Seeking a thermal imaging camera for strictly aesthetic purposes, any rec's? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Shadowsfromnowhere
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 12, 2025, 11:15:04 am
content: I'm looking for a thermal camera to use in a filmmaking context, fundamentally to achieve "an interesting look".I'd like something with a core of 320x240 and up. I'm open to both BST cores and VOx/ASi microbolometers.I see used firefighting BST-based ISG Talismans around for ~100Euros, and some VOx microbolometer-based ISG Elite XR HR cameras for about double that. I would use these with a small DVR. Between these two models, is the latter far more capable than the former of providing an interesting photographic image, in your opinion?Are there other models I should be looking at in the under-250 Euro category? Frequency should be at least 18hz or so.Thanks for any advice!

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2025, 11:17:11 am
content: You can rent these cameras.

author: Shadowsfromnowhere
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 12, 2025, 12:08:21 pm
content: I want to be able to use it on a whim without setting up a rental.

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2025, 12:56:34 pm
content: Quote from: Shadowsfromnowhere on May 12, 2025, 12:08:21 pmCheap cameras are typically made for still images.They also calibrate themselves, meaning that every few seconds a shutter will close, and it will measure the shutter temperature, ambient. The shown image is frozen in the meantime.250 EUR is not a lot of money for this. All you can get is a 192*256 camera that will make still images.Those 100 EUR ISG Talismans are not cameras, they are replacement batteries for the cameras.

author: Bill W
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2025, 01:27:26 pm
content: Quote from: tszaboo on May 12, 2025, 12:56:34 pmI'd have to disagree on a few points. Very few thermal cameras are 'still cameras' although most have 'grab image' as a function.BST's do not calibrate. It is not required because of the chopper wheel.A decent ex-fire ASi/VOx will only be calibrating at 60 second intervals or more, and loses well under 1s of video.

author: Shadowsfromnowhere
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 12, 2025, 02:52:19 pm
content: Quote from: Bill W on May 12, 2025, 01:27:26 pmI definitely forgot about the calibration freeze frame thing. Good to know that the calibration freeze on the firefighting microbolometer imagers is less intrusive than that of most of the mobile phone attachment-style imagers. Avoiding that issue altogether is a big plus for the BSTs.Would it be correct to say that BST imagers are globally-shuttered, whereas VOx/ASi microbolometers are rolling-shuttered?In an ideal world I would have a thermal imager with a swappable, helical focusing lens. BSTs require a vacuum between lens and sensor, preventing this, correct? Is anyone using wide or tele attachment lenses with BST imagers? Perhaps even ones made from sulphur-polymer?

author: Bill W
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2025, 06:41:23 pm
content: Quote from: Shadowsfromnowhere on May 12, 2025, 02:52:19 pmIn a way, the BST is 'shuttered' at frame rate. You get one 'clear' and one 'averaged' field 30 times a second, and then do the sums. It is not quite that simple as the chopper wheel is usually translucent, rather than opaque.There is no vacuum requirement between BST sensor faceplate and the lens. See the teardowns / tearup on my website for the internals of a typical BST camera:https://www.fire-tics.co.uk/project3/index.htmI have a few 'general' scene videos that are mostly from the BST based cameras I have sold via eBay still up:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIYJyOc2KEuIbpjTiFVPBVwThe downside of 'fire' BST is that most will be with 50° wide angle lenses, and a narrow lens for a sensor the size of the BST sensor (320x240@50µm) is not a trivial beast.Bill

author: Shadowsfromnowhere
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 13, 2025, 10:18:03 am
content: Thanks, Bill, your website is a great resource.