1.

Camera Set up and Quick start guide

What will you learn
• Unpack and setup your equipment
• Location of buttons and basic functions
• Changing lenses
• 3 critical adjustments for success

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A. Uncooled cameras

Starting the camera

• Install fully charged battery
• Attach an optional 12º or 45º lens, if wanted (see page 3)
• Insert the PC-card (see page 7)
• Put on the head set, if wanted (see page 3)

Release
button to
open
b

On/Off

PC card
Battery eject

You are now ready to start the camera. Hold the camera in the right palm and
adjust the hand strap around the hand until a comfortable position is obtained.
Ensure that the buttons are readily operable with your fingers.

Press the green On/Off button to start the camera. After approx. 15 seconds an
image with an FLIR logo will appear and will be displayed until the camera
controls are ready for use.

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 Adjust the viewfinder focus to obtain the best display focus for your eyes. Wait
until you see an image, point the camera at a warm object to be viewed, like a
face or a hand.

Press the A button to activate the auto adjust

function resulting in a good image in the viewfinder.
(See button description sketch below.)

Adjust the focus of the camera by pushing the

joystick up to focus further away or down to focus
on a closer distance until the sharpest image is
reached.

Button locations and functions

↵ A S

Joystick
On/Off

Press the A (Auto) button to automatically get the “best image” in

A the viewfinder. When this button is pressed an automatic NUC
(Non uniformity Corr) is also performed.

Press the S (Store) button briefly to toggle between frozen image

S and live images. To store the image to the PC-card hold the S
button down for more than 1 sec.

The ↵ (Enter) button brings up the menu system of the camera in

↵ the viewfinder. Make the selection in the menu by using the
joystick control. You accept the menu choice and quit the menu
mode by pressing the ↵ button. The ↵ button also means
accept or OK.

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 The C (Clear) button is used when you need to skip a menu
C
selection without making any changes and leave the menu mode.
The C button also means escape or NOT OK.

The green ON/OFF button is used to switch the power to the

I
camera on and off. Press the button to switch the camera on. Hold
down the button for more than 2 sec. to switch the camera off.

The joystick (button) has various functions. At start up of the

camera the joystick is in the default mode controlling focus
(up/down) and zoom (left/right). In the menu mode you use the
joystick to select the appropriate function and to increase or
decrease various parameter settings.

Headset
Video 12 V

Adding and Changing Lenses

The camera is equipped with a built-in 24° lens but an optional 7º, 12º, 45º or
80º lens can also be used. The 7º lens gives maximum magnification
(telescope effect). The 80º lens gives maximum field of view (wide angle
effect).

To add the lens push the lens carefully into the bayonet on the camera, aligning
the white dots on the camera bayonet and the lens. Turn the lens clockwise 45°
to secure. To release the lens turn it 45° anticlockwise and remove the lens.

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 The camera recognizes the lens type and applies the correct calibration
automatically.

64/150close up 80° 12° 45° 24°

Focus range: 115-150mm 0.1m 2m 0.3m 0.5m

Hor FOV: 64mm 0.16m 0.42m 0.22m 0.22m

7°

Focus range: 7m
Hor FOV: 0.4m

The following table shows the horizontal image size (FOV) at various distances
between camera and object for the available standard lenses. The geometrical
resolution of the camera is indicated by the IFOV value.

Note that the 24° lens is always built into the camera.

Object
distance 0.3 0.5 2.0 3.0 5.0 10.0 30.0 100.0 (m)
7°°
Hor FOV - - - - 0.5 1.2 3.6 12.2 (m)
IFOV - - - - 1.7 3.6 11.3 38.0 (mm)
12°°
Hor FOV - - 0.4* 0.6 1.1 2.1 6.3 21.0 (m)
IFOV - - 1.3 2.0 3.5 6.6 20.0 66.0 (mm)
24°°
Hor FOV - 0.2* 0.8 1.3 2.1 4.2 12.0 42.0 (m)
IFOV - 0.7 2.6 4.0 6.6 13.0 40.0 130.0 (mm)
45°°
Hor FOV 0.2* 0.4 1.7 2.5 4.2 8.3 25.0 83.0 (m)
IFOV 0.8 1.3 5.3 7.8 13.0 26.0 78.0 260.0 (mm)
80°°
Hor FOV 0.6 0.9 3.4 5.1 8.5 16.9 50.4 169.0 (m)
IFOV 1.8 2.9 10.8 16.0 26.5 52.3 158.0 524.0 (mm)
*At close focus

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Clear and accurate thermograms require good focusing!

