a flat surface (it's best to carry a drone landing pad). From there you can take off – no need for any calibration, and if you've synced the remote with your phone it can check the airspace restrictions for you too.

Ordinarily, this heading would largely cover the quality of the output, but using the Mavic 3T is more about getting in the air and achieving tasks. Since I wasn't able to wait for a real S&R situation to occur (and may still leave that to more official responders), I tested the drone by releasing my family into the wild. Well, a disused golf course, at any rate, to see if I could track them down using the thermal camera. 

Drone hide-and-seek proved a success. Despite a chill wind (we were testing in the UK, in spring, but you wouldn't know it) the drone was very quick to highlight the warm spot with a red dot. I could then zoom in and hover a bit closer to indicate a win for 'team drone.' The 30 Hz refresh rate meant there was no painful waiting for jerky thermal video either.

The Side-by-Side feature looks great for building inspection as well as helping navigate to the search location. You can opt to apply the a digital zoom to the thermal view or not – a very nice touch since using the tele to get a closer look optically is easier with a higher resolution. Easier, I found, than getting too close in hide-and-seek (though in a real rescue there would be operatives on the ground to direct). In any case here is the tech for thermal insulation inspection at a high resolution.

I wouldn't want the screen to be any smaller for the task, but linked with my phone's Wi-Fi hotspot, I could see the satellite view for the location and then plan an orthography mission for the drone. This is a brilliant tool, as you can drop these images into whichever map stitching software you opt for later.

Sadly the Mavic 3 doesn't have RTK built into the kit; an additional antenna is needed for around $600, which is what the accessory port is for. More significantly the thermal version lacks a mechanical shutter (which provides crisper images for map stitching. On the plus side, you can capture data from the thermal and optical cameras simultaneously – though at the 15 m/s speed I chose there seemed to be some evidence of blur in the thermal ones.

I didn't have the RTK kit to test – this system offers much higher accuracy than the satellite positioning systems – but I can at least confirm the software was reasonably easy to configure on location, and was able to set up and initiate a mapping mission.

Above: This video is an assembly of clips to give an idea of the user experience; many are captured using the ability to screen-record straight onto the RC Pro. Frustratingly one of the quirks which affected me more than it likely will you is that — when you're performing a screen record — the icon that indicates it is near the bottom at the center. In other words, above where the compass is, and it can block some buttons at times. It is a busy screen, with a good amount of data, but navigation is assisted by the big buttons on the remote and the time-served organization.

DJI Mavic 3T: Verdict

The Mavic 3T is an excellent machine. Not the first Mavic 3 drone I've reviewed, so I'm familiar with the basics, but if you're not there are tutorials accessible via the remote. Once these have walked you through the on-screen display and revealed features like the side-by-side camera mode, you'll find things switch from enigmatic to straightforward in minutes.

Looking for problems – that's my job here, after all – I think it's fair to say that DJI is a little optimistic about their stated flight time. If you ignore the time from take-off to reaching the start of work, and the time lost returning at the end when the battery alert is on, the operation can be as little as 25 minutes. That sounds a lot less but, of course, predecessors had the same constraints and less useful time in-between so it is still a big plus, just don't get over-excited.

The optical collision avoidance systems are nice to have, but I tend to think a pro shouldn't rely on them. For subject tracking, look at the Mavic 3 Pro series. Here the triumph is more in the zoom which enables you to target an area before zooming in. It also takes some getting used to, but is immensely helpful in ensuring you don't lose a target.

Everything about the software has been rethought to make things quicker and more practical for first responders and surveyors, not photographers, and while there might be a slightly steeper learning curve the device will be paying dividends fast. The only worry we can see is those areas of America (Florida, Arkansas) where legislators either know something we don't about DJI's software or are putting politics ahead of practicality. Because in this size, at this budget, this drone feels unbeatable.

See also our guide to the best thermal drones, and our rundown of the best DJI drones

Weighing just  9g and measuring 27 x 18 x 9.8mm, Infiray's P2 Pro lays claim to being the smallest thermal camera in the world. It achieves this, like some others, by connecting to a phone for its display and operation but even then it is considerably smaller than alternatives,  from Flir and others. It is also, InfiRay (or IRay) says, the first with an 8μm thermal sensor.

Thermal imaging is growing in popularity (and coming down in price). They're popular DIY tools and essential for electricians and HVAC engineers, so it's worth finding the best thermal camera for your needs.

What is all the more impressive is that the Infiray doesn't just equal bigger devices, in some respects it surpasses them. Thermal cameras all have what seems a very low resolution from a photographer's perspective, making the 256 x 192 better than many.

InfiRay's other piece of innovation comes in the form of a magnetically attachable macro lens. The device is being made available in bundles with and without this attachment.

Another issue that plagues the industry is stuttery imagery because of restrictive export rules (we're looking at you, America) so many devices are artificially limited to about 10Hz. This, however, is at a much more fluid 25Hz, so can capture motion if required.

The device has a range of -20 to 550˚C (-4 to 1044˚F) with a ±2°C margin, comparable to physically bigger alternatives. There are iOS and Android versions (though we've only seen images of the USB-C version).

The InfiRay P2 Pro costs from $249/£249 and is already on sale from Amazon and elsewhere - or around $299/£299 with the magnetic macro lens.

We hope to get our hands on one to review soon, but there are obvious risks to the design. It clearly depends on the sturdiness (or otherwise) of its connector. Apple devotees might also consider waiting on their next handset upgrade if iPhone 15 rumors about USB-C are true! Nevertheless, rugged alternatives like the FLIR One Edge Pro have notably more bulk (and fewer pixels) so it seems. Other options that don't use your phone are also to be found on our best thermal cameras list.

For those looking for the best thermal camera (or at least cameras within reach of consumers and small businesses) has three form factors: pistol grip, phone attachment, and compact camera. 

This is one of the latter, in hard rubber, which makes it suitable for anyone taking on electrical, plumbing, roofing, or HVAC tasks, or DIY. A built-in optical camera also helps make thermal images easier to comprehend as well as easing data acquisition for pros creating reports. Hikmicro also offers their high frame rate thermography, the advantage of which we’ll come to.

