When and How Much – Australian Release
FLIR is a big player in the thermal camera imaging industry, tapping into every level consumer products all the way up to military grade cameras. The FLIR One Pro and the FLIR One are designed to be used by for industry trade professionals (plumbers, electricians), home DIYers and general use consumers.
FLIR ONE Pro (Android USB-C and iOS) is already available at $605RRP - The USB-C model is available from the drop-down
FLIR ONE Pro (Android MicroUSB) Expected February at $605RRP
FLIR ONE (iOS & Android USB-C & Android MicroUSB) Expected late 2018 at $330RRP - Other models available from the drop-down
Quick Overview FLIR One Pro vs FLIR One
There are only a couple of significant differences between the FLIR ONE and the FLIR ONE Pro, the first being the thermal resolution on the pro version is double the standard version at 160x120 vs 80x60. This larger resolution will allow for higher clarity thermal images. The Pro model also has a slightly better thermal sensor (specifically regarding pixel size) and the dynamic thermal range (-20°C - 400°C) the non-pro version has a thermal range of (-20°- 120°). The Pro model also comes with VividIR image processing which improves visual detail, measure smaller components form further away and work more safely around energised equipment.
Those are the main factors regarding thermal performance I’ll list the other changes below:
- FLIR ONE Pro (safe to drop from 1.8m)
- FLIR ONE (safe to drop from 1.5m)
- HFOV (Horizontal Field of View) /VFOV (Vertical Field Of View)
- FLIR ONE Pro (55° ± 1° / 43° ± 1°)
- FLIR ONE (50° ± 1° / 38° ± 1°)
The other main difference between the models is the price. The Pro model is $605RRP, and the FLIR ONE model is $330RRP which is quite a significant price difference though based on the cameras’ resolutions it’s not that surprising. If you’ve ever looked into Thermal camera costs resolution is always a major price influencer this is primarily due to the high manufacturing costs (mainly the lenses and sensors) and market scarcity. Though to be fair these thermal cameras are cheap as chips compared to what was available even 10-15 years ago.
Below I’ve included two images, one taken on the FLIR ONE and the other on the FLIR ONE Pro to show you the differences. Keep in mind though both FLIR models work with the colour camera to take edge detail to help make the picture more identifiable despite the low resolution.
FLIR ONE Pro vs FLIR ONE
FLIR ONE Pro vs FLIR ONE
The Good and The Bad
| Good | Bad | ||
| Temperature Range | Excellent temperature range on both the Pro and Standard versions | Battery | The battery doesn't last very long - it needs to be improved or produce spare batteries |
| Design | One fit compatibility allows you to control the connection length to adjust for phones with or without cases | App | The FLIR app can occasionally be a little buggy or slow |
| Image | The images on the Standard and Pro aren't bad, FLIR has done a great job with the colour camera to make easier to understand what you're looking at in the photo. The Pro takes that one step further though with the vividIR | ||
| Rugged and Portable | The FLIR one units are built to be tough and are super portable |
| Model Number | FLIR ONE | FLIR ONE Pro |
| General | ||
| Certifications | MFi (iOS version), RoHS, CE/FCC, CEC-BC, EN61233 | MFi (iOS version), RoHS, CE/FCC, CEC-BC, EN61233 |
| Operating temperature | 0 °C – 35 °C (32°F – 95°F) , battery charging 0 °C – 30 °C (32°F – 86°F) | 0 °C – 35 °C (32°F – 95°F) , battery charging 0 °C – 30 °C (32°F – 86°F) |
| Non-operating temperature | -20 °C – 60 °C (-4°F – 140°F) | -20 °C – 60 °C (-4°F – 140°F) |
| Size | 67mm W x34mm H x14mm D (2.6in x 1.3in x .6in) | 68mm W x34mm H x14mm D (2.7in x 1.3in x .6in) |
| Weight | 34.5g | 36.5g |
| Mechanical shock | Drop from 1.5m | Drop from 1.8m |
| Video | ||
| Thermal and visual cameras with MSX | ||
| Thermal sensor | Pixel size 17μm, 8 – 14μm spectral range | Pixel size 12μm, 8 – 14μm spectral range |
| Thermal resolution | 80x60 | 160x120 |
| Visual resolution | 1440x1080 | 1440x1080 |
| HFOV / VFOV | 50° ± 1° / 38° ± 1° | 55° ± 1° / 43° ± 1° |
| Show less... | ||
| Frame rate | 8.7Hz | 8.7Hz |
| Focus | Fixed 15cm – Infinity | Fixed 15cm – Infinity |
| Radiometry | ||
| Scene dynamic range | -20 °C – 120 °C | -20°C – 400°C, -4°F - 752°F |
| Accuracy | ±3°C or ±5%, typical | ±3°C or ±5%, typical |
| Percent of the difference between ambient and scene temperature. Applicable 60s after start-up when the unit is within 15 °C – 35 °C and the scene is within 5 °C – 120 °C. | Percent of the difference between ambient and scene temperature. Applicable 60s after start-up when the unit is within 15 °C – 35 °C and the scene is within 5 °C – 120 °C. | |
| Thermal sensitivity (MRDT) | 150mK | 150mK |