In focus Out of focus

60 60

40 40

20 20

Accurate temperature measurement needs correct focusing. The applied

measurement function shows the highest temperature in the measurement
area. The maximum temperature in the correctly focused image is 64ºC
whereas incorrect focusing gives a maximum temperature of only 51ºC. The
temperature scale is the same in both cases.

Remember that you can focus only when you have a live image on the screen.
If a stored image is unfocused, you cannot correct it afterwards!

Batteries
The batteries used in the uncooled camera are of the Nickel-Metal hydride type.
One of their big advantages is that they in practice do not develop any
‘memory’. The practical side of that property is that they can be charged at any
occasion. You do not have to wait until they are completely discharged. This
type of battery, which has been selected for high quality, has proven to be very
reliable. On top of that, when the battery is discharged and needs being
changed – which will happen after about two hours of operation – it takes only
about 40 seconds to have the camera up and running again. And it takes only
one hour to recharge the discharged battery!

Tutorial: Showing how to operate a few functions

The man-machine interface of the uncooled cameras is partly menu-driven and
partly using the direct function buttons, described on page 2.
Below follows a short tutorial, on how to operate the camera for a few functions.

To measure a temperature
Press the ↵ button to make the menu system drop down.

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 Go to the spot function in the menu tree by pressing the joystick in the desired
direction. The spot is located in the Analysis menu.

Press the ↵ button when Spot is marked.

The spot marker will now appear in the image and the measured temperature
will be shown in the upper right corner of the display.

To position the spot, move it with the joystick. When the spot is correctly located
press ↵ to go back to the normal function of the joystick (i.e. controlling focus
and zoom).

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To save an image
Press the A button and focus the image.

Press the S button to freeze the image.

If the image is OK hold down the S button for 1 second or until the filename
(e.g. E123232) of the image appears.

These two examples show how simple it is to carry out two very frequently used
functions. For a complete overview of available functions, please see the
manual.

The menu-driven function selector makes it very easy to upgrade the

functionality by changing the software. And to take the best of both, the 500
system uses a combination of direct function buttons for the most frequent
functions plus easily handled menu-driven function selection.

Color palettes
There are a number of different color and greyscale palettes. Below you will find
examples of most palettes. Judge for yourself, which color/grey scale you find
most relevant for looking at this ‘model’ (a cat). Most users find the greyscale
best for looking at target geometry, that is, recognising what it is you are looking
at.

Continuous greyscale Continuous iron scale Continuous rainbow scale

Medical 10-color scale 10-color rainbow scale Inverted continuous greyscale.

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 To each color/greyscale palette some other colors belong. They are:
• Isotherm 1 and/or 2
• Temperature outside span, over or under (saturation)
• Temperature outside measurement range, over or under (overrange)

The stove is, as we can see from the temperature scale very hot, up to about
253ºC. However, the red part in the image shows that some temperatures are
even higher. This red color is called “over range”. In the image to the right the
camera has another measurement range. It can measure temperatures up to at
least 500ºC. Therefore the maximum temperature is 304ºC and no saturation. In
the first image we get a warning, which tells us that we have not set our camera
properly. If we do that we are able to measure the correct temperature.

200

100

Inserting the PCMCIA card

For thermographic surveys, you want to document your work. Thermograms
recorded during a survey are an important part of documentation and reporting.
The thermograms have been stored on a storage medium, called a PCMCIA
card. Depending on the size of that card – and that size is increasing all the
time – you can store thousands of images. Today, May 1999, the usual size is
540 Mbytes, which corresponds to some 3000 images. A PCMCIA card is in all
essentials a small-sized hard disk, which is inserted into the PCMCIA slot on
the backside of the camera.

Insert the PCMCIA card with its upper side

facing left, as shown in the photo on the left.
When pushing it into its slot, be careful not to
damage it should you, by mistake, have put it
in the wrong way.

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Measurement modes

• Auto adjust • Spot

• Area • Profile
• Isotherm • Delta

Not all measurement functions are available in all camera types. They work on
live as well as stored and recalled images.

The auto adjust function, which is activated by the A button, finds the hottest
and coldest points in the scene and adapts the temperature scale to it.
However, this works in a slightly modified way, as some of the hottest and
coldest points are rejected before adaptation.

The spot function reads the temperature of the one single pixel inside the cross
hair. It can be set to automatically find the hottest or coldest point inside a box,
or it can be set to be moved around the image by means of the joystick.

The area, which is a box or a circle, can display the maximum, minimum or
average temperature inside the area. The area is always centred in the middle
of the image, but its size can be changed by means of the joystick.

The profile places a horizontal or vertical line over the image and displays the
corresponding thermal profile at the bottom (horizontal) or to the left (vertical) in
the image. There is a cross hair on the line, which shows the temperature in
that point of the line. The joystick moves the cross hair along the line.

