Flir announced not one, not three, but five new thermal cameras at CES this year. The collection of new products includes two third-generation Flir One cameras for iOS and Android, the brand-new Duo and Duo R cameras for drones, and the rugged C3 designed for home and building inspections. All five are built around Flir’s Lepton thermal micro camera and patented MSX technology for adding visible-light details into thermal images.
The Flir One goes pro
At $200, the third-generation Flir One continues the tradition of bringing easy-to-use, affordable thermal vision to the masses. It features a refined design and new OneFit adjustable-height connector, which allows the camera to be plugged into the Lightning or USB port of a phone even when a large, ruggedized case is used. The resolution of the thermal sensor is just 80 x 60 pixels, while visible light resolution is 1440 x 1080.
New to the line is the Flir One Pro. While similar in appearance to the standard Flir One, the Pro provides four times the thermal resolution (160 x 120) and includes a host of options for professional use, like multiple spot temperature meters and in-depth data analysis through the Flir Tools app. The Flir One Pro will be available later this year for $400.
The Flir Duo takes thermal viewing to the skies
The Duo and Duo R are the company’s first Lepton-based, multi-sensor cameras for aerial use. Designed to mimic the size and weight of an action camera, the Duo and Duo R can be mounted to any drone that supports such cameras, including the DJI Phantom and Inspire series. In addition to 160 x 120 resolution thermal imaging, the cameras record visible-light video at 1080p. Operators can switch between thermal and visible light, or display both simultaneously with picture-in-picture.
While the Duo starts at $1,000, the Duo R jumps up to $1,300 and expands upon the base model by offering accurate temperature measurement. It is designed for commercial use in agriculture, engineering, building inspection, and public safety. Both cameras are available now.
The Flir C3 is built for home professionals
Finally, Flir’s new C3 thermal imager is a portable, rugged solution for home inspectors, real estate professionals, and contractors. The $700 unit is designed to help diagnose electrical issues, find heat leaks, and detect problems from moisture. It uses the same 80 x 60 thermal resolution as the entry-level Flir One and features a three-inch touchscreen for easy operation. Images can be transferred over Wi-Fi to an Android or iOS device. Like the Duo, the C3 includes picture-in-picture ability for improved image comparison in the field, although its visible light camera is limited to 640 x 480 resolution.
The C3 is on display now at CES and will be available in the first quarter of 2017.
Updated January 5, 2017 to include resolution information.