Specifications

Thermal resolution: 256 x 192 (49,152 pixels)
Visual camera: 8 megapixels (claimed)
Thermal Range: -20˚C to 550˚C (-4˚F to 1022˚F)
Refresh Rate: 25Hz
Field of View: 50˚ × 37.2˚
Accuracy: ±2°C
Storage: 16GB built-in
Connectivity: USB
Size: 138 × 84 × 22mm (7.5 × 3.4 × 2.3 in)
Weight: 227g (0.5lbs)

Key features

As we noted, one of the less obvious features of this camera is a 25Hz refresh rate. This stands out because many, if not most, thermal cameras are limited to 9Hz, which is quite juddery, but adequate for most tasks. Why the restriction? US export regulations (aimed at restricting access to military tech). 

The higher frame rate might not be essential, but it makes the camera smoother and more responsive both when viewing and recording video (yes, it can do that). Other features include a microphone (those thermal videos come with sound), USB-C for charging and file transfer, and (in theory) WiFi linking to a HIKMICRO app.

Build and handling

Opening the box reveals a nylon fabric-covered hard case with a zip. Inside that is the camera itself, a bit shorter, wider, and thicker than a large mobile phone, but in the same territory. The front features a recessed LED flash next to a protruding dual lens housing. On the back is a 3.5-inch touchscreen, with three adjoining touch buttons giving the impression of a larger screen. Both the lenses and screen are recessed back from the rubberized plastic shell to provide drop protection of up to 2m.

Basic operation is easy, a matter of powering on, waiting a moment, then shooting with the capture button – memory is internal. There is a tripod mount at the base and images and video are stored locally. Charging via USB-C is straightforward, and if plugged into a computer it shows up as a drive for file download.

We liked that the emissivity menu – in which you set the surface reflectivity to make the temperature more accurate – had a good list of clearly labeled pre-sets, helping novices.

Performance

We like to test thermal cameras against insulation issues and other DIY tasks like identifying joists in ceilings. Powering up took 17 seconds from beginning to press-and-hold the power button – though it was prone to bouts of 'Calibrating…' after that too. 

After that, core operations were straightforward. Strangely on the first boot the device was in plain thermal mode, which offers good resolution, but the hybrid – which overlays edge contrast from the optical image to clarify the view – is easily selected and makes for better imaging (which is easier to understand). Photos are captured with a shutter button; pressing and holding the same button starts a video recording.

You can opt to record the visual image at the same moment, potentially useful for reports. Oddly the files are saved at 3264 x 2448 pixels (8MP) when the quality suggests closer to 2MP.

Admittedly finding the flash was less apparent; the screen needs a swipe-down gesture, but once you’ve found this you’ve found all the hidden menus, and while the operation isn’t iPhone smooth, nothing will make you wait long.

According to the included guide, there is an iOS and Android 'Hikmicro Viewer' app, but we were only able to download it on Android and, even then, unable to make a connection. This is in marked contrast to the FLIR C5 Test, which has much better connectivity options.

Verdict

The Hikmicro Pocket 2 is a fine thermal camera, and in most use cases it feels well ahead of the game. Sure, the 9Hz rate common on competitors isn’t a huge issue when assessing things that aren’t moving – walls, radiators, cars in the garage – but it doesn't 'feel' right. Moreover, if you’re looking to capture video, the 25Hz rate is far better (especially in Europe, Asia, and Australia). Since you can actually record video with this camera, it offers possibilities for creators on YouTube, TikTok, and the like.

The hybrid camera is excellent, and with a better thermal resolution than others,  the images are more than useful. We can't deny it is a worry that the app option seemed unavailable (especially since WiFi and Bluetooth are built-in). Perhaps it'll be fixed, but rival FLIR cameras seem to be masters of software (see our Flir C5 review) and this is a factor if you’re running a business, preparing reports, and collaborating.

For individual users, however, this seems a great choice. The tech is good, the menus – while still a bit quirky – surpass Hikmicro’s E1L, and the camera itself is excellent.

You might also be interested in:

• Best thermal-imaging cameras
• Best boroscopes and inspection cameras
• Best rugged phones

Since 2016, Hikmirco is one of the leading brands in thermal-imaging cameras for a huge range of applications, from thermal binoculars to night vision goggles.

Thermal cameras have become an essential tool in many fields, and this handheld model from Hikmicro is ideally suited to electricians, plumbers, roofers, heating engineers, and any DIY enthusiasts venturing into those areas. That’s why the frame is prepared for a rough-and-tumble life with a toolkit, but it also has a MicroSD card slot; this is for storing measurements that can be included in survey reports. While some pricier alternatives offer hybrid cameras, Hikmicro offers something the American military doesn’t want to share…

Specifications

Thermal resolution: 160 x 120 (19,200 pixels)
Thermal range: -20˚C to 550˚C (-4˚F to 1022˚F)
Refresh rate: 25Hz
Field of view: 37.2˚ × 50˚
Accuracy: ±2°C
Connectivity: USB
Size: 190 × 86 × 58mm (7.5 × 3.4 × 2.3 in)
Weight: 350g (0.77lb)

Key features

There is a good range of options out there if you’re looking for a pistol-grip thermal camera, a few things set the Hikmicro E1L apart. The most prominent is probably the laser targeting pointer, which makes it easier to direct the center of the thermal camera when the thermal image doesn’t combine naturally with the thermal one. For many, though, the more impressive will be the 25Hz frame rate; that’s because a juddery 9Hz is by far the most common refresh rate thanks to a US regulation that views faster thermal cameras as “dual-use goods” (i.e. having potential military applications). 

Build & handling

With a rubberized plastic exterior and a decent heft, the E1L feels good in the hand. The battery which provides up to eight hours for the device’s camera and 2.4-inch 320x240 pixel display is clearly well-positioned inside. There is a tripod screw in the base and a wrist strap came ready-fitted in the box. At the top the MicroSD and Micro USB charging sockets are located beneath a rubber cover, securing the IP54 rating. 

Capturing an image is a simple task of pulling the red plastic trigger button twice, though activating the laser requires a pull-and-hold of the same trigger. That means releasing and re-pulling the trigger to capture an image. Settings, including emissivity, are accessed via four rubber buttons below the screen and an up/down style menu.

Performance

We tested by using the camera to spot thermal leakage and identify joists through ceilings. Powering up takes about 8 seconds, quicker than some thermal cameras, and you can use it simply by aiming and pointing (though you’ll have to wait an extra moment for the laser dot to appear). Images recorded are 66k, so the 8GB card included will likely suffice. The only metadata is the time if you set it correctly, and video isn’t an option, sadly.

The measurements we tested were accurate – well within the 2-degree variance promised, and usually less than 1 degree out nearer room temperature. Setting the correct emissivity and distance doesn’t slow you down for too long, though it seemed a shame there were only 4 pre-sets for emissivity (there are 15 suggested options for different surfaces in the manual).