The isotherm is used to highlight in colors, which vary with the selected color or
b/w scale, all temperatures above, below or inside a selectable temperature
interval.

The delta mode will show a temperature difference between the spotmeter
temperature and a pre-selected temperature value.

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 Internal components
Although the uncooled ThermaCAM cameras do have uncooled detectors, the
electronics inside the camera generate heat, which is conducted to the
aluminium case. The camera will therefore feel warm. The picture below shows
the principal build-up of the camera. The ‘heart’ of the camera, i.e. detector,
lenses and filter and focusing mechanisms are surrounded by electronics.

Uncooled
detector

Lenses
(Germanium)

Shutter
actuator

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Menu tree
The menu system is built up around four main categories in the menu system.
These main categories are: File, Analysis, Image and Setup. Each category has
a submenu.

All submenus, which finish in dots (…) have submenus in their turn. In order just
to look at an example, let us select Manual adjust from the Image menu.

This is the ‘final’ submenu, and it is shown at the bottom of the image. This is
the text in the operating manual:

Level: Sets the midpoint of the temperature span displayed in the image

Span: Sets the span of the temperatures displayed in the image

Temp range: The standard camera supports two different temperature ranges.
If a high temperature option is installed, you will get an extra
range.

Remember, values are changed by pushing the joystick up or down. You go

from one submenu to the other by pushing the joystick left or right. A function is
started (‘executed’) by pressing the ↵ button. (At the top or bottom of a menu,
continuing to push the joystick will let you jump to the first selection.)

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 True temperature measurement
Most certainly you want a decent accuracy on your measurement results. There
is a category in the menu tree, called Object parameters, where you should set
some values, which are absolutely crucial for obtaining good, trustworthy, ‘true’,
temperatures.

Emissivity setting
Set the emissivity to the value that is valid for the object you are measuring.

Setting the Distance and Relative Humidity

The infrared radiation from the object, which we measure to calculate the
temperature of that object, is attenuated by the atmosphere through which it
travels. The influence on the measurement result of that attenuation is
automatically compensated for, provided you enter the distance from the
camera to the object and the relative humidity of the atmosphere.
Atmospheric moisture is the primary atmospheric attenuator for long wave IR
cameras.

Setting the Tamb, i.e. the background (ambient) temperature

The background temperature is the temperature you would measure if the
target were a perfect reflector (heat mirror), provided the emissivity is set = 1.0.
You cannot do this simply. There are methods to get a good estimate of
background temperature. They will be covered later in the training course. Put
that value into the Object Parameter list.

Now you are prepared for getting correct temperature measurement

values. Do!

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B. Cooled Cameras

1. Attach Battery
2. Power up camera
3. Point at target
4. Auto-Span

With the power switch in the off position, attach the battery or AC power supply
to the back of the camera. If you are using an external monitor or video
recording device, attach the video output of the camera to the video input of the
device. If you are using ThermaGRAM, or recording video with the intention of
analyzing the videotape with ThermaGRAM, you must connect the TGRAM
output of the camera to your ThermaGRAM board or video recorder. (If you
have an SC-1000, you have an additional option. You may connect the 12-bit
digital output to your ThermaGRAM card or to the ThermaCAM Researcher.)

When all connections are secure, turn the power on. The miniature closed
cycle stirling cooler will operate and cool the focal plane array down to a
temperature of 77 Kelvin (-321°F, -196°C ). This will take about 7 minutes.
Once the FPA is cooled, the cooler will throttle back and operate slower.

Look through the viewfinder and adjust the focus of the viewfinder using the
slider located on the bottom. You do not need to have an image; you may focus
on the text. Do this even if you have an additional external monitor.

Point the camera at your target of interest and push the Auto-Span button. This
will adjust the Level and Span (brightness and contrast). If you are not satisfied
with the appearance of the image you may try adjusting the Span and Center
Temperature by using the buttons on the top of the camera.

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 5. Focus
6. Measure target temp
7. Range verify correct
8. Save image

Get close to your target, if possible. If the target looks too small, use a
telescope (a lens with a smaller field of view). Try to make your target of interest
fill the field of view. If your target appears too small, this may result in
temperature measurement errors. Focus the image by rotating the lens, just like
a 35mm camera. Focus is essential for good temperature measurements; don’t
rush! If you capture an image that is not in focus, you will not be able to focus it
using post image processing.

