InfiRay P2 Pro – thermal camera connected to the phone (test)

InfiRay P2 Pro – technical specifications

Dimensions – 27 x 18 (26) x 9.9 mm (with USB-C connector), weight 13.5 g with macro lens and protective cap
Resolution – sensor 246 x 192 px, -20 to 600 degrees Celsius
Refresh rate – 25 Hz
Lens – 3.2 mm with a field of view of 56 x 42.2 degrees,
Macro lens – magnetic overlay, constant focus about 5 cm from the object
Set contents: camera, magnetic macro converter, protective cap, soft storage bag, USB-C or Lightning extension cable.

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The manufacturer sent the equipment for testing. We chose the USB-C variant. At the time of publication of the article, the camera application in this version (USB-C) only works on Android, but an update for iPhone 15 series will also be available soon. For older iPhones, a variant of the device with a Lightning connector is available.

Surprising sensor quality

Even the basic technical data will blow your mind. While in the world of typical cameras a 256 x 192 pixel sensor is extremely small, a number of professional laboratories still use 160 x 120 pixel sensors. The popular Flir One Pro LT telephone module has only 80 x 60 pixels, a measly range of -20 – 120 degrees Celsius and a price of as much as PLN 1,600. The more expensive Flir One Pro, priced at PLN 2,500, offers a still lower resolution of 160 x 120 px, a smaller temperature range (-20 to 400 degrees Celsius) and a refresh rate three times lower – only 8.7 Hz.

Only the less popular Seek Thermal CompactPRO FF USB-C, priced from PLN 2,300, is able to compete with the Infiray P2 Pro in terms of resolution (offers an impressive 320 x 240 px), but still has a narrower upper temperature range (up to 330 degrees), a narrower field of view ( 32 degrees) and refresh rate only 15 Hz. But let’s be honest – it is not an art to make more powerful equipment at twice the price. The trick is to beat the leader for less than half the price, while offering much more. And that’s exactly where Infiray went.

Extremely solidly made equipment

Camera, though much smaller than competitive solutions, seems to beat them with its build quality. These gray elements are not plastic – the entire device, excluding optical elements, is made of metal. I’m not entirely convinced by the microfiber bag as a case, but everything is so small that a tiny plastic box is enough to additionally protect the equipment while traveling. Included in the set USB-C extension cable it fulfills its function, although it is quite stiff – in everyday use, an angled USB-C converter from the network may be useful.

Device draws energy for its operation directly from the phone. No more or less sophisticated adapters are needed – just plug the camera into the phone’s USB-C port, run the manufacturer’s application, and that’s it. It is worth mentioning, however, that the Motorola RAZR 40 Ultra and Samsung Galaxy Fold 5 heated up quite noticeably when using the camera near their processors, which may suggest the computational resource consumption of the equipment. On the other hand, I am probably more convinced by this solution than having to keep an eye on both the battery in the phone and the camera module, as is the case for example in Flir One Pro LT, where the battery lasts for up to an hour.

Test platform

For the purposes of comparative tests, I asked CK Mediator Polska, the official distributor of Ulefone smartphones in Poland, to rent a smartphone for a few days. Ulefone Power Armor 19T. As suggested by Mieszko Zagańczyk, our specialist in reinforced phones, it uses an improved module FLIR Lepton 3.5 – with top resolution and sensitivity.

And in fact, let’s face it, we have the equivalent of the Flir One Pro USB module, valued at PLN 2,500. This is so interesting that the entire phone, with such a module and a lot of other functions, costs PLN 2,539. So maybe it’s better to choose a smartphone instead of an attached module? In many situations, this will be a much better solution, but not everyone prefers large, heavy “battleships” on a daily basis. But no more talking – what can the Flir camera do in Ulefone Power Armor 19T?