According to the included guide, there is an iOS and Android “Hikmicro Viewer” app, but we weren’t able to download it or test it. We think it’s for the sister B1L device anyway.

Verdict

Given it sits at the lower end of the price range for this category, we weren’t expecting too much from the E1L but it impressed in several ways. The form factor is ideal, and the high refresh rate is very welcome – it is difficult to quantify how much more natural it feels in the hand.

Admittedly compared to hybrid devices – which combine visual images from an additional camera to clarify the scene – things can sometimes be less than clear, and the resolution is nothing special. That said, the laser goes some way to helping you aim and the screen is clear.

Some pros might benefit from higher resolution or more sophisticated data storage, but ultimately this is a practical choice for less outlay than many pro options, with excellent battery life and a responsive display.

You might also like...

• The rugged Bosch GTC400C has the option of rechargeable or traditional batteries.

• FLIR E8-XT offers higher resolution, hybrid imaging, and wi-fi connectivity.

• If you can live with a phone screen, check the FLIR ONE Edge Pro.

• The best thermal imaging binoculars
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• The best thermal drones in

Thermal imaging cameras are moving from the world of deep-pocketed professionals to something within everyone’s reach and – as with so much – a factor is the phone. Thermal imaging can reveal faults in electronics or cars which have yet to be present, they are an essential tool for HVAC engineers, and when checking insulation. They can even identify water damage, or the studs in walls, so DIY fans of all kinds can enjoy them – as well as kids learning about their world.

FLIR is a leading brand in all areas of thermal imaging, and many of their cameras connect to their back-end suite which includes cloud storage (up to 1TB for free) as well as some options aimed at businesses to streamline reporting. 

The FLIR One Edge Pro is not FLIR’s first attempt at making their technology work through phones. The previous FLIR One Pro had to be bought in iOS or Android variants as it plugged directly into the phone. This new design is less compact, but do its advantages outweigh that?

FLIR One Edge Pro specifications

Thermal resolution: 160 x 120
Thermal range: -20˚C to 400˚C (-4˚F to 752˚F)
Accuracy: ±5% or 3˚C
Optical Resolution: 0.3MP
Field of view: 54˚ x 42˚
Connectivity: Wi-fi 802.11 a/ac/b/g/n 2 & 5GHz, Bluetooth
Size: 35 × 37.5 × 149 mm (1.4 × 1.5 × 5.9 in)
Weight: 153g (5.4 oz)

FLIR One Edge Pro build & handling

Right out of the box, the One Edge Pro feels rugged; no bad thing given its likely use cases. There are optical and thermal imaging cameras that are, optionally, merged in software to make reading the thermal data easy enough for a layperson. 

Sensibly these are protected by being slightly recessed in a bump at the top of the device. Beneath the optics are three white LEDs that the camera uses to indicate status (you’ll get used to waiting for it to connect to the app) and a sealed power button. Perhaps the USB-C charging socket is a little more vulnerable – it’s uncovered on the side – but it is as safe as most phones.

The device can be used near a phone, but it is more practical to clip it on; any phone or mini-tablet 130 to 195mm will fit in the toughly sprung clip, and – despite first-glance appearances – there is some protective rubber on the inside. It fitted our test iPhone 14 Pro Max just fine.

FLIR One Edge Pro performance

In use connecting to the clean and elegant FLIR One app takes a moment (especially the first time), and there is some latency. Since the refresh rate is limited to the legally mandated 9Hz (it’s an export/arms rule in the USA), and most things you’ll be looking at are static, it doesn’t have much direct impact. 

From the spec sheet, the FLIR One Edge Pro’s accuracy isn’t all that striking either (and it is interesting that, unlike other FLIR devices we’ve tested, there is no certificate in the box. That said, in our tests, it was typically more accurate than FLIR suggests. The resolution, too, is lower than some from lesser-known brands like Hikmicro. FLIR does, however, make using the device easier than most, including a ‘Home Inspect’ app to actively guide you in diagnosing issues. Another plus is the video option, not seen on pricier all-in-one cameras.

Because the phone stores images in its album they are easy to find, but we also liked the 1GB of cloud storage and ease of use offered by the FLIR Ignite cloud platform. This lets you look at images later, change the spectrum, and compare them to the visual image (as taken by the 640x480 FLIR camera, not your phone). A nice plus, compared to an all-in-one camera, is that the metadata can include the phone’s location data.

FLIR One Edge Pro Verdict

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!) 

We had a few issues which might tempt us toward an all-in-one thermal-imaging camera (like FLIR’s own C5), not least the latency in or dropping of connection in wi-fi heavy areas. Even rotating the phone did this sometimes, though undoubtedly bug fixes will come. At 90 minutes, the battery stills seems a shade of disappointment, but that is the cost of the wireless communication (it also represents a doubling compared to the old FLIR One).

The only other issue is price; FLIR’s old 80 x 60-pixel model can be found for less than half the cash, and less recognizable brands will sell you an all-in-one for even less. If you have the budget the FLIR ONE Edge Pro is excellent quality, has a robust build, and a heritage that suggests the top-notch software won’t disappear overnight.

Teledyne now owns FLIR, a leading brand in thermal-imaging cameras calling themselves ‘the world’s sixth sense.’ This device, however, pre-dates that acquisition, but regardless of company politics FLIR’s extensive thermal offerings include phone attachments (see our FLIR ONE Edge review), compact cameras (see our FLIR C5 review), and professional tools. 

That means each series has a specific customer group in mind, and if you’re looking at this rugged, trigger-grip design we’d imagine you’re looking at using it in some tough situations – and fairly frequently too.

This product is designed with on-site usage in mind, so incorporates some aspects of the Wi-Fi and reporting software seen in other FLIR devices, but not the cloud services. It is also not FLIR’s latest, so the question is does it justify the price?

FLIR E5-XT specifications

Thermal resolution: 160 x 120
Thermal range: -20˚C to 400˚C (-4˚F to 752˚F)
Optical Resolution: 5MP
Field of view: 45˚ x 34˚
Connectivity: Optional Wi-fi 802.11 a/ac/b/g/n 2 & 5GHz
Size: 244 × 95 × 140 mm (9.6 × 3.7 × 0.55 in)
Weight: 575g (1.27 lb)

FLIR E5-XT build & handling

Even before you get to the E5xt the packaging – a hard plastic travel case with foam inserts – you know this is built for a tough environment. In the hand that feels just true; almost the whole body (and all the points which might need to absorb drop damage) are rubberized. We’re sure the drop-test claims are true.