Use the spot tool, which is accessed by pressing the mode button, and measure
the temperature of the hottest spot on the target that you want to measure.
Take advantage of the Freeze button. Freeze the image; and, with the use of
the soft set or arrow buttons, move the spot around the image to locate and
measure the hottest spot that you are interested in measuring. If the
temperature reads “OVER,” you must change to range 2 by using the range
button. Unfreeze the image and change to range 2 if needed. Repeat this
procedure, if necessary, until you can get a temperature reading.

Once the range is correctly set, save an image to your PCMCIA card. The
Freeze/Save switch must be set in the Save position. When you hit the button
once it will freeze the image and show the location where it is going to be
saved. Hitting the button a second time will save the image to the PCMCIA
card. The 12-bit TIF image will occupy 123 KB of space.

Viewfinder & Monitor

Normally the viewfinder will stay attached to the camera while it is in the case.
If you have an older system, the case may be smaller and the viewfinder is
removed from the camera when storing.

The viewfinder can slide back and forth and once set in the preferred position it
will lock in place. It will also tilt up and down. It is recommended to leave the
viewfinder in the down position so that the view you see corresponds to where
you are aiming the camera.

If dust gets inside the viewfinder and is seen on the screen, you may remove
the eyepiece of the viewfinder to gain access to the interior. Use an air bulb or
compressed dry gas for cleaning optics to remove the dust.

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When using the viewfinder outdoors in sunlight, be careful to prevent the direct
rays of the sun from entering the eyepiece. The lens on the viewfinder can
focus the sunlight onto the video display inside and cause damage.

If you have a situation where you have to wear a full face shield, or you need to
observe objects that are very low to the ground or above your head, the LCD
monitor is preferred. It is also more convenient if more than one person needs
to view the image.

Power Source / Cable Connections

The small video outputs on the left and right sides of the ThermaCAM (Video
and TGRAM) are MCX connections. If you would like to attach a BNC connector
to either of these outputs you will need an adapter ( BNC/F to MCX/M ).

The Video output will display the same image that is seen on the viewfinder. It
may be attached to any device that accepts an standard video signal. This
includes monitors, VCRs, video printers, LCD video projectors, frame grabbers,
etc.

The TGRAM output will display the image in grayscale with all of the text and
temperature measurement tools removed. If you are going to use the
ThermaGRAM image processing system to analyze real time video images —
either directly, or from images recorded on videotape — this is the video source
that you should use. One exception to this is the model SC1000. With this unit
you can use the digital video output as a source. With digital video the signal
will be 12 bits, with analogy it will be 8 bits. If you are using the TGRAM video
output, do not use a splitter or connect the signal to a time-date generator or
similar equipment. This will corrupt the data.

You may connect both the video and TGRAM output signals to different devices
at the same time.

The S-Video output is the same signal as the viewfinder. It is intended for
monitors and other devices that accept S-video signals.

The Remote I/O connector is used to download new operating software, or to

allow remote operation with a PC or remote panel.

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 Power Modes On/Standby/Off/Playback
In the off mode, all power is off. However, it is recommended that you do not
leave the battery attached to the camera. In the standby mode, the cooler is on.
The electronics, including the video output, are off. This allows you to conserve
battery power. If you operating on battery power and have to travel between
inspections you have three choices:

1) Keep the camera running. If you are travelling only a short distance, which
takes only a few minutes, this is recommended.

2) Turn the camera completely off. If you will not be using the camera for an
extended period of time, this is probably your best choice.

3) Use the standby mode. If it takes you twenty minutes or so to travel to your
next destination, it will be more convenient to wait one minute for initialization,
rather than seven minutes for cooldown. Cooling down consumes more power
than normal operation or standby.

In the playback mode, the cooler is off. The video, including the ability to recall
images from the PCMCIA card, is enabled. This allows you to review the
images that you have captured using minimum power.

Cooled Cameras X90 Series

Standby - Cooler is on
electronics are off
saves battery life
Playback - Video is on
cooler is off
allows you to review images with minimum power

How to Properly Hold your ThermaCAM

Right hand is through the strap for safety, and to reach the span and center
keys.
Left hand is on the lens for focusing, and to reach other buttons

When using LCD monitor it may be more comfortable to hold down at your
waist.

The fingers of your right hand can operate the Span and Center keys located on
the top of the camera.

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Your right thumb can operate the Save/Freeze switch and pushbutton located
on the right side of the camera.

With your left hand you can focus the camera and also operate the main
keypad. The keys are set up for tactile operation. With experience you should
be able to locate all of the keys without looking at them.

Button Locations and Functions

Your camera is an expensive sophisticated electronic / optical instrument.
Familiarize yourself with all of the controls, features, buttons, menu items, etc.
Time invested in learning how to operate your instrument properly will pay off in
the future.

