The 8 Best Handheld Thermal Imaging Cameras (2024)

Handheld thermal imaging cameras help you view a thermal X-ray of a person or object. They are easy to carry and allow the user to observe and capture thermal photos for future reference.

These devices are used in a variety of industries such as construction, electronics, healthcare, and food processing. You can also use them for DIY applications as well.

The Flir TG165-X Thermal Imaging Camera is my top pick. It's a specialized option with a wide temperature scale of -13°F to 572°F.

The HikMicro 256×192 Thermal Imaging Camera is my runner-up pick. It's a more generalized thermal camera with an 8-hour battery life and IP54 protection.

In the guide below, I'll talk more about these devices and other alternatives that might suit your needs.

The 8 Best Handheld Thermal Imaging Cameras (2024)

The FLIR TG165-X is our top pick for the best handheld thermal camera. It has a pistol-grip design with a 2.1-inch TFT display.

The infrared sensor is an uncooled microbolometer with a 7.5–14 µm spectral range, allowing it to detect temperatures ranging between -13°F to 572°F (-25°C to 300°C). The thermal module has an 80x60 IR resolution and an effective thermal sensitivity of <70mK.

The battery on this device allows for five hours of continuous scanning with a recharge time of six hours to reach 100%. There are 4GBs of eMMC storage which can store up to 50,000 photos.

Also, you can review the images from the device itself, thanks to the gallery function built into the software.

The HikMicro Thermal Imaging Camera is our runner up pick for the best wireless thermal imaging camera. It features a compact design with a 256x192 resolution lens, providing detailed thermal images for accurate analysis.

This model is equipped with advanced thermal imaging and heat map detection, allowing you to identify temperature variations and monitor heat patterns efficiently. The thermal sensor captures a broad range of temperatures with high precision, making it ideal for various applications.

For storage, the HikMicro Thermal Imaging Camera uses eMMC technology, ensuring reliable and fast data storage. You can securely save your thermal images and access them quickly when needed.

The camera operates wirelessly and is powered by a battery, offering flexibility and convenience for portable use. This wireless capability ensures that you can easily set up and use the camera without the hassle of cords or cables.

In summary, the HikMicro Thermal Imaging is an excellent choice for those seeking a high-performance, wireless thermal imaging camera with advanced features and reliable storage.

The HT-19 handheld thermal imaging camera has a wider temperature range as it can measure temperatures ranging from -4°F to 932°F (-20°C to 500°C) with a ±2.5°C accuracy.

The device itself has a pistol-grip design with a 3.2-inch TFT display. There is support for five color palettes that include white hot, black hot, and rainbow, to name a few.

In terms of battery life, the device can run 2-3 hours continuously before needing a recharge. Fortunately, you can easily remove the Li-Ion 18650 cell from the device and swap it for another battery. (You can also recharge the battery via the Micro-USB port located in the device.)

There is 3GB built-in storage which HTI claims is enough to store 20,000 images.

The FLIR C5 handheld camera is a compact device with a smartphone-like design.

The thermal camera has a 160x120 IR resolution, and it can record temperatures ranging between -4℉ to 752℉ (-20℃ to 400℃) with a NETD value of <70mK. The camera has a four-hour continuous battery life with a USB-C interface that fully charges the device in just a couple of hours.

Apart from the thermal module, it includes a 5MP optical camera that allows you to capture images in full color and integrate them into the thermal images as a picture-in-picture or as FLIR MSX®.

In FLIR MSX®, the thermal image is supplemented with the optical image, making the edges pop out so that different objects can be identified easily.

Seek Thermal’s Reveal Pro is another versatile handheld thermal security camera. This device includes a VOx sensor with a 320x240 IR resolution and supports a temperature range of -40℉ to 1022℉ (-20℃ to 550℃).

The fixed-focus lens can measure temperatures at a maximum distance of 1800ft with thermal sensitivity of <70mK.

The device has a smartphone-like design with a 2.5-inch corning gorilla glass display and support for up to nine color palettes that Include grayscale and rainbow. The camera has a four-hour battery life and four GB of internal memory.

Also, a couple of other unique features include a 300-lumen flashlight and 4x digital zoom.

Perfect Prime’s IR00019 handheld thermal camera measures thermal radiation within a 320x240 IR resolution with a minimum sensitivity of 0.07℃. Its supported temperatures range from -4℉ to 572℉ (-20℃ to 300℃), and it can process thermal footage in five different color palettes. (Includes rainbow and both greyscale palettes.)

There is a 4GB MicroSD card included in the device, and you can easily swap it out for better storage. Also, the battery is a 18650 Li-Ion cell which can be swapped out or recharged from the device itself via Micro-USB.

Hikmicrotech’s B10 handheld thermal camera utilizes the pistol-grip design to create a feature-packed device that includes an optical module as an additional feature.

The VOx thermal sensor has an IR resolution of 256x192, and it can measure any temperatures ranging between -4°F to 1022°F (-20°C to 550°C) within a <40mK NETD value.

The camera has 16GB of eMMC storage with a battery that can support the device continuously for a maximum of six hours.

The optical module allows the user to take color photos. Apart from that, it supports several image modes such as separate thermal or optical, picture-in-picture, or a combination of the two (called fusion), where the thermal image is enhanced with the aid of the optical counterpart. (Improves edges and finer details.)