The relatively vulnerable Micro-USB charging and image download port are in the top, behind a large rubber protector, while the bottom of the battery forms the bottom of the handle and is also rubberized, so the overall IP54 rating seems warranted.

The 3-inch screen is clear and bright, though 320x240 resolution won’t compete with a modern display. Images can be reviewed easily, or transferred by wi-fi or the USB. To capture you’ll need to make a decisive press of the trigger. Other buttons also require a solid but not excessive push and have firm clicking microswitches. Oddly, though, overall it still feels lightweight; not cheap, but easy to move around.

FLIR E5-XT performance

Accuracy is ±2˚C (3.6˚F) or ±2% in a normal ambient temperature, which is better than many. It is quickly thrown off by a low ambient though, as our freezer test found, but FLIR never claimed otherwise. The sensitivity of 0.1˚C is impressive.

Interestingly, while the resolution matches FLIR’s newer consumer devices, the field of view is narrower – just 45˚ horizontal – so it is easier to get a distance reading which makes sense in a professional environment. 

We tested the wi-fi edition of the camera, though it must be said that the wi-fi wasn’t as straightforward as we’d have liked, or as feature-rich as newer devices. The first time we turned it on, wi-fi didn’t even appear as an option on the menu. After a reset, it was there, but finding it on our phone wasn’t handled by the app, and necessitated diving into the Wi-Fi Settings page which – while not too taxing – feels a bit old-school. 

The app, FLIR Tools, didn’t share data with the FLIR Ignite – the cloud platform seen on more recent FLIR devices. It did, however, allow images to be reviewed next to their optical equivalents, and additional spot measurements taken after the fact. The remote shutter was a nice touch too, with some interesting possibilities.

FLIR E5-XT Verdict

The FLIR E5-XT is a rugged and effective thermal imaging camera, and we’d recommend it to someone working long days in a tough environment looking to capture readings, but not without some reservations. The MSX hybrid images are easy to read for the most part – though the optical camera could be of better quality.

The internal tech feels a little antiquated now, with not least 180Mb storage (circa 1000 hybrid images). The Wi-Fi’s ease of use and lack of FLIR’s cloud options and a Micro-USB charging socket are also clues. A vague wish would be a range finder to automatically check the distance and align hybrid images; it’s easy to forget this setting.

Despite all this, the device sits between the cheap mystery brands and pricey higher resolution devices and does a good job in a way we’d be happy to depend on, whether as an electrician, HVAC engineer or in the workshop.

FLIR are a leading brand in thermal-imaging cameras and have an extensive range of devices to cover nearly every application. Their technology, which takes the relatively low-resolution data from the thermal camera and combines it with contrast data from an aligned optical camera, has given them that position. 

It has also taken thermal photography from a niche pro and military category into the “for the rest of us” territory, suited to any tradesman or sensible DIY enthusiast.

FLIR's rugged compact Cx series embodies that; there is a C3 with a 128 x 96 pixel thermal sensor and the C5 we’re reviewing here which hikes that to 160 x 120. The C5 includes a 5-megapixel optical camera, as well as wi-fi and Bluetooth connectivity, meaning it’s well suited to on-site checks for thermal issues like problem electrics, HVAC and insulation leaks.

FLIR C5: specifications

Thermal resolution: 160 x 120
Thermal range: -20˚C to 400˚C (-4˚F to 752˚F)
Optical Resolution: 5MP
Field of view: 54˚ x 42˚
Connectivity: Wi-fi 802.11 a/ac/b/g/n 2 & 5GHz, Bluetooth
Size: 138 × 84 × 24 mm (5.4 × 3.3 × 0.94 in)
Weight: 190g (0.42 lb)

FLIR C5: build & handling

The device feels good straight out of the box, with a reassuringly firm design somewhere between that of a traditional compact camera (you know, from before the age of phones) and a phone with a thick rubber case protecting a protruding lens. This provides IP54 protection and we daresay a good level of drop protection too.

The cameras are fixed-focus, operating at any distance over 30cm (11.8in), meaning operation is straightforward and at these resolutions misses nothing. There is also prominent FLIR branding and a phone-like flash.

At the top of the housing is a recessed power button and a longer shutter button. Viewed from the back the left side features a USB-C socket for charging the 4-hour enclosed battery, while the lower-right corner is home to a loop for the included wrist strap and a standard ¼-20 UNC tripod mount.

FLIR C5: performance

The C5 produces standard JPEG images (and has room for about 5000 onboard), making for a very practical device. The thermal sensor can capture a range of up to 400˚ C (572˚ F) – more than enough to identify thermal issues – and the accuracy of ±3°C (0 to 100˚C) and ±3% for higher temperatures is well suited to everyday use. The device is at its most accurate in a typical working environment, 15 to 35˚C, ambient temperature, which you’d expect.

We found the straightforward measurement functions handy and easy to read; a spot reading or the choice of a box with minimum and maximum readings – saved straight onto the image – may not seem pretty but they do what’s needed.

Because the camera stores both images and uploads them to FLIR Ignite – a cloud platform that is easy to use – it is easily possible to review your work from a computer or phone and take out a number of different views including picture-in-picture, or alternative thermal spectrums. The only usability snag was the lack of file organization by date taken (it uses date uploaded), though the capture time is in the metadata.

FLIR C5: Verdict

The FLIR C5 compact thermal camera is a brilliant thermal-imaging device that does exactly what is promised on the box, and in a manner that makes its output easy to use in a report. Whether you’re preparing a report on a boiler or examining wiring or insulation, the fusion images are easily captured and – perhaps more importantly – easily understood. People with no understanding of thermal imaging (beyond having seen Predator) will instantly understand the output.

FLIR’s Ignite tool helps make this even easier, being easy to set up and providing a home to 1GB worth of images before payment is needed.

Our only slight reservations are battery life and the lack of GPS. Four hours between charges is plenty for most, but a whole day would be impossible for a pro. Similarly, busy pros going from site to site might like GPS (or the ability to source location data somehow) to make completing metadata easier.

These are minor points that won’t affect most users. With energy prices being what they are, it’s easy to imagine this paying for itself as it can reveal insulation issues as easily as faulty electronics.

Residents of a village in the United Kingdom are using a thermal imaging camera in an effort to lower their energy bills. The camera is able to identify where homes may be losing heat, enabling residents to find solutions to reduce energy consumption. 

