Thermal cameras and the sun - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: sam1275
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2017, 07:40:46 pm
content: Hello.So out of curious, I want (and wanted) to know if thermal camera will be damaged by sun, and I read this:https://www.ifsecglobal.com/are-thermal-cameras-damaged-by-solar-radiation/It says VoX is immune to solar damage, while BST and A-Si are not, is it true?Thanks.

author: Bill W
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2017, 06:05:01 pm
content: Hi Sam,That may be true of older ASi, but the current ULIS products are no worse than a VOx.Can't recall a problem with BST which, as it is a ceramic block not a silicon / vanadium wafer, should be a lot better anyway.All show temporary effects, and a lot of cameras will close the iris / calibration flag when turned off just in case.regardsBill

author: sam1275
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2017, 08:32:32 pm
content: Thank you Bill!Block the IR when not working is a good idea that I even thought before, but none of my camera does thatSam

author: mahony
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2017, 01:12:08 pm
content: I already 'tested' my TE-Q1+ against the sun - accidentely actually - and it seems to handle it without any issues. Altough I have to say the sun was already quite low and not the clearest day - not sure how it would handle a clear summers day noon sun? Anyone got definate info about the TE detector? I quess it is A-Si but found no confirmation up to now.

author: sam1275
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 12, 2017, 07:13:21 pm
content: Quote from: mahony on March 10, 2017, 01:12:08 pmhttp://www.systemplus.fr/reverse-costing-reports/thermal-expert-infrared-camera-for-smartphones/Seems it's aVoXtitanium oxide sensor.Thermal-app is a A-Si:http://www.systemplus.fr/reverse-costing-reports/opgal-therm-app-infrared-camera-ulis-ir-microbolometer/

author: Bill W
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 12, 2017, 07:54:58 pm
content: Quote from: sam1275 on March 12, 2017, 07:13:21 pmReport suggests i3 are producing a Ti-Ox to avoid the Honeywell patents/licenses now concentrated in the few US players.Bill

author: mahony
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2017, 08:50:23 am
content: Interesting! Didn't find that one recently - thanks for the info.The TE manual says avoid exposure to sun and other high intensity targets (very hot sources, lasers, ...) - so it seems like they are not in general considered 'sun safe'.

author: sam1275
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2017, 10:21:38 am
content: Quote from: Bill W on March 12, 2017, 07:54:58 pmThank you Bill, I've never heard that sensor material before. How's TI-OX different from VoX? Compare by performance or other specs?

author: Bill W
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2017, 01:44:14 pm
content: Quote from: sam1275 on March 13, 2017, 10:21:38 amSome more information:http://www.google.com/patents/US7442933The spec on the i3 detector and system look comparable with current VOx / A-Si (in NEtD etc) but we do not know how easy or difficult it is to drive in a camera.Part of me thinks that if Ti-Ox was that good, it would have come out in the 1990's with the US rifle-sight programmes that gave us VOx and the US A-Si cores. If nothing else it sounds more process-friendly than VOxregardsBill

author: sam1275
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2017, 02:42:43 pm
content: Thank you very much Bill!

author: mahony
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2017, 07:54:35 pm
content: Thanks Bill for the Infos!Regarding performance i3 states 50mK using the F/1.0 lens - what I have seen so far it seems to be (at least on my camera - doing some statistics on evenly illuminated NUCed frames) more like 60-80mK but still quite good for the price they ask.

author: joe-c
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2017, 08:19:08 pm
content: Interesting information here. thanks.btw... i asked the TE Support a while ago about the "sun Safe". they told me a few seconds are not a problem.but a longer exposure will damage the detector.

author: Bill W
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2017, 11:09:31 pm
content: Quote from: mahony on March 13, 2017, 07:54:35 pmNo-one ever said that the detector is being run in the manner that gives you the NETD of 50mK. That mode might well be incompatible with producing a working camera.No one ever said that the externally presented image or image data has the same noise as the sensor.Bill