Thermal Myth No.4 ~ 'OEM products are just as good as leading brand products and less expensive'

Only a limited number of manufacturers have the know-how and facilities to produce the high quality cores which make thermal imaging possible. OEM manufacturers are dependent on this limited supply of bought-in cores, and often don’t have access to the latest technology. So, for example, a major networking specialist now offers a networked thermal imaging camera – a nice idea and marketed at a good price point – but it uses a core that has half the resolution of the FLIR cores (320 x 240 pixels). The result is a lower resolution picture that is harder to work with and may be less effective when it comes to detecting, recognising and identifying potential threats. For the buyer, it’s always a good idea to check the specification of the camera to make sure it provides the highest resolution images.

Another factor to consider is what do you want to do with the captured images? With FLIR users benefit from the Digital Detail Enhancement function in the GUI: this is a very effective algorithm that helps overcome low contrast and preserve details in high dynamic range imagery. 

If you are tempted by cheaper, OEM products, the best advice is to get a look at some end results before you buy. When you see it, the difference is clear. The best, specialist technology will pull out detail from the scene and overcome difficulty with contrast that leaves OEM units struggling.