The thermal imaging camera is being used by residents of Calstock Parish, in South East Cornwall, and was bought by the local Gunnislake Community Matters Group. The idea to invest in the technology came from another English village, located in Wiltshire, where chairman of the Group, Ross Hanley, used to live. 

"The idea behind the purchase of the camera is for residents to use it in their homes to look for cold spots, and having found them, research if there is anything that can be done to reduce those spots, by, for example, increasing insulation or stopping draughts."

Money to buy the camera was provided by local councilor, Dorothy Kirk, from the Cornwall Council Community Grant Chest. While it is free for residents to hire, donations will be needed for maintenance and, in the future, to buy a replacement. 

"I think it's really good and I’m really happy to support it," Kirk said in an interview with the Tavistock Times Gazette. "I'm always happy to support things that will benefit local people, that's what the Community Chest fund is for." 

According to the UK Parliament website, energy prices increased by 12% in October 2021, a further 54% in April 2022 and a staggering 80% in October 2022, due to the Office of Gas and Electronic Markets (OFGEM) raising the price cap on standard and default tariffs. Even with the Energy Bills Support Scheme, which provides eligible households with a non-repayable £400 to help with the rising costs, people are having to look for other ways to conserve heat and save money. 

Anyone who lives in Calstock Parish is able to hire the camera for a maximum of three days at a time, so that all residents have the opportunity to make use of it. The camera is said to be easy to use, but also comes with a simple set of instructions making it accessible to anyone. 

With no sign of energy bills falling any time soon,  we could see more and more local communities coming together to try to find solutions to the current cost of living crisis – and perhaps using thermal imaging cameras will soon become the norm. 

Teledyne FLIR has announced the release of the FLIR ONE Edge Pro, a wireless thermal-visible camera for mobile devices like camera phones and iPads. Unlike previous FLIR thermal imaging models that plugged into the bottom of the phone, the ONE Edge Pro doesn't actually have to be connected at all – and can be used up to 30 meters (100ft) away with a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connection.

The best thermal-imaging cameras allow users to see, measure and capture temperature differences, accurately and from a safe distance. So the fact that the FLIR ONE Edge Pro can be used separately is a game changer when it comes to carrying out thermal inspections, and getting to hard-to-reach or even unsafe places.

Beyond the visible spectrum, there is an unseen world of heat radiation. Arty infrared film photographs aside, the practical uses of these devices – also known as infrared thermal imagers – traditionally belonged only to military and professional budgets. But the FLIR ONE Edge Pro is a compact, easy-to-use imaging device for builders, mechanisms, building inspectors and even people who want to see how much heat their home is leaking!

“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.”

FLIR ONE Edge Pro features

The FLIR ONE Edge Pro is designed with a spring-loaded clip, and that means that it's totally brand and device-agnostic – allowing users (and companies with several workers) to attach the camera to many types of mobile phones and tablets.

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.

Teledyne FLIR promises that it will be easy to recognize where problems are located and identify targets, thanks to FLIR's MSX (Multi-Spectral Dynamic Imaging), 160 × 120 (19,200 pixels) thermal resolution and VividIR, which combines multiple image frames together to deliver a clearer image.

FLIR ONE Edge Pro price and availability

The FLIR ONE Edge Pro will be available for orders worldwide starting November 10, priced at $549/£479. Visit the FLIR website for more details and global availability.

Best thermal-imaging cameras
Best thermal drones
Best thermal-imaging binoculars

Thermal imaging cameras, once a phenomenally expensive technology, are now a resource few would want to be without – especially when undertaking work anything involving thermals. That's a lot of tech, too, from HVAC systems to electronics.

Once thermal cameras were the preserve of military budgets, and my generation grew up developing an understanding of it in the Predator movies. While the principle – "seeing" temperature – isn't different, pricing is a lot more accessible, and it is also usually possible to record measurements, ideal for taking reports.

An alternative is still a device to take a single-point measurement, the best infrared thermometers will solve that, but this guide covers cameras that generally offer point measurements but also show the relative temperatures over a whole image field, taking stills and video, and representing temperature as colors. Some are individual devices, some are phone attachments.

The FAQs below will talk more about how the tech works and what features to look for, but we'll kick off by getting right into the best thermal-imaging cameras you can buy right now that I (or members of the DCW team) have personally tested...

The Quick List

Best thermal-imaging cameras

Best thermal-imaging camera overall

The FLIR ONE Edge Pro is a wireless thermal-visible camera for camera phones and iPads. It's designed with a spring-loaded clip, which allows different users (or companies with several workers) to attach the camera to both iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. Unlike previous FLIR thermal imaging models that plugged into the bottom of the phone, the ONE Edge Pro doesn't actually have to be connected at all – and can be used up to 30 meters (100ft) away with a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connection; something I found very handy.

It is a compact, easy-to-use imaging device for builders, mechanisms, building inspectors and even homeowners who want to see how much heat their home is leaking! It's also IP54-rated, so while it can measure temperatures up to 400°C (752°F) and has a maximum 1.5-hour battery life, it's also reasonably rugged – not usually true of phone attachments.

Teledyne FLIR promises that it's easy to recognize where problems are located and identify targets, thanks to FLIR's MSX (Multi-Spectral Dynamic Imaging), 160 × 120 (19,200 pixels) thermal resolution and VividIR, which combines multiple image frames together to deliver a clearer image.

(The company also offers a budget version of this camera (no 'Pro' at the end of the name – but I've yet to review it personally – it offers a lower 80x60px thermal resolution, and if you follow the links to the Pro you'll likely find a link to the ).

My full review of the FLIR One Edge Pro with samples

Or here is a link to 🇺🇸 Amazon.com to check the non-pro version, and the same on 🇬🇧Amazon.co.uk.

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Best rugged thermal-imaging camera

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.

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.

FLIR’s analysis software, FLIR Tools, allows you to change the color palettes and take readings from 4,800 measurement points in the image files, a little like using the eyedropper in Photoshop.

Read my full FLIR C5 review for more details

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Best thermal-imaging camera for spot measurement

Hikmicro's E1L shows a good, rugged workshop thermal camera – with a laser spot for taking targeted measurements – doesn't need to be excessively costly. When I tested it I found the simple trigger operation makes it well suited for straightforward work, while the 25Hz refresh rate is judder-free making it smooth to operate.

Officially IP54 rated, and convincing in the hand this felt like a good choice, especially as it comes in for a lower price than some competitors. I wouldn't choose this for its built-in software or if you need to make frequent reports that include visual images (there is no optical camera), but in a workshop or with clients where the work is more immediate and you need to see the issue and get the reading this is quick and feels good in the hand.

