A question about thermal imagers Options

[trinity]

Our newer set-up, consists of using the hand-held on a camppole with a feed running through a regular handycam recorder- in this set-up you view and record through the handheld through the recorder and not the therm itself which allows you to view 360 degrees by using only your fingers. This set-up which is better, was tricky to use at first and unfortuneatly gives off waaaaay to much light.

Was the “camppole” setup the one you operated for your WA encounter Bart? It does give off a lot of light, and imagine this creature saw you very easily. When we were out with you last month, I dropped back a few times and could see how bright it was. I still feel the contortions from the creature were to get a reaction from you, so it would know if you could see it or not. Or, the young women was embarrassed you caught her urinating in the dark and was trying to hide (!) [insert ‘tough-love’ smilie here]. JK!

The thermal-eye-200 unit Bobo had me using , was not as flexible as yours, but could be put against the eye and hide most of the emitting light. With both units, it took 10-20 seconds for the eyes to readjust after looking away from the viewers… does take some experience to use them correctly and traverse non-flat ground. Great images though, very impressive for the first time.

The new Thermal-Eye X-50 is half the price… could sell one of my cars I guess…
X50

T

This post has been edited by trinity: Dec 6 2007, 12:02 PM

[bartlojays]

T-

The set-up I showed you on the trail that night in the Sierras was the newer "camppole set-up," which takes a while to get used too but gives you the ability to record. I like using this unit while being a passenger in a slow-moving vehicle or even filming out side a stationary vehicle in a promising location as I did in Wally's motorhome all night the week before the Sierras, near Shasta.
In WA all I had in my hand was just the xp-200 thermal-eye by itself. At that time, the only recording set-up we used was that unit on a helmet, goggles (I hated) and a heavy backpack you'd wear in front of you with the 12-volt and DV-R.
If their was a way that that handheld could record with a flick of a switch and no added light, I'd have what I believe would've been 2+ minutes of undeniable thermal footage, That's not including however long more the subject would've decided to stay in a stationary position, stay in view or if it had decided to depart while in view-and however far and long I was willing to pursue it. T- you saw how little light that handheld gives off by itself. This is also why I disagree with Matt and many others who think these things can see so well nocturnally. Many proponents think they would have too, but being built for maneuverability, and possessing acute sense of hearing and smell with sufficient eyesight is fine imo to easily negotiate the forest at night. It's my interpretation from my own experience that "it" never appeared to "lock on" to me in those two minutes and it uncharacteristically (you'd think) stuck around?
Oh well it's all assumptions and interpretations until we have a body and know for sure, all we can do is learn from what we think we do now from our experiences and apply that knowledge which hopefully gives you a little better edge.

[trinity]

Oh well it's all assumptions and interpretations until we have a body and know for sure, all we can do is learn from what we think we do now from our experiences and apply that knowledge which hopefully gives you a little better edge.

Thats a good tag-line btw ! You were very fortunate and lucky that night for sure. I assume you had no inclination to charge at the beast, as you were more composed in attempting some help to record it for the rest of us. I must tell you though, after about 10 secconds of verifying in my mind it might not be human, personally (and some might say selfishly) I'm sure I would have charged while it was laying there. What I would have done if caught up to it who knows...(or I wont say!)

What do you think of that $5K model ?

T

[Pat B.]

What do you think of that $5K model ?

T

That one looks interesting, and more affordable, but I wonder how good it is? What do they mean when they call it a camera? I couldn't find any reference to it being able to actually take photos, so I'm assuming they just mean that in the sense that it has a lens and viewfinder? They do mention there are inputs for video, so I guess that answers my question ..

What does X50, X100, and X200 mean?

And Bart, can you post links to the imagers you've been using in the field (and/or pics of them)? I'd like to get an idea of what they look like and how they function. Thanks.

[bartlojays]

And Bart, can you post links to the imagers you've been using in the field (and/or pics of them)? I'd like to get an idea of what they look like and how they function. Thanks.

Here you go Pat, this is the exact unit we use and that I saw it with.

https://gpssignal.com/thermaleyex200.htm

[Nightwing]

What do you think of that $5K model ?

T

That one looks interesting, and more affordable, but I wonder how good it is? What do they mean when they call it a camera? I couldn't find any reference to it being able to actually take photos, so I'm assuming they just mean that in the sense that it has a lens and viewfinder? They do mention there are inputs for video, so I guess that answers my question ..

What does X50, X100, and X200 mean?

And Bart, can you post links to the imagers you've been using in the field (and/or pics of them)? I'd like to get an idea of what they look like and how they function. Thanks.

Pat, I looked at that page, and as far as I can tell the numbers are just model numbers. Looks like the higher numbers just represent the higher end product line(or in some cases, newer!).

[Pat B.]

Hey thanks, Bart. That thing is pretty neat. I'd like one please (yeah, right .. I'll have to save my loonies!)

It looks a bit like my nightvision scope. do you know the amplification on it? And I suppose the field of vision isn't very large, judging by the size of the lens. So if you wanted to plug in a camcorder to it, you could do that? Which one would you look through then, the thermal imager? And like you said earlier, you'd keep the camcorder in a backpack, while you're recording?

Nightwing, yeah, I see that now. The better the technology, the higher the number. We need some of those this season!

[bartlojays]

Hey thanks, Bart. That thing is pretty neat. I'd like one please (yeah, right .. I'll have to save my loonies!)

It looks a bit like my nightvision scope. do you know the amplification on it? And I suppose the field of vision isn't very large, judging by the size of the lens. So if you wanted to plug in a