The resolution in thermal cameras and their components have evolved to make the cameras themselves affordable and widely used tools for many different applications and sectors, from the traditional industrial maintenance sector, to the more innovative field of medicine and veterinary medicine, through equally important sectors such as building, renewable energy or early fire detection.
Many different models are currently available on the market. When choosing a new model, one of the main features to take into account is the resolution in thermal imaging cameras, since the image quality and measurement accuracy of the device depends on it.
As in the field of photography, an image composed of a larger number of pixels means that the camera produces images with a higher quality resolution. But having a higher resolution in thermal cameras will not only help us to obtain a higher image quality; we will also obtain other advantages over other cameras with a lower resolution. The 5 main ones are listed below:
Increased measurement accuracy
Having a camera with a higher resolution will allow us to be more accurate in our shots. If we take as an example a thermal imaging camera with a resolution of 640×480 pixels, it has 307,200 temperature measurement points in a single image. This means that the difference with a camera with a resolution of 320×240 pixels and 76,800 temperature measurement points is 4 times greater. Therefore, the higher the resolution, the higher the accuracy of the measurements.
2. Capture larger objects
Using higher resolution in thermal cameras will allow us to capture larger objects in a single shot. For this reason, if we look at an object from the same distance with a lower resolution, we will need more images to cover the same area with the same level of detail.
3. More detailed information
When working with high resolution thermal imaging cameras we will always obtain sharper images and therefore more detailed information in a single shot. This also allows us to see smaller "hot spots" more accurately and to detect where exactly further intervention may be necessary.
4. Longer distance measurements
When we talk about resolution in thermal cameras, if we have a device with a high resolution we will be able to take measurements at a greater distance than with a camera with a lower resolution. Keep in mind that the farther away the operator is from the measured object, the smaller it will appear and the more difficult it will be to measure its temperature accurately. For this reason, if we have a camera with a high resolution we will be able to measure accurately at a greater distance.
5. Time optimization
If we have a thermographic camera with a higher resolution we will be more efficient in the field. Thanks to this, when it comes to approaching a job, it will allow us to do it faster and take a smaller amount of images. On the other hand, we will also save time in the field and it will allow us to optimize our subsequent work in the analysis and documentation phase, since we will have fewer images to analyze and more information with which to contrast the data.
Having seen the main advantages of high resolution thermal imaging cameras, we recommend that before purchasing a new device you should always contact a company specialized in the field of thermography.. This company, apart from helping you to decide which camera best suits your needs, will also advise you on any additional training you may require and will be at your side whenever you have a technical need or require an improvement in your thermal camera.