Thermal Cameras

It detects the infrared heat that people, vehicles and objects give off and turns the differences into a picture, so it needs no light. That makes it strong for detection at night and in glare, though a heat image does not show faces or number plates; bi-spectrum models such as the Hikvision DS-2TD2628T-7/QA add a 4MP visible sensor for that.

An infrared night-vision camera lights the scene with IR LEDs and records the reflected light, while a thermal camera reads the heat the scene gives off. Thermal detection does not rely on an illuminator or on daylight, which is why models such as the Axis Q1971-E are specified for perimeter protection regardless of weather and lighting conditions.

A thermal camera calibrated to read temperature across the image, so it can raise an alarm when something gets too hot. Teledyne FLIR models such as the FC617R30 and FC625R30 add radiometry with hot spot and fire detection, the Hikvision DS-2TD2628T-3/QA measures from -20°C to 550°C, and the Hanwha TNO-C3010TRA is a radiometric AI thermal camera.

A camera with a thermal sensor and a visible sensor in one housing, so the thermal channel detects and the visible channel shows what was detected. Examples include the Hikvision DS-2TD1228-7/QA, which pairs a 256×192 thermal sensor with a 4 MP optical sensor, the Dahua DHI-TPC-BF5441-B35Z3-BM-S2 with a VOx thermal detector and a 4 Megapixel CMOS sensor, and the Hanwha TNM-C2722TDR for early fire detection.

Detection distance is set by the sensor resolution and the lens: a narrow lens on a 640-pixel sensor reaches much further than a wide lens on a 160×120 one. Check the detection distance on the product, and compare lens options such as the Hanwha TNO-C3020TRA at 6.6mm and TNO-C3080T at 60mm, or the Hikvision DS-2TD2367-75/PY and DS-2TD2367-100/PY at 75mm and 100mm.

Yes, models with fire or hot-spot detection raise an alarm on abnormal heat. The Hanwha TNM-C2722TDR is a bi-spectrum early fire detection camera, Teledyne FLIR FH-Series PTZ cameras such as the FH669R30PTU give rapid visual verification of smoke and hot spots, and Hikvision cameras such as the DS-2TD2138-25/QY raise temperature-exception alarms for fire prevention.

Yes. The Axis 02535-001 and 02963-001 are explosion-protected thermal cameras, the 02535-001 certified for Zone and Division 2 hazardous locations with temperature monitoring. The Hikvision DS-2TD2568T-5/G0/T1Y and DS-2TD2568T-15/G0/T1Y are explosion-proof bi-spectrum bullets in a 304 stainless steel housing for oil, chemical and mining sites.

Yes. Teledyne FLIR Elara DX models such as the 427-0300-50-00 have full PTZ with a 640x480 thermal sensor and a 4K visual camera, the Axis 03050-001 is a bispectral PTZ with a thermal zoom lens and a 32x visible zoom, and Hikvision HM-TD95C8 positioning systems pair a 1280x1024 thermal module with a 4MP optical camera.

Yes, as well as bullets. The Hikvision DS-2TD1217-2/QA and DS-2TD1228-7/QA are bi-spectrum turrets, the Dahua DHI-TPC-DF1241-B7F8-DW-S2 is a WizSense thermal dome, and the Hikvision HM-TD3028T-2/Q(B) is a thermographic cube camera with point, line and area temperature measurement. Bullets with long lenses, such as the Hikvision DS-2TD2367-100/PY, suit long perimeters.