Filip Brož As a little boy I loved action movies with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Among the most popular ones was Predator from 1987. I remember how Dutch managed to trick an alien invader who could be invisible, incredibly fast and at the same time had the perfect weapon. The predator had an imaginary thermal camera in its eyes and could easily see objects using infrared radiation. However, Arnold covered his body with mud and thanks to this he reached the temperature of the surroundings. The predator was amused.
At that time, I certainly did not think that I would ever be able to try the thermal camera myself on a mobile phone. Based on thirty-five years of development, William Parrish and Tim Fitzgibbons managed to establish the Seek brand in California and create a high-performance thermal imager of extremely small dimensions that is compatible not only with iPhone, but also with Android phones. We received the Seek Thermal Compact Pro thermal camera.
Isn't the heat escaping from the barracks? Where is the phase in the socket? What temperature is the water? Are there any animals in the forest around me? These are, for example, situations where a thermal camera can come in handy. Although professional cameras cost hundreds of thousands of crowns, the Seek Thermal miniature camera has a miniature price compared to them.
You connect the thermal imager to the iPhone using the Lightning connector, download it from the App Store the Seek Thermal application, register and get started. The camera has its own lens, so the iPhone's built-in camera is not needed at all. On the contrary, you need to allow access to the gallery and microphone. The Seek camera can also take photos and record video.
A bit of theory
Seek Thermal Compact Pro works on the principle of infrared radiation. Every object, whether animate or inanimate, emits a certain amount of heat. The camera can detect this radiation and displays the resulting values in an ordinary color scale, i.e. from cool blue tones to deep reds. Sensors that convert infrared radiation into electrical impulses are called bolometers - the more bolometers the radiation has, the more accurate the measurement.
However, Seek's camera uses microbolometers, i.e. small chips that respond to infrared waves. Although their density is not as great as that of professional devices, it is still more than enough for ordinary measurements. So as soon as you turn on the application, a complete heat map of the environment you are currently scanning will appear on your display.
There are dozens of possible uses. Similar devices are commonly used, for example, by builders, who determine whether heat is escaping from the house, and then propose suitable insulation. Thermal imaging is also a great helper for police officers who search for lost persons in the field, for wildlife observation or hunting. Coincidentally, while testing the camera, I got sick and had an elevated temperature, first measuring myself with a classic mercury thermometer, and then, out of curiosity, with the camera. I was very surprised by the result, as the difference was only one degree Celsius.
The Seek Thermal Compat Pro thermal camera contains a thermal sensor with 320 x 240 points and can shoot at an angle of 32 degrees. Huge has a thermal range: from -40 degrees Celsius to +330 degrees Celsius. It can then record the measured object up to 550 meters away, so it can cope without any problems even in a dense forest. Both day and night shooting are a matter of course. The Seek camera also has a manual focus ring, so you can easily focus on the heat spot.
A number of functions
For better measurements, you can also set different color palettes in the application (white, tyrian, spectrum, etc.), because you will find that a different color style is suitable for each measurement. You can also conveniently take photos or record heat maps, just swipe in the application, similar to the native camera. Professionals will appreciate the range of measurement tools. You can find out, for example, the exact temperature using one point in a specific place, or vice versa everything in real scales. You can also view the hottest and coldest places or set your own default temperature. The live view is also interesting, when the display is split in half and you have a heat map on one half and a real image on the other.
The application also offers practical instructions and inspiring videos where you can learn more ways to use thermal imaging effectively. The package also includes a practical waterproof case made of hard plastic, in which you can easily carry the camera or attach it to your trousers using a ring. During testing, I was very surprised that thermal imaging connected via Lightning consumes only a minimum of battery.
I perceive the thermal camera from Seek as a professional device, which corresponds to the price. In our test, we tried the most charged one the Pro variant for more than 16 thousand crowns. On the other hand, at such a price level, you practically have no chance to purchase thermal imaging, and certainly not for a mobile device, where the benefits can be even greater. I was interested in the fact that the camera can also search for electrical wiring, which generates a thermal trace under the plaster.
The Seek Thermal Compact Pro does not belong to the field of entertainment gadgets, and it is not too much for home gaming, or rather it is too expensive for that. In addition to the tested Pro variant, however, you can for half the price (8 crowns) to buy the basic Seek Thermal Compact camera, which has a smaller sensor with reduced thermal image resolution (32k pixels vs. 76k for the Pro) and lower thermal resolution (up to 300 meters vs. 550 meters for the Pro). The Compact XR variant will then offer, in addition to the basic model, an extended ability to distinguish heat at a distance of up to 600 meters, it costs 9 crowns.
Seek Thermal thus proves that progress is incredible, because not long ago, a similar miniature thermal vision for a few thousand crowns would have been unimaginable.
professionals use a single-purpose calibrated device with certification, so this set is a great, but unfortunately overpriced gadget
Heh, nice toy, but you can buy a cheaper "gadget" for a little more money to detect the phase, for example. https://www.gme.cz/zkousecka-12-690v-fazovka-tester-vodivosti-i32ma
On the other hand, if it was able to show the "conduction" of the current in a brick barrack, it could be considered for a different price. I borrowed this device from PRE, so it helped me more when I "scraped" the previous color...
There is a similar thermal imager on AppleStore.cz, Flir One for approx. 7.500,-
I would really like to borrow that for the weekend!! Just to try what can be done with it. Find something in the forest, etc. I would love it! Would it be possible to borrow Mr. Brož? Please? :D