Adding or Changing Lenses X90 Series

To remove lens:
Set Switch in down position.
Push button in and turn lens counter-clockwise
To Add Lens:
Lock lens (switch in up/lock position.)
Match white dots and rotate lens into place.
Slowly rotate the ring nearest the camera body to seat the lens and the
thermistors. It will click when properly seated.
Unlock lever for manual focus

The ThermaCAM standard lens provides a 17° horizontal by 16° vertical field of
view. For small, distant targets, such as connections or switches on
transmission lines, it may be necessary to use an infrared telescope. This is a
lens with a smaller field of view. An 8° lens (2X telescope) or a 4° lens (4X
telescope) are available options. Using the Zoom key will magnify the image,
but it will not increase the spatial resolution of the camera. If your target is too
small to measure, you must get closer to it or use a telescopic lens. In some
cases, you may need to do both.

Sometimes your target is too large, and will not fit into the field of view using a
standard lens. Buildings, kilns, and motor control center “buckets” are examples
of targets that appear too large because of physical size, or simply because you
cannot get far enough away from them in their environment. Here you have the
option of using a wide angle lens. This is a lens that decreases the
magnification and increases the field of view. This would be a 32° lens (.5X
telescope).

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 Infrared lenses are expensive items. Treat them with care when changing and
storing them. Use lens caps and cases provided. It is necessary to remove the
lens when installing or removing filters.

Clear and Accurate Thermographs require good focusing!

Out of focus images yield inaccurate temperature readings
In spot mode, adjust focus to get the highest temp for good focus

Focus, focus, focus. Be sure that your viewfinder is in focus for your eyes
before you try to focus the camera. If someone else was using the camera they
may have adjusted the focus in the viewfinder. If you cannot see clearly in the
viewfinder you will not be able to tell if the camera is in focus.

If you move closer or further away from your target be sure to re-focus.

When observing small targets, using the zoom feature can magnify the image
and help you see if you are in focus.

If you are looking at a target that has very few discernable features on it, such
as a wall or the side of a large transformer, place an object on the surface as a
reference to focus on. A pen or a coin will do nicely.

Remember, you cannot readjust focusing on a stored image buy using the
camera or post image processing. You have to live with the results, so make it
good the first time. Carpenters say “measure twice, cut once,” thermographers
should say “focus twice, capture once.”

Identify Your Components

Accessories: Know yours
Lenses, filters, monitors, screen shades,VCRs, remote panels, carts, tripods,
adapters, disks, heat shields, protective windows (spark shields), PCMCIA
cards, cables, visual (film) cameras, digital cameras, video printers, computers,

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Battery optimization
NiCad batteries can develop a “memory.” Be sure that you have the means to
discharge and recharge (recycle) your batteries on occasion.
Use the identifier switch on your battery as you wish to designate if it is charged
or not.

Many of the accessory items that are used with thermal imaging systems are
compatible with other video products. Monitors, VCR,s and batteries are just a
few examples. You should know exactly what you have for accessories and
see to it that these items are labelled or identified as belonging to the infrared
camera. If you are not using these accessories, keep them in a safe place.

Know the waveband, temperature ranges, filters, lenses, recording capability,

temperature measurement modes and post-image processing capabilities that
you have available to you. If someone asks you to use your equipment for a
particular application, you should know beforehand if you have the right
equipment available for the task

ThermaGRAM Calibration Disk

Only needed with ThermaGRAM software
Calibration tables for that camera
Keep for future use

The ThermaGRAM calibration disk is shipped with every system. It is updated if

your system is returned for general maintenance and / or recalibration. You will
not require this disk unless you have ThermaGRAM image processing software.
ThermaGRAM is a software package that requires the installation of a full-
length card in a desktop PC or docking station. In general, ThermaGRAM is
used by people that need to do real-time analysis of images; where still images
will not provide the information that they require. This usually involves R&D,
scientific or medical applications, etc.
Most Predictive Maintenance applications do not require ThermaGRAM. If you
have TherMonitor image processing, you do not need to install the
ThermaGRAM calibration files.

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 Main Menu: Functions

Mode Recall Zoom

Setup Range
Recall B&W Color
Auto Span Emissivity

Pressing the Mode key will sequentially step you through all of the presentation
or temperature measurement modes available with your camera. Modes can
be changed on stored images.

Pressing the Setup key will bring up, in sequence, a series of menus from which
you can enter environmental conditions and operator preferences.. Press the
Mode key to return back to normal operation.
The Recall key allows you to view and recall the images that are stored on the
PCMCIA card.
The Auto Span key adjusts the center temperature and span for optimum
values. The auto span key will work on stored images.
The Aux key enables the auxiliary function that has been selected in the setup
menu. (Auto Range, Reticle, Palette, Ext Nuc, None.)

