Achieving a good image
General
A good image depends on several different functions and settings, although some functions and settings affect the image more than others.
These are the functions and settings that you need to experiment with:
Adjusting the infrared camera focus.
Adjusting the infrared image (automatically or manually).
Selecting a suitable temperature range.
Selecting a suitable color palette.
Changing the measurement parameters.
Performing a non-uniformity correction (NUC).
The following sections explain how to work with these functions and settings.
In some situations, you may also want to hide the overlay graphics for a better view.
Adjusting the infrared camera focus
It is very important to adjust the focus correctly. Incorrect focus adjustment affects how the image modes work. It also affects the temperature measurement.
Manual focus
You can adjust the focus manually by rotating the focus ring. For more information, see section Manual focus.
Autofocus
You can autofocus the infrared camera by the press of a button:
The camera can be configured to autofocus when you push the Save button half-way down. To enable the autofocus function of the Save button, select
(Settings) > Save options & storage > Save button half-press = Autofocus.You can assign the autofocus function to one of the programmable buttons. For more information, see section Programmable buttons.
The infrared camera can also be set up to perform continuous autofocusing. For more information, see section Continuous autofocus.
Adjusting the infrared image
General
An infrared image can be adjusted automatically or manually.
In automatic mode, the camera continuously adjusts the level and span for the best image presentation. The colors are distributed based on the thermal content of the image (histogram color distribution). The temperature scale to the right of the screen shows the upper and lower temperatures of the current span.
In manual mode, you can adjust the temperature scale to values close to the temperature of a specific object in the image. This will make it possible to detect anomalies and smaller temperature differences in the part of the image of interest. In manual mode, the colors are distributed evenly from the lowest to the highest temperature (linear color distribution).
In manual mode, you can adjust the image by touching the screen or by using the joystick. For more information, see sections Manual adjustment by touching the screen and Manual adjustment by using the joystick.
In live mode, push the button
to switch between automatic and manual image adjustment
modes.In preview/edit mode, manual image adjustment mode is active.
You can also assign image adjustment functions to one of the programmable buttons. For more information, see section Programmable buttons.
Switch between auto and manual: Allows you to switch between automatic and manual image adjustment modes.
Auto adjust the manual temperature scale: Allows you to perform an automatic adjustment of the image while remaining in manual image adjustment mode.
Example 1
Here are two infrared images of a building. In the left image, which is auto-adjusted, the large temperature span between the clear sky and the heated building makes a correct analysis difficult. You can analyze the building in more detail if you change the temperature scale to values close to the temperature of the building.
Automatic |
Manual |
Example 2
Here are two infrared images of an isolator in a power line. To make it easier to analyze the temperature variations in the isolator, the temperature scale in the right image has been changed to values close to the temperature of the isolator.
Automatic |
Manual |
Manual adjustment by touching the screen
General
The touch functionality for manual image adjustments is enabled/disabled
by a setting. Select (Settings) > Device settings > User interface options > Manual adjustment using
touch > On/Off.
When manual image adjustment mode is active, an adjustment wheel is displayed to the right of the temperature scale. (Applicable when the manual adjustment by touch functionality is enabled.)
Figure 1. Manual adjustment mode active
Procedure
In live mode, push the button
to enter manual adjustment mode.To simultaneously change the temperature scale minimum and maximum limits, place your finger on the screen and move it up/down.
To change the minimum limit or the maximum limit, do the following:
Touch the maximum or minimum temperature that you want to change.
Place your finger on the screen and move it up/down to change the value of the highlighted temperature.
Auto-adjusting the image in manual mode
In manual image adjustment mode, you can auto-adjust the image by touching the screen. The image will be auto-adjusted based on the thermal content of the area around the touched point. The top and bottom levels in the temperature scale will be set to the maximum and minimum temperatures in that area. By using the color information only for the relevant temperatures, you will get more details in your area of interest.
Locking the touch screen
When you have adjusted the image to levels that allow you to study your area of interest, you can lock the touch screen to prevent further unintentional adjustments.
To lock the screen, touch the 
icon to the left of the temperature scale.
To unlock the screen, touch the 
icon to the left of the temperature scale.
If you switch to automatic image adjustment mode, the screen automatically unlocks and your manual adjustments are lost.
Manual adjustment by using the joystick
Manual adjustment modes
There are two different settings for the manual adjustment mode (applicable for the joystick only):
Level, Span: With this setting, you can manually adjust the level and span by using the joystick.