| Emissivity settings | Matte: 95%, Semi-Matte: 80%, Semi-Glossy: 60%, Glossy: 30% | Matte: 95%, Semi-Matte: 80%, Semi-Glossy: 60%, Glossy: 30% |
| Reflected background temperature is 22°C | Reflected background temperature is 22°C | |
| Shutter | Automatic/Manual | Automatic/Manual |
| Power | ||
| Battery life | Approximately 1h | Approximately 1h |
| Battery charge time | 40min | 40min |
| Interfaces | ||
| Video | Male Lightning (iOS), Male USB-C (Android) | Male Lightning (iOS), Male USB-C and micro USB (Android) |
| Charging | Female USB-C (5V/1A) | Female USB-C (5V/1A) |
| App | ||
| Video and still image display/capture | Saved as 1440x1080 | Saved as 1440x1080 |
| File formats | Still images – radiometric jpeg | Still images – radiometric jpeg |
| Video – MPEG-4 (file format MOV (iOS), MP4 (Android)) | Video – MPEG-4 (file format MOV (iOS), MP4 (Android)) | |
| Capture modes | Video, Still image, Timelapse | Video, Still image, Timelapse |
| Palettes | Gray (white hot), Hottest, Coldest, Iron, Rainbow, Contrast, Arctic, Lava and Wheel. | Gray (white hot), Hottest, Coldest, Iron, Rainbow, Contrast, Arctic, Lava and Wheel. |
| Spot meter | Off / °C / °F. Resolution 0.1°C / 0.1°F | Off / °C / °F. Resolution 0.1°C / 0.1°F |
| Adjustable MSX distance | 0.3m – Infinity | 0.3m – Infinity |
| Battery charge monitor | 0 – 100% | 0 – 100% |
FLIR Use Case
The FLIR ONE series is designed for DIYer’s, Plumbers, electricians pretty much anyone interested in homes and what’s going on behind the walls. FLIR ONE cameras are typically used in detecting leaks or clogs in pipes behind the walls or detecting insulation problems in the roof, leaky roofs, overheating electric outlets this list goes one. FLIR has a dedicated page for different use cases for their cameras.
http://www.flir.com/flirone/support/tips/
I also sent this to a couple of my tradie friends to see what they thought of it the response was quite positive a lot of them eager to try and buy one for themselves. The biggest reason being that it can be used to search for hidden problems and even show clients a visual on what’s happening behind the walls and why it needs to be fixed.
How to set up and Basic Use
First off you will need to download the app to whichever phone device you’re using (Android or iOS). You should also let your FLIR unit charge (approx. 45minutes from 0% to 100%) as you can get some annoying and confusing errors on the app if the FLIR thinks it’s running out of power. Now just log in and make your account the first screen you see will be the home screen with the gallery, Tips and Tricks, Community, new and FLIR ONE apps.
(Your iOS needs to be 10.1 or higher, Android should be Lollipop or later)
Using the FLIR one is pretty easy just plug into your compatible phone (it even has an adjustable extender connection in case your phone as a camera). Open up the FLIR app and navigate to the camera app from there you will be able to see everything in thermal. Be aware that the viewfinder is purposefully slow as there is a 9fps limit.
The App also gives you access to the Tips and Tricks section which has a lot of different tutorial videos. There’s also the community tab which is just a feed of photos uploaded by FLIR uses from various social media accounts that use a #FLIR. There’s also the news section which gives you updates on all FLIR’s social media channels and their latest products.
Finally, and arguably the most useful app feature apart from the camera itself is the FLIR ONE Apps (made by third-party developers).
Summary
The FLIR ONE Pro is a powerful thermal camera great for helping with many thermal issues around the house. The price is quite high but depending on what you need to use it for it’s very affordable compared to some of the more professional options on the market. I can see it being convenient for tradies and regular DIYer’s, but it is quite an expensive piece of tech for only occasional use. Unless you’re an industry professional, I would recommend the Standard version of FLIR ONE as opposed to the pro unit as you won’t typically need the extra thermal range and the standard versions resolution.
FLIR ONE Pro (Android USB-C and iOS) is already available at $605RRP - Other model available from the drop-down
FLIR ONE Pro (Android MicroUSB) Expected February at $605RRP
FLIR ONE (iOS & Android USB-C & Android MicroUSB) Expected early February at $330RRP - Other models available from the drop-down
Compatibility Guide for FLIR ONE and FLIR ONE PRO| FLIR ONE Pro USB-C | FLIR ONE Pro MicroUSB | FLIR ONE Pro (iOS) |
| Google Pixel 2 | Samsung Galaxy S7 | iPhone SE |
| Google Pixel | Oppo R9s | iPhone 7/iPhone 7 Plus |
| Google Pixel XL | iPhone 6/ iPhone 6 Plus | |
| Google Nexus 6P | iPad/ iPad Mini | |
| Samsung Galaxy S8/S8 Plus | ||
| Samsung Galaxy A5 | ||
| Samsung Note 8 | ||
| Sony Xperia XZ | ||
| HTC U11 | ||
| Huawei Mate10 Pro | ||
| Huawei P10 | ||
| Huawei Mate 9 |