The Zoom key operates the electronic, or digital zoom. Pressing once will yield
a 2X zoom; twice, a 4X zoom; a third time will return to 1X. The Zoom function
will work on stored images.
The Range key will sequentially step through the spread of temperatures, or
temperature ranges available. This may be restricted by preferences set in the
setup menu. Ranges cannot be changed on stored images
The B&W Color key will toggle between grayscale and color image. (If the color
palette is to #0, or 256 shade grey, the change will not be apparent.)
The Emissivity key will adjust the emissivity of the image from 0.1 to 1.0.
Emissivity may be adjusted on stored image

Color Palettes
Color Vs Black and White
Black and white provides the best resolution, recommended for scanning and
focusing
Color is recommended for very large smooth surfaces to detect subtle
temperature changes

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Color can be applied to the live images, stored images or by using post image
processing
Images stored on the PCMCIA card are saved in grayscale, even if the
viewfinder displays color.

The application of color to a thermal image is a subjective choice. The human

eye is quite sensitive to color. By applying a false color scale to the grayscale
image you can effectively increase your sensitivity to apparent temperature
variations.

There are many color palettes to choose from:

1. 10-color rainbow
2. 20-color rainbow
3. 256-color rainbow
4. 256-color inverted rainbow (yellow and red colors are reversed)
5. 256-color iron bow
6. 256-color glow bow
7. 10-color contour
8. 10-color medical
9. Saturation / thresholding (gray scale with red=hot, blue=cold)

Do not concern yourself with color palettes until you are ready to print an image
or display it by other means (videotape, viewgraph, presentation).
When scanning, the saturation palette is recommended. If you use a palette
with only 10 or 20 colors, you will actually lose detail in the image.

Saturation Palette
Provides the best of both worlds: black and white with selected colorization

Temperatures above a selected temperature will be red, those below a

selected temperature will be blue
Good for repetitive analysis
Essential for 8-bit video ThermaGRAM

The saturation palette is unique. It is essentially a grayscale image with the

very high end of the scale colorized in red (hot) and the very low end colorized
in blue (cold).

The upper and lower theresholds can be set when using the saturation palette.
For example, if you set the high end to 100°F and the low end to 50°F, any
object with an apparent temperature of 100°F or greater will be colored red and
any object with an apparent temperature of 50°F or less will be colored blue.
This allows you to find your “hot spots” while viewing the image in a high
resolution grayscale mode.

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 Attention: ThermaGRAM users: Keep in mind that in any colorization scheme,
the displayed video is what is being colorized. You may save 12 bit digital
images on your PCMCIA card and analyze them with ThermaGRAM as long as
the objects that you wish to measure fall within the camera’s range when the
image was taken. The video signal, however, is not 12 bits but 8 bits. This
means that the image from your video cable, must be set to a span to cover the
temperatures that you wish to measure. This is easily accomplished by using
the saturation palette. Adjust the span and center temp key to remove all red or
blue colors from the objects you wish to measure. Now when you send this
signal to your ThermaGRAM card you will be able to collect temperature data
from the video.

Cursor or Function Keys

The cursor keys, function keys, or arrow keys, as they are sometimes called,
will change their function depending on the mode selected.
In the image mode the forward and backward arrows will change the color
palette.
In the spot mode, the keys will move the spot around the image.
In the auto spot mode the keys will position the temperature box. If the aux key
is pressed, the forward and backward keys will adjust the height of the box; the
left and right keys will adjust the width of the box. In the delta mode, the keys
will move the second reference spot around the image.

In the graph mode the forward and backward keys will move the vertical
crosshair in order to show the spot temperature.The left and right keys will
move the horizontal line marker selecting the trace. In the isotherm mode the
forward and backward keys will set the isotherm temperature. The left and right
keys will set the isotherm width.

In the setup mode the forward and backward keys will select menu items and
the left and right keys will change parameters.
In the recall mode the keys will allow you to browse through the thumbnail
images.

Center and Span Keys

The center key moves the displayed temperature span up or down the current
temperature range. For example, if your camera is set at a span from 30°F to
110°F, your span is 80°F. If you press the + side of the center key your span
will stay at 80°, but it will shift towards higher temperatures, such as 40°F to
120°F. In visual terms, you may think of this as a “brightness” control. If you
prefer electronic terminology, it is an “offset” adjustment.