Level, Max, Min: With this setting, you can manually adjust the level by using the joystick. You can also change the upper and lower temperatures individually.
Select the type of manual image adjustment mode under (Settings) > Device settings > User interface options > Manual adjustment mode.
Manual adjustment in Level, Span mode
This procedure assumes that you have configured the camera for manual image adjustments in Level, Span mode. Select Settings > Device settings > User interface options > Manual adjustment mode = Level, Span.
Follow this procedure:
In live mode, push the button
to enter manual adjustment mode.Move the joystick up/down to increase/decrease the level.
Move the joystick left/right to increase/decrease the span.
(Optional step.) In preview/edit mode, push the button
to perform a one-shot auto-adjust sequence.
Manual adjustment in Level, Max, Min mode
This procedure assumes that you have configured the camera for manual image adjustments in Level, Max, Min mode. Select Settings > Device settings > User interface options > Manual adjustment mode = Level, Max, Min.
Follow this procedure:
In live mode, push the button
to enter manual adjustment mode.To simultaneously change the temperature scale minimum and maximum limits, move the joystick up/down.
To change the minimum limit or the maximum limit, do the following:
Move the joystick left/right to select (highlight) the maximum or minimum temperature.
Move the joystick up/down to change the value of the highlighted temperature.
(Optional step.) In preview/edit mode, push the button
to perform a one-shot auto-adjust sequence.
Changing the temperature range
The camera is calibrated for different temperature ranges. Available temperature range options are dependent on the camera model.
For accurate temperature measurements, you must change the Camera temperature range setting to suit the expected temperature of the object you are inspecting.
For more information, see section About calibration.
Follow this procedure:
Push the joystick to display the menu system.
Select
(Settings) and push the joystick. This displays the Settings menu.Select Camera temperature range and push the joystick. This displays a dialog box.
Select the appropriate temperature range and push the joystick.
You can also assign the function Switch temperature range to one of the programmable buttons. For more information, see section Programmable buttons.
Changing the color palette
You can change the color palette that the camera uses to display different temperatures. A different palette can make it easier to analyze an image.
This table explains the different types of color palettes.
Iron |
Arctic |
Rainbow |
Rainbow high contrast |
White hot |
Black hot |
Lava |
Follow this procedure:
Push the joystick to display the menu system.
Select
(Color) and push the joystick. This displays a submenu.Use the joystick to select a different palette.
Push the joystick to confirm and exit the menu mode.
Changing the measurement parameters
For accurate measurements, it is important to set the measurement parameters:
Emissivity.
Reflected temperature.
Object distance.
Atmospheric temperature.
Relative humidity.
External IR window compensation.
Emissivity is the most important measurement parameter to set correctly. If the Emissivity is set to a low value, the Reflected temperature also becomes important. The parameters Object distance, Atmospheric temperature, and Relative humidity are relevant for longer distances. The External IR window compensation must be activated if a protective window or external lens is used.
You can set the measurement parameters globally. You can also change the Emissivity, Reflected temperature, and Object distance parameters locally for a measurement tool.
For more information, see section Changing the measurement parameters.
Performing a non-uniformity correction (NUC)
General
When the thermal camera displays Calibrating... it is performing what in thermography is called a ”non-uniformity correction” (NUC). An NUC is an image correction carried out by the camera software to compensate for different sensitivities of detector elements and other optical and geometrical disturbances1. For more information, see section About calibration.
An NUC is performed automatically, for example at start-up, when changing a measurement range, or when the environment temperature changes.
You can also perform an NUC manually. This is useful when you have to perform a critical measurement with as little image disturbance as possible. You may, for example, want to perform a manual calibration just before you start recording a video sequence.
Performing an NUC manually
To perform a manual NUC, push and hold down the image archive button 
for more than 2 seconds.
You can also assign the function Calibrate to one of the programmable buttons. For more information, see section Programmable buttons.
Hiding all overlay
The camera overlay consists of overlay graphics and image overlay information. The overlay graphics include items such as measurement tool symbols, result tables, and status icons. The image overlay information, which you activate on the Settings menu, provides additional information such as the date, emissivity, and atmospheric temperature. For more information, see section Image overlay information.
You can choose to hide all camera overlay by the press of a programmable button.
Image with camera overlay and image overlay information. |
Image with all overlay hidden. |
Follow this procedure:
Push and hold a programmable button. This displays the Programmable button menu.
Move the joystick up/down to select the function Hide image overlay graphics.
Push the joystick to confirm and exit the menu mode.