The thermal imaging module used in Ulefone Power Armor 19T has:
– resolution 160 x 120 px (4x larger than the previous generation)
– field of view 57 degrees
– temperature range -10 – 400 degrees Celsius
– thermal sensitivity below 50 mK

The effects of thermal imaging cameras

Years ago, we only received colored spots from thermal imaging cameras, where each color represented a different temperature. These spots did not really want to take shapes seen by the human eye, so producers started combining photos or videos from a regular camera with the material recorded by the thermal imaging module. This way, not only the thermal imaging module but also the camera in our phone actually contributed to the final effect.

Flir calls this technique as MSX function, i.e. multispectral imaging. Its main disadvantage is its frequent use shifting the contour of the object relative to the image from the thermal imaging camera — you have to calculate these differences yourself to find a hot or cold spot in the real world. Infiray P2 Pro does not have this problem, in which the thermal imaging module itself simultaneously records the shape of objects in visible light. Additionally, the module allows you to use the phone’s camera for functions picture in picturein which a thumbnail of a photo from the phone’s main camera is superimposed on the material recorded with a thermal imaging camera.

Practice tests

The first thing that catches the eye is a much more dynamic view from the InfiRay P2 Pro camera – the manufacturer promises up to 25 Hz refresh rate and seems to “deliver” it. We can choose between modes of greater measurement precision and greater smoothness of operation – depending on our current needs. Flir, meanwhile, acted a bit like a snail and it is definitely not suitable for recording dynamic changes in the temperatures of objects. At least not this version of the module. In the case of InfiRay P2 Pro, we can successfully record even a satisfactorily smooth video, as below:

While recording the candle flame, I also noticed another problem with Flir. Although its measurement scale is theoretically up to 400 degrees Celsius, the measurement ended at 150 degrees. InfiRay easily presented measurements of 175.3 or 176.9 degrees Celsius for a wooden candle wick, Flir fired in the early stages.

Software full of practical functions

The application designed to operate the camera is Thermal P2. It works in two modes – simple and professional. It is definitely worth considering the latter, because in addition to a simple presentation of the temperature in the center of the frame and 2 extreme temperatures of the entire shot, it also allows you to select any 3 measurement points, select a rectangle with a list of 3 measurements or a section from which the measurements are to be recorded. In this way, we are not tied to the entire environment around the object we are interested in – we can indicate exactly the places whose measurements we care about the most. For example, measuring the temperature of the air coming out of a working projector now looks like this:

And if we want to turn everything on at the same time, we can save up to 9 measurements in one shot (although it’s getting crowded):

This is what the Sonos Era 300 speaker looks like in infrared – the thermal imaging camera allows you to almost look inside the housing:

Summary

Infiray P2 Pro is definitely a breath of fresh air on the market of inexpensive thermal imaging cameras. It is surprising in terms of its workmanship and the lack of the need for additional power supply imaging resolution higher than even twice as expensive competitive devices. Another knock on the competition’s nose is the macro converter, which will allow you to use the camera even when repairing electronic devices. Refresh rate of 25 Hz (3 to 6x faster than competitors) makes it easy to record with this device smooth video materials.

There are countless professional applications for thermal imaging cameras, but even in typical home environments such a device can be very useful. Whether it’s to assess the water temperature when brewing tea (purists have a lot to say on this topic) or to assess the tightness of windows. When I examined the window seals in the living room during the tests, I discovered the need for intervention. A new gasket and without changing the temperature of the radiators, the room became 1.5 degrees warmer. In the case of large apartments or even houses, detecting such heat leaks may translate into savings that exceed the cost of purchasing this accessory.

The magnetically attached macro converter further expands the camera’s capabilities

Some unexpected interior elements that give off heat also made me think. Like a turned off smart light bulb, unloaded hard drives or a laser printer – it’s probably time to check their power consumption in standby mode. Although theoretically I can measure temperatures with a laser meter, the full picture is from the module InfiRay P2 Pro significantly expands perception and allows you to catch what we miss in visible light.

The point rating does not make much sense in the case of this product, because it has no direct competitor in its price range, and it sweeps away everything around it. Definitely InfiRay P2 Pro deserves full recommendation.