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The span key adjusts the width of the temperature span around the center
temperature. If your span is set from 30°F to 110°F, your span is 80°F, and
your center temperature is 70°F. If you press the + side of the span key your
overall span will increase, such as 20°F to 120°F, which is a span of 100°F.
The center temperature, however, stays the same at 70°F. In visual terms, you
may think of this as a “contrast” control. For the electronically inclined, it is a
gain adjustment.

Temperature Span Control

Temperature span like “Thermal Contrast”
Expands or contracts visible temperature span
Similar to contrast control on TV

Center Temperature Control

Center Temperature like “Thermal Brightness”
Moves temperature span up and down temperature scale
Similar to brightness control on TV

Inserting the PCMCIA Card

PCMCIA What does it stand for?
Personal Computer Memory Card International Association
(Or, if you prefer: People Can’t Memorize Computer Industry Acronyms)
PCMCIA cards are essentially storage devices, like floppy disks, hard drives,
Zip disks, etc. They must be formatted; they can be erased and they can save
all kinds of files.

The ThermaCAM can format your PCMCIA card, store and recall images, and
write over images on the card. The card can store all kinds of files, but the
ThermaCAM will only recall the grayscale TIFF images it has stored. If
unwanted files are copied to your card, when you insert the card in your camera
you could get a message stating that the card is full. If you were to examine the
thumbnails, it would appear that there is more space available to store images.
If you were to place your card in your PC, open ThermaGRAM or TherMonitor
to analyze the images, and then save the images, unless you specify a new
directory, the images will be saved on your card. The images will have a new
file extension (TGW, or TMW). The ThermaCAM cannot read these files. To
prevent this from happening, after you capture your thermal images on your
card, copy them to a selected folder on your PC and remove the card from your
PC. Always use the camera to format your card.

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 Store/Freeze Button:
(Located by right thumb)
Freeze - allows you to freeze and unfreeze images
Store - allows to freeze and select the storage location. Pushing again allows
you to store image to card.
Button must be pushed twice to store!

A frozen image can be stored by changing the switch position to save and
pressing the button.

If you press the button intending to freeze the image but you are in the save
mode, you can change the switch to the freeze position and simply press the
button again.
If you accidentally save an image that you do not want you can copy over that
image by selecting that location for the next image you wish to save. Let’s say
that you have pressed the button twice while in the save mode and saved an
image to A05. When you prepare to save your next image it will be assigned
A06. Simply reassign the allocation to A05, using the arrow keys, and your new
image will write over the one in A05. A message on the display will ask for
confirmation so you do not accidentally erase images that you wish to keep.

If you have the Autosave feature enabled, when you press the save button your
camera will save a predefined sequence of images. If this option is available
with your camera you can confirm the setting by checking your setup menu.

Narcissus & Reflections

A reflection of the detector or focal Plane Array off the target or window through
which the camera is viewing
Most important when working around IR reflective surfaces, and cover plates.
To check for this move the camera at an angle.

Narcissus will move with the camera.

The closer you are to the target the more likely you are to see this.

Narcissus, from Greek Mythology, was the youth who fell in love with the
reflection of his own image in a pool and, pining away, eventually died.
If you are looking perpendicular to a flat smooth surface, the camera will, to a
certain extent, be looking at a mirror. The camera will “see” it’s own thermal
image. The apparent cold spot in the center of the image is the cold detector
element being reflected.

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When looking through an infrared window, such as germanium, sapphire, or
zinc selenide, narcissus can also be observed. Although these materials have
a very high transmissivity, there is still a small percentage of thermal radiation
being reflected back to the camera. If you look at a piece of glass you can see
your own reflection in visible light, yet you can rest assured that most of the
visible light is passing right through the glass, and very little is being reflected.
Ignoring narcissus can lead to temperature measurement errors.

Measurement
In the auto mode the hottest or coldest spot can be located; or, the average
temperature within a defined box or the whole image can be determined.
In the spot mode, the temperature of a spot can be read. The spot may be a
single pixel, a 3 X 3 array of pixels, or a 5 X 5 array of pixels. The arrow keys
may be used to move the measurement spot around the image.

In the peak mode, the temperature displayed will represent the highest
temperature that the spot has come across. This can be used with a live image,
or one that has been recalled.

In the delta mode, the temperature difference between two spots will be
displayed. With the static option, the first reference point is held in memory and
will not move. This would give the operator the ability to take a reference of one
target and get a delta measurement of another target that is not in the field of
view. With the dynamic option, the first reference point will move as well as the
second reference point.
The profile mode, or graph mode, places a horizontal line on the image and
displays a thermal profile of that line on the bottom of the image. A crosshair on
the graph shows the temperature at that point on the line.
The isotherm mode is used to selectively highlight, in white, black or red, all
points in the image with the same temperature, or sub-range of temperatures.