Our final item is Seek Thermal’s Shot Pro. It has a more compact smartphone-like design with a VOx thermal sensor, and its supported temperatures can range anywhere from -40℉ to 626℉ (-40℃ to 330℃ ) with a NETD value of <70mK.

The enclosure has an IP54 splash-resistant rating, and to keep things water-tight as much as possible: there are no removable batteries or microSD cards. Instead, the device has a built-in 4GB storage along with a non-removable battery that can last up to four hours on a single charge.

There is also an optical module that allows the user to combine both thermal and optical footage to process the image for better readability.

Things to consider when selecting a Handheld Thermal Imaging Camera

Temperature Range

Despite having a ton of specs that relate to the infrared sensor (such as the resolution and thermal sensitivity), a handheld thermal camera won’t be able to do much if it’s got a narrower temperature range. If you are looking for a thermal camera to check people’s temperatures, there are affordable options with a narrower temperature range. However, if you need a thermal camera to inspect electrical faults, overheating equipment, moisture levels, air leaks, etc., you need a device with a wider temperature range, preferably -40℉ to 626℉ (-20℃ to 330℃).

Battery Life

Since these are handheld devices, the battery life will have a huge impact on your overall experience. You don’t want the thermal camera to shut down while you’re in the middle of a worksite with no way to recharge it. Therefore, we recommend taking note of the continuous operating time of the device along with the recharging times, charging interface (Micro-USB or USB-Type C), and whether the battery is removable. (Some devices include a removable 18650 Li-Ion cell.) 

Form Factor

From the handheld cameras we’ve covered on this list, there are two form factors for handheld thermal cameras: the pistol-grip type and the more compact smartphone type. The pistol-grip design is more ergonomic and great for one-handed operation. However, it is less compact, and you need a separate case for storage and transport. Meanwhile, the smartphone-type thermal cameras can easily fit in your pocket, but they are expensive and don’t include removable storage and battery slots. 

Optical Module

An additional optical module (a conventional camera that records in the visible light spectrum) can help shed more light on the thermal counterpart. For most applications, a sensor with an optical module is mandatory because you might need to record letters, numbers, or symbols in the same scene. Also, in some high-end devices, the post-processing software can merge the thermal and optical footage to make the image more readable by highlighting edges, minimizing noise, etc. Therefore, we highly suggest going with a device that includes the second optical module.

Storage

Almost half of the handheld thermal cameras available on the market include an eMMC chip instead of supporting MicroSD cards. Although you can store thousands of thermal images on embedded storage as low as 4GB, it’s always better to have MicroSD card support.

Common Thermal Imaging Questions & Answers

What is a Handheld Thermal Imaging Camera

Handheld thermal imaging cameras are inspection tools used for monitoring temperatures. They are used as a non-contact inspection tool where users can measure the temperatures of certain areas or components from a safe distance.

Since these are handheld cameras, they are smaller devices that can be utilized and carried around by one person. Because of their compact form factor, it allows the user more freedom and flexibility than larger thermal cameras. (Speaking of which, here is our list of thermal security cameras.)

Handheld thermal cameras are accurate enough to be used for any application that requires users to detect heat signatures in their environment. They were initially designed for surveillance applications as a form of night-vision and later adapted for other industries.

Several practical examples of handheld thermal cameras include: monitoring the temperature of people to identify cases of Flu or Covid19, identifying overheating components in smartphones and tablets, and diagnosing faults in electrical cables.

Can handheld thermal cameras see through walls?

No. Unfortunately, thermal cameras cannot see through walls because IR radiation or heat cannot pass through walls.

Does aluminum foil block thermal imaging?

Yes, aluminum foil can block thermal imaging to some extent. Since it can reflect infrared waves without letting them pass through. However, heat can build up around a sheet of aluminum foil, and it can radiate around it.

Can smartphones perform thermal imaging?

Ordinary smartphones cannot carry out thermal imaging on their own. You need a separate attachment (that fits into your phone’s charging port) that includes a high-wavelength infrared sensor to be able to carry this out.

Do thermal cameras use infrared?

Yes, thermal cameras use infrared but not the same range of frequencies/wavelengths used for night vision in security cameras. Instead of emitting short-wave infrared rays and waiting for them to bounce back, thermal cameras detect high-wavelength infrared emissions passively. (Warmer objects tend to radiate these high-wavelength infrared waves as a byproduct of heat.) 

Can thermal cameras record videos?

Yes, a lot of thermal cameras can record video. However, for the use-cases of a handheld thermal imaging camera, it is not an essential feature. Therefore, it is not implemented in most of the cameras we’ve covered on this list.

Is thermal imaging harmful to the body?

No, thermal imaging cameras do not project any harmful radiation to the environment. Thermal imaging is a completely passive function that detects infrared radiation, and it does not make any contact with the surfaces of objects.

Can I export thermal imaging footage to a computer?

Yes. You can easily export images captured from a handheld thermal camera using the included cable and USB interface. Apart from that, modern devices also allow data transfer via Wi-Fi, where you can create a hotspot from the camera and connect smartphones and other devices to the hotspot to import captured photos.

Conclusion

In the list above, we went over some of the best handheld thermal cameras available in the market. These devices are highly accurate measuring instruments used in industrial applications. However, it doesn’t mean that these devices cannot be used by the average consumer.

So if you are looking for a handheld thermal camera, I highly suggest checking out the Flir TG165-X Thermal Imaging Camera and HikMicro 256×192 Thermal Imaging Camera as my top picks. They are some of the best handheld thermal cameras out there right now.