You can also store images to a memory card and copy to computer later, so those features are there – they simply aren't at the sophisticated level that FLIR's EX-series has reached (but that costs twice as much).

Check my full review of the Hikmicro E1L.

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Best compact thermal-imaging camera

This amazingly compact device nevertheless beats more expensive alternatives in a number of ways. It only works when connected to a phone, and the connector – a lightning or USB-C plug – must be specified at purchase. But the app is good and offers a choice of easy or pro modes.

Another stroke of genius is the magnetically attachable macro lens, which is ideal for those examining circuit boards or other electronics, making this a very versatile tool. I worry that for some the connection might be delicate, but it is reversible (both USB-C and Lightning ports are on offer) and you can see the level of detail in which I tested the device against simple insulation, plumbing, and electronics situations.

Still, when trying this, I found it very handy, and the accessible price makes sense for occasional DIY use or – perhaps – getting a cheaper phone (one of the best burner smartphones) so you don't worry about dropping your daily driver into the engine you're working on!

Check my full InfiRay P2 Pro review

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Best thermal-imaging camera for construction

This thermal-imaging camera is easy to use in the workplace but fully equipped with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to share data with a phone. Held with a pistol grip, the image can be frozen with a trigger and saved using the camera icon below the screen. The design, with a built-in lens cover and rubber guards to protect the 3.5-inch screen, is strong and IP53 dustproof.

The device includes a picture-in-picture context function, which places the thermal image in the centre of a frame with a visual image around the outside providing context. Also useful on-site is the lock feature which fixes the minimum and maximum temperature (like an exposure lock).

Bosch also provides a supporting app so you can transfer images beyond the 600 the device will hold. This is great for additional analysis and report creation, and the radiometric data is there for later analysis (but it’d still be nice to store more onboard).

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Best thermal-imaging drone

If you're looking for a thermal drone, then the Mavic 3T Enterprise is a great choice, combining good value and portability with a good quality camera block and software. I had a lot of fun testing the drone because – while I wasn't able to have a real search and rescue scenario – my family were able to try hiding from me and the drone's high-resolution thermal sensor made it difficult, while the telephoto optical one finished the deal.

A certain amount of training or practice is needed to get to grips with this device compared to the most basic consumer drones, and some US government agencies aren't allowed to buy DJI, but if you're able to get in the air you get side-by-side thermal video next to optical.

The thermal video is 30Hz, too, which makes it easy to locate people or wildlife – as well, of course, as survey buildings for inefficient thermal properties. Price-wise the Enterprise series isn't cheap, but the controller is good quality too, and it is competitive with other brands like Autel while holding the edge on usability grounds.

(If you can't opt for DJI because of legal concerns – ironically the freedom to choose drones in the USA is somewhat curtailed for some jobs – then check our guide to the best non-DJI drones).

UPDATE: Although we're still waiting to review it, the Mavic 3T has effectively been replaced by the Matrice 4T as of an announcement in January 2024. You can see the device on the DJI store (but there might be some good deals on the cheaper – and more than adequate for most Mavic 3T for a while)

Check my full review of the Mavic 3T to see sample videos.

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Best thermal-imaging camera for hunting

Combining a 160x120 pixel sensor with a 640 x 480 pixel LCD display means the Scout TK has the resolution and tech to identify a mammal – a person or a deer, say – hiding at around 100 yards (90m) away while being no harder to use than a traditional scope. That’s not a stunning level of detail, but without the scope your eyes might well not make out targets at a much shorter distance, especially in low light, giving this device a broad range of security and hobby uses.

If resolution, and, by extension, greater range, is a need, then you'll need deeper pockets – serious professionals can, after all, look for the 640 x 512 pixel FLIR Scout III but the price is around four times higher

The compact size and rechargeable battery boost the practicality; there will be no trouble fitting this into a decent coat pocket. The USB image download is convenient, and there's a cable included too, although no wireless transfer.

With a fixed field of view (20˚), the controls are not challenging: just brightness and the option to switch the color palette (White Hot, Black Hot, InstAlert, Graded Fire, Color Wheel and others). A single button handles recording, with a short press for a still and a long press for video. The 9Hz refresh rate is fast enough to make hand-holding practical.

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Best thermal-imaging smartphone

The CAT S62 Pro is designed to take serious abuse, with the construction that means that it can be dropped without having to worry about dents or cracking its Gorilla Glass 6 screen. With an IP68 rating, CAT phones can be submerged in 3m of water, too, without fear of ingress. And this industrial design also comes with some useful additional features that you don't find on a phone – including a very capable thermal imaging camera built on the FLIR 3.5 sensor (160 x 120).

This is useful because it reduces the things you need to carry and avoids any connecting with IR cameras via Bluetooth or cables. The phone, too, is a perfectly serviceable affair with a 660 Octo Core 2GHz CPU that will run your favorite apps and 6GB storage for them. Even if it may lack some of the refinements of the top camera phones, it has a 12MP Sony sensor, comes with Android 10, and supports the Android Enterprise feature set.

Note: The even older CAT S61 – which is getting harder to come by, but is still available in places – had a lower resolution IR camera, but also boasted laser measuring, so offering an alternative with even more flexibility.

Read our full review of the CATS62 Pro

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Best pro handheld thermal-imaging camera

FLIR’s rugged E-series, of which the E8-XT is the top of the line, and I have reviewed the E5-XT, which has a similar build but half the thermal resolution. It offers the advantages of the company’s image enhancement, which merges visible light with the IR thermograph for easier-to-understand imagery. At this price, it seems a little unfair that the visible light camera is only 640x480, but in this context, it works well enough.

Of more concern to a working professional is the combination of Wi-Fi/Bluetooth and the FLIR Tools app, which enables timely delivery of your assessment, with imagery, to clients. This is well-realized, easy to operate, and can also be used, via screen recordings, to capture video from the camera.

When you’re regularly working in rough environments, the E8 represents the kind of reliability you need. The autofocus makes it easy to use and the lenses and 3-inch screen are well-shielded in a drop-proof IP54 enclosure. I must admit that I'd have hoped for more modern connectivity.

I have reviewed the E5-XT

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Best thermal-imaging camera for leak detection

This is a pro device for surveyors, so the chances are you'll understand if you'll need it, but if you didn't know about it, isn't it useful to combine your thermal camera and a hygrometer to test air humidity? Yes (well, if you don't mind swapping the sensor in the field).

