Do thermal cameras work in complete darkness?
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It depends. If you want to see through darkness itself, it can't. Thermal imaging cannot see through darkness in the traditional sense. Thermal imaging works by detecting infrared radiation, which is a type of heat energy invisible to the naked eye. Darkness itself doesn't emit heat, so it wouldn't be detectable by a thermal camera.
However, thermal imaging does not require visible light to function. This is why it's so useful in situations with low or no visible light, like:
- Search and rescue missions at night
- Firefighting (seeing through smoke)
- Law enforcement (detecting hidden suspects)
- Nighttime animal observation
- See Heat Signatures
Here's a breakdown:
- Thermal Imaging: "Sees" heat signatures through infrared radiation.
- Darkness: Absence of visible light. It doesn't emit heat.
Thermal camera cost
- Budget option: A thermal camera rugged phone usually comes with lower budget compare to the holding thermal imager, it combines both smartphone and heat detect functions. The referral models are BV8900 (around 300USD), BL9000 Pro (around 550USD), and BL8800 Pro (around 400USD), etc.
- More expensive: The holding thermal imagers usually require high budget, but only offer thermal detecting feature. Some are used to provide more accurate thermal images.
So, while thermal imaging can't see through complete darkness in the sense of revealing what's hidden purely by the absence of light, it can effectively create an image based on heat variations in an environment regardless of visible light availability.
Related,
- How to use phone to see things through darkness?
- Thermal imaging vs infrared, what are the differences
- Can thermal cameras see through metal?
- Is thermal imaging worth it for a home inspection?
- Can thermal cameras detect body temperature?
- How accurate is a thermal scanner?
- Do thermal cameras safe for babies?
- Can Mylar block thermal imaging?
- If aluminum foil can block thermal imaging?
- Do thermal cameras need calibration?
- Can I use a thermal phone for mobile repairing?
- Can I use thermal camera for hunting?
