100$ Thermal Camera With 32x32 Pixel. HTi HT-02D Unboxing And Test

[Mads Barnkob]

There is a huge difference from the very cheap 8x8 pixel thermal cameras, to the 32x32 and up to the 160x120++. The price seems to quadruple with the pixel count. In this video I am testing the HTi HT02D Thermal camera that I was able to get at 100$ on offer. This is not a paid/non-paid advertisement, my own money, test and conclusion.

Best bet to find these at a decent price is to run through ebay and send off a lot of "make offer" of 100$ on the 150-200$ auctions. But is it worth it? Lets find out!

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[TMaxElectronics]

Are you planning on doing a tear down of the thing? I'm wondering what the sensor looks like, and if perhaps it can be used for other projects...
After all the entire camera is quite a bit cheaper than just a lepton camera module.

[davekni]

Thermal cameras are very useful for checking electronics.  A few years ago I spent $300 on a Seek Reveal XR FastFrame, 206x156 pixels, 15Hz update rate.

For electronics use, I'd suggest considering a close-up lens.  The ZnSe lenses intended for CO2 lasers work fairly well and can be found for ~$20 on EBay.  You'll need to either build a holder or tape it to the camera in front of its lens.  (Blue painter's tape works for easy removal.)  4" focal length is about right.  With the close-up, I can see which FPGA output bank fried by viewing the hot-spot on top of the BGA package.  2" ZnSe lenses are also common and good for an even-closer view.  Becomes a bit hard for hand-holding below 4", at least for me.

Germanium lenses are even better, but more expensive.  I found one on EBay a few years ago for $99.  That one is on my FLIR I7 at work.

[Mads Barnkob]

Are you planning on doing a tear down of the thing? I'm wondering what the sensor looks like, and if perhaps it can be used for other projects...
After all the entire camera is quite a bit cheaper than just a lepton camera module.

That is good suggestion, I have added a teardown video of it to my list of work to be done

Thermal cameras are very useful for checking electronics.  A few years ago I spent $300 on a Seek Reveal XR FastFrame, 206x156 pixels, 15Hz update rate.

For electronics use, I'd suggest considering a close-up lens.  The ZnSe lenses intended for CO2 lasers work fairly well and can be found for ~$20 on EBay.  You'll need to either build a holder or tape it to the camera in front of its lens.  (Blue painter's tape works for easy removal.)  4" focal length is about right.  With the close-up, I can see which FPGA output bank fried by viewing the hot-spot on top of the BGA package.  2" ZnSe lenses are also common and good for an even-closer view.  Becomes a bit hard for hand-holding below 4", at least for me.

Germanium lenses are even better, but more expensive.  I found one on EBay a few years ago for $99.  That one is on my FLIR I7 at work.

Thank you for the suggestion, I look it up and it seems 3D printing adapter to hold the lenses is the way people go about it. Will definitely try this 18mm lens with focal length of 4" as you suggested: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MCWlaser-ZnSe-Foucs-Lens-CO2-Laser-12-18-19-20-25mm-FL-1-1-5-2-2-5-3-4-5/223541493548  it does not seem that I can get a smaller diameter lens with that focal length.