The benefits of MSX-enhanced IR imagery are clear in any scenario, but especially when you just want to get the job done. Here the extra contrast from the natural light camera combined with the detail (in line with FLIR’s patent) makes identifying moisture problems, air leaks, and insulation issues a relative breeze for anyone in the field.

The 8GB of internal memory will store up to 15,000 images, and their associated hygrometer readings and measurements from the laser measure, the beam of which is directed from a lens near the cameras.

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How thermal-imaging cameras work

The best thermal-imaging cameras work like regular ones, except that the image sensor detects invisible IR light, which is translated to a visual “thermogram.” You see this through the creature’s perspective in The Predator and Prey.

Like visual cameras, these images are made of pixels but start at lower resolutions, such as 80x60 pixels, or 0.003 megapixels. That sounds limited, but it's enough detail to pick out hotspots in wiring, for example.

See also Best thermal drones

Higher resolutions are always better, allowing you to work at a distance, which is especially important in security and rescue scenarios. Digitally overlaying the thermal image with a high-resolution, visible one can make understanding the picture easier, and many devices on this list do that. (There is a risk here – you need to be confident that the overlay is accurate, something I look at in individual reviews.)

The sensors are also of varying detail (150mK sensitivity means each pixel takes readings to the nearest 0.15˚C, so lower numbers are better). Meanwhile, refresh rates aren’t always high; 9Hz is typical, which is fine for locating hotspots, but not exactly cinematic.

Read more: Best indoor security cameras or Best outdoor security cameras

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.

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How we test thermal-imaging cameras

I test thermal cameras by using them in day-to-day tasks like inspecting ventilation/insulation, heating equipment (radiators, boilers), plumbing (hot water pipes and taps), and electronics, including gaming devices. I am looking for details in the image, and the extent to which any optical cameras align with the thermal camera. Latency (the speed of response) and accuracy are also significant issues I test.

We also test any special claims made by the manufacturer about individual products, as well as the overall experience. That means trying processes like downloading images, and what any apps are like (and testing whether they are secure).

Find out more about how we test and review on Digital Camera World

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Today's prices compared

If you're a lover of technology, sci-fi drama, or the google glass from years ago, then you are going to love this new thermal imaging camera from the future that has been announced by RealWear.

RealWear has created the world’s first fully hands-free, voice-controlled thermal camera experience. The best thermal-imaging cameras help you to see things in a whole way. By connecting this new RealWear thermal camera module to RealWear's existing Navigator 500 headsets with built-in voice recognition, frontline workers can now capture a high-resolution visible-spectrum image or a variety of thermal and color modes to quickly identify temperature anomalies in mission-critical industrial equipment like pumps, pipes, wiring, and motors – all in real-time while looking like a Cyborg from Star Trek!

Rama Oruganti, Chief Product Officer at RealWear commented on the announcement: 

“RealWear Navigator head-mounted devices, with their revolutionary modular design, continue to gain support with Global 1000 companies as the new gold standard in assisted reality. The compelling option to add thermal image capture without occupying your hands in hazardous environments gives frontline professionals more real-time information to do their jobs safely and productively, by combining Teledyne FLIR’s thermal expertise with RealWear’s best-in-class voice-driven wearables through its Thermal by FLIR program, we’re creating a digital tool with extended capabilities for the modern frontline worker.”

We must admit that this does sound like a rather exciting product that can really change the work-life for those within the field. The concept is rather simple, yet technologically advanced. In simple terms, you are viewing an image with an eye-up display, with the imagery being viewable in real time. 

In the future, it will have the ability to be shared via Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Webex Expert, among others on demand, just like something out of the latest sci-fi movie from a Hollywood blockbuster.

However, it goes further by providing special radiometric JPEG format images that can be stored, transmitted, and downloaded for use within the FLIR Thermal Studio post-processing software for greater analysis, and reporting options after the engineer has left the scene.

Rama Oruganti, Chief Product Officer also commented on the future of RealWear:

“Our long-term vision of assisted intelligence takes shape when you start connecting new captured data like thermal imaging into the cloud and beyond, Industrial wearables have a huge role to play going forward in industry 4.0, and we’re proud to be a part of the global movement.”

This new thermal camera module is available for pre-order through authorized resellers, with the new module due to ship in January 2023.

Feeling the heat? You might also like the best camera glasses, the best Thermal-imaging binoculars and the best thermal drones.

In Another Light is a project exploring a new way of using infrared photography in the landscape. The resultant book is a portfolio of work from the UK and internationally, and shows the versatility of using infrared in many different weather conditions. We have been using converted Nikon infrared cameras for a decade now and during that time we’ve refined our approach and techniques, creating a unique and diverse collection of images, which we wanted to share with a wider audience.

There are images from Scotland, China, USA and England, just to name a few places. The first explorations took place in Scotland and the Lake District and, after discovering the vast flexibility of this type of photography, we took our infrared-converted Nikons everywhere we went while we were running our photographic workshops around the world.

Initially our infrared cameras were only used occasionally, but when we discovered that we could produce beautiful shots from rainy conditions, in mist along with stormy weather, we began to use them more and more. The photographs were collected over a period of about six years.

In Another Light

The book, In Another Light, developed as time passed. We started to push the boundaries of infrared and began seeing exciting results. At first woodland seemed to be the best subject matter, but this was soon followed by open landscapes and mountainous areas. We have been showing our work in exhibitions, lectures and during workshops. This has always been well received and, in particular, audiences have been surprised by the subtleties of tones that can be achieved. 

In the beginning the initial cameras were very basic – Nikon D70s and D200s. Each time we upgraded our kit to the latest model, we converted the previous camera to infrared. Paul now uses a Nikon D800E for infrared work, while Michael has a D810. 

Without doubt, the main challenges, when it came to selecting the images for the book, was making sure we did not just select our favourites. Of course, they still made it into the book, but we wanted to show the flexibility of black-and-white infrared, so a good variation was essential to show this new approach. The second challenge was the sequencing of the photographs themselves for the pages of the book. You cannot simply pop them all in there and be done with it; there had to be a sensible flow from one page to the next, like a journey through our discoveries.

In Another Light is published by LensPublishing and is available from Aspect2i where you can also find workshops and classes to learn how to take and post-process infrared images. 

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Recently published thermal images of London give us a look at the United Kingdom's capital that we've never seen before – and also underline the challenges faced by the city when it comes to energy efficiency. 

Using the best thermal imaging cameras doesn't just provide a colorful look at the world (reminiscent of the way the titular alien sees things in the Predator movies), it also enables engineers and researchers to see the amount of heat pollution generated by different industries and fields of endeavor.