Isobars identify lines of equal barometric pressure in meteorology, isotherms

identify lines of equal apparent temperature in thermography. The red isotherm
can only be seen in the color mode.

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 Cooler and Detector
The Stirling Closed Cycle Microcooler is basically a compression expansion
refrigerator without valves. The cold finger - where the detector or focal plane
array is mounted - is chilled to a temperature of 77 Kelvins (-321°F). Sensors
provide feedback to regulate and maintain the temperature. The detector
assembly is enclosed in a high vacuum to provide thermal insulation.
Should a problem arise with cooler operation, a message will appear on the
viewfinder.
Cooling the detector or focal plane array increases the thermal sensitivity of the
camera. As an analogy, consider stargazers. Where do they go to view dim
stars? Often they will travel away from the city lights. Infrared sensors detect
“infrared light” or thermal radiation. To make them more sensitive you place
them in an environment with very little thermal radiation, someplace very cold.

Internal Components
Any heat generated by internal components is conducted to the aluminium
case, keeping the interior of the camera cool. This is why the body of the
camera may feel warm to the touch. This efficient thermal management system
works so well that there is no need for a cooling fan, which would consume a
considerable amount of power, and subject sensitive internal components to
environmental airflow.

Hardware Designs: Components

The IR FPA needs to be cooled to improve the image quality (less “snow” on
image).
Low weight, low wattage coolers are expensive to make.
Since, IR does not pass through glass well optics for IR are made from IR
transparent materials: PtSi,Ge.
The electronics and power components allow coordination of detectors of the
FPA (or high speed mechanical parts for a scanning camera) to get a uniform
image.

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Setup Menu pages 1-5

The setup key calls up 5 main menus with the following Parameters:

Menu 1:
Background Temp Ext. Optics Trans (%)
Distance (meters) Ext. Optics Temp
Relative Humidity (%) Secondary Lens Trans (%)
Atmospheric Temp Alowed Temp Rang

Menu 2:
Keypac Response Recall Configuraiton
Polarity Save Configuration
TIFF Format Format Storage Device
Keypad Backlighting Modify Date – Time

Menu 3:
Color Palette Display Reticle
Temperature Units Display Logo
Remote Temperature Out Application Code Re.
Cursor Size

Menu 4:
AUX key function Status Box Update Rate
Profile Mode Background Condition RED
Delta-T Ref Sampling Set up Autosave
Isotherm Color Clear All NUC Tables

Menu 5:
Auto Temperature Mode
Barcode State
Save Screen Snapshot
FPGA Code Rev.

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Apparent Temperatures Vs. True Temperature
How much accuracy do you need?
Throughout this course you will learn many ways to compensate for the various
environmental and target factors that exist in the field.
Some of these factors cause dramatic temperature variances and some cause
minor changes

Apparent Temperatures
Temperature readings without correction through the camera or software for
emissivity, background, distance, humidity, external optics factors etc...
Assumes target is a blackbody (perfect emitter)
Real or true temperature readings are corrected for emissivity, background, etc.

Setting Emissivity and Background

Set the emittance to 1
Measure your background temperature (Foil)
Set the emissivity to determined value
Measure temperature

Setting the Distance and Humidity

Estimate distance and enter in Setup Menu
Estimate humidity and enter in Setup Menu

Effect on Temperature Measurement Accuracy

Emissivity Background
External Optics Transmission
Atmospheric Settings

External NUC Function: TCAM 50-80 series

Directions:
In Set-up menu 4 set the Aux key function to NUC
Put the lens cap on the camera
Press the AUX key
In 30 seconds the new calculations are done
Go back to Set-up and reassign the AUX key to avoid accidental NUC’s without
a lens-cap.
NOTE: If you accidentally NUC without the lens-cap one, you will see a clear ghost image.
Re-NUC to fix.

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Conclusion: Methodical Thermography
Inspect the target visually
Auto-span
Focus
Distance
Temp. Range
Compensate if needed
Store
Report
Consult with other sources if necessary
Follow up

Three critical adjustments

• Camera Focus
• Temperature Range
• Operating Distance

Errors in any one of the above will result in improper temperature or

temperature difference measurements. Cannot be changed in image post-
processing.

Focus

• Out-of focus dilutes temperature rise.

• The smaller the target, the worse the effect.

Temperature Range

• Out of range data cannot be recovered.

• 12-bit systems with 8-bit displays give a factor of 16 cushions.

Operating Distance

• Too great a distance from a hot target causes low readings.

• Knowing your camera’s spot size ratio is important.
• Top, standard optics. Bottom, 8 degree lens.

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