This thing is awesome, especially for the price. It can detect temperature differences of slightly less than 1 degree F, so heat leaks or missing insulation is easy to spot. You can see if a vehicle has been driven or an electrical outlet has powered a high-load device like a coffeemaker recently. Powered electrical or electronic devices are also easy to spot--even low-power devices like an inactive cell phone charger stand out. You can see handprints on walls and drops of warm water on the ground for a few minutes--the exact time depends on the size and temperature and wind. It is a true thermal imager; it doesn't need any any ambient visible light at all to work.
Build quality is good; I wouldn't expect it to survive being run over by a tank, use as a hammer, or repeated drops onto concrete, but you don't need to handle it with kid gloves, either, The display has a clear plastic panel over it, and the lenses, USB port, and card slot are all recessed enough to give them a reasonable amount of protection. I would say it is about like a decent-quality cell phone--handle it with a reasonable degree of care and it will last for years, but I wouldn't expect it to handle much abuse. I don't believe it's waterproof
The manual isn't much, but you don't really need it. The menus are simple and clearly labeled, and the screen labels the current function of the buttons. The only thing that isn't clearly labeled is powering on and off--you hold the center button down for about 2 seconds to do that.
The unit will capture still images, but not video--the frame rate is only about 5Hz. I'm sure this is one of the compromises necessary to reach the price point. Capture is simple, just press the right button and the current screen image is saved to the memory card.
Accessing captured images is easy; just connect the unit to a computer with a standard USB cable, and the micro SD card will show up as a removeable external drive.
The flashlight is activated via a dedicated button on the right side of the unit. The button toggles between high power, low power, and off. You can adjust the high and low power settings in the menu. The imager does not need to be on for the flashlight to work. The beam is aimed the same as the thermal imager, so you can see what the thermal is looking at. This helps identify the source of a heat signature when the thermal view alone is not clear. The beam is slightly wider and more diffused than most flashlights, but not so much as to make it useless. If you want to light something up 100 yards away, you should probably use a standalone light, but for nearby things, it works well.
The device is light and compact, and could easily be carried all day.
A few minor annoyances:
By default, all images captured are watermarked with the "Seek Thermal" logo. You have to go into the menu to disable the watermark.
Captured images are overlaid with the same square crosshair shown on the screen, and the temperature in the square. The overlay is always white, so if you are measuring heat sources you cannot see the crosshair or temp reading if the color scheme you've selected displays heat as white. You can't change the crosshair overlay design or color. Fortunately, there are several color schemes to choose from, one of which is a negative B&W that shows heat as black and cold as white.
The battery cannot be removed/replaced without disassembling the device. But the internal battery is sufficient to run it for several hours, especially if you have the screen brightness turned down. You can also connect an external battery to the USB port, and use the device while recharging it.
The unit has an automatic shutoff that prevents battery depletion if you forget to turn it off. But if you aren't periodically pressing buttons while using it, it will shut off without warning. If you plan on using it longer than the auto-shutoff time, take a picture once in a while--any button press will reset the timer. The default setting is 15 minutes, but you can change it in the menu.
The unit comes with a carrying strap, USB charger, and a USB cable, but no carrying pouch. A
Condor I Pouch (Black, 5 x 3 x 1.5-Inch)
is just about perfectly sized, and it has an extra compartment you could use for a cable and charger or spare battery. And you can configure the MOLLE loop on the back as a simple belt loop or attach the pouch to a backpack or tactical vest.
Overall, great value and performance for the price. It has a variety of uses, and could pay for itself just with it's ability to identify heat leaks. 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.
| Manufacturer | Seek Thermal |
|---|---|
| Part Number | RQ-AAA |
| Item Weight | 0.176 ounces |
| Product Dimensions | 1.5 x 2 x 2 inches |
| Country of Origin | USA |
| Item model number | RQ-AAA |
| Batteries | 1 Lithium Ion batteries required. (included) |
| Style | RevealPRO |
| Pattern | Camera |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Measurement System | Metric |
| Included Components | 320 x 240 Thermal Sensor, Focusable Lens |
| Batteries Included? | Yes |
| Batteries Required? | Yes |
| Battery Cell Type | Lithium Ion |