Electrical engineer Paul Buckingham was recently tasked by Bloomberg Green to provide a "thermal tour" of London to illustrate just how the city is succeeding and failing to contain excess heat.

“I’ve become an investigator more than anything else,” said Buckingham, who has been taking thermal images for over a decade to convince individuals and businesses to improve their energy efficiency. “What I’m finding is upsetting everyone in the construction industry.”

His images – which indicate maximum, minimum and average temperatures – are very illuminating. They illustrate that at Euston Station, for example, the train and platform are the same temperature – which is almost double the temperature outdoors, proving that the London Underground system is a significant source of heat pollution.

Conversely, Ashmount Primary School was the most energy efficient structure photographed on Buckingham's tour, which "appears almost perfectly insulated". Another shot shows an electric Tesla car driving past Harrods with a temperature of just 46-53°F / 8-12°C, compared to the petrol vehicles that run as hot as 75° / 24°C.

We highly recommend checkout out the Bloomberg Green article, not just for the interesting photography but also for a fascinating insight into heat inefficiency in one of the world's favorite cities – not to mention a look at how iconic buildings like Harrods, the Victoria & Albert Museum and The Crystal each handle the issue.

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Fujifilm has announced the release of the GFX100 IR, a new variant of the popular medium format Fujifilm GFX 100 digital camera.  This will make the GFX100 the only medium format camera currently available in commercial distribution with IR shooting capabilities, and the model with the highest native resolution. 

The GFX100 IR will produce 100MP files with maximum dimensions of 11648 x 8736 pixels or up to 400MP when the new Pixel Shift Multi-Shot function is implemented. This is especially exciting for industrial-level users, who may choose the camera for forensic or scientific tasks. 

More: Fujifilm GFX 100 vs GFX 50S

The high resolution and IR capability will allow extreme and possibly hidden detail to be revealed in subjects such as artworks featuring complex layering of paints. Using the IR end of the spectrum can uncover details not visible with a full spectrum camera or the human eye. This will help in the identification of currently anonymous pieces, where brush strokes and even faded artist signatures may be uncovered, through analysis at a pixel-by-pixel level.  

In the field of forensic applications, the camera could be put to use revealing tiny discrepancies in handwriting or printing processes, helping to identify counterfeit  documents or capture important details in evidence. The latter could make the difference between solving a crime and failing to connect suspects to places and objects. 

Adding to the versatility of the GFX 100 IR, extra filters placed in front of the lens will allow images to be capture within specific wavelengths, for target 'looks' or to examine specific materials. Furthermore, by using an IR cut, filter full color images can be achieved. Tethered shooting is also possible when the camera is connected to  Capture One or a similar software suite. 

 If you're hoping to add this camera to your Christmas list you may be in for a disappointment however. The GFX100 IR is designed specifically for the aforementioned industrial applications and will be not be general circulation. You will be unable to purchase the camera for personal use since the transaction can only be completed with a signed GFX100 IR User Agreement, which specifies the terms of use.  If you are an art analyst or forensic scientist though, you can pick one up from the first quarter of 2021. 

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Watch video: Take infrared photos on a tight budget with your camera

The human eye has the ability to see an extraordinary amount of color and detail, but the world that we see everyday is only a small part of the wavelength spectrum. Just outside of the visible light range is ultraviolet at one end, and infrared at the other side. 

We can’t see infrared light, but we can show you how to take a picture with it! You will need a DSLR or mirrorless camera, and an infrared filter that screws into the front filter thread of your lens. 

• Read more: Best infrared filters

This will ensure that only infrared light is coming through the lens and hitting your camera’s sensor, with all other lightwaves blocked out. Just make sure you get one that fits the filter thread of your lens! This is commonly stated on the barrel of the lens or inside the lens cap.

Most modern digital cameras have a filter on top of the image sensor to cut out all but a trickle of infrared light. This means that you will need to use a very long exposure, generally around three to six minutes, to get a usable photograph that is bright enough – and this opens up a world of possibilities to experiment with extremely long exposures! 

01 Buy an infrared filter

Infrared camera conversions are costly, but you can buy an infrared filter much more affordably. Our guide to the best infrared filters highlights the best of the bunch – not all filters are made equal, with some models letting in more or less infrared light. 

Look out for the Nanometer value (nm), as a filter with a value of 720nm will let in infrared types A, B and C, while a filter with a value of 1600nm will block out type A, only permitting types B and C in to hit the camera sensor and producing different results. The 950nm version we're using delivers quite a strong infrared effect, enabling longer shutter speeds that are ideal for this technique.

02 Compose your shot

Your camera is going to need a very long exposure to receive enough infrared light for a well-exposed image, so setting it up on a tripod is a must. Frame up to achieve the composition you want and focus on your focal point.

03 Attach the infrared filter

Put your camera into its manual focus mode to lock the focus in place, then carefully screw in the infrared filter, being careful not to knock the zoom or focus rings on the lens. When in place, the viewfinder will be totally black.

04 Block the eyepiece

If you’re shooting on a DSLR, you’ll want to stop light coming in through the viewfinder in your long exposure to stop flare. Some camera straps (such as those from Canon) often home the plastic or rubber eyepiece cover, so take off the eyepiece and slide it in place. If you're shooting on a mirrorless camera you won't have this problem, as the viewfinder will be electronic if it has one.

05 Set up to shoot an ultra long exposure

We need a long exposure to record enough infrared light for our shot. First, make sure you’re set to shoot in raw. Then set your Canon camera to Bulb (B) mode and dial in an ISO of 1600 to make the sensor more sensitive to light. You’ll also want to open the aperture – we used an aperture of f/4. 

Plug in your shutter release cable and set a timer on your phone for five minutes. Start the timer, lock the shutter release button in place until your timer finishes, then end the exposure. If your image is too dark, increase the time; if it’s too bright, decrease the time. Our final exposure was 5 mins, at f/4 and ISO1600.

06 Edit your Raw file and turn it mono

When you open up your shot into Adobe Camera Raw, the first thing you’ll see is a bright magenta image – this is infrared light! So the first thing to do is desaturate your picture by setting the Saturation to -100, or by setting the Treatment in the Basic tab to Black & White. Now, boost Contrast to +25 and Clarity to +50 to make it nice and punchy, then adjust the Exposure until the overall brightness looks good.

You can, of course, tweak the other sliders, such as Highlights, Shadows, Whites and Black to fine-tune the contrast further. You can use the above values as a good starting point, and then further refine them for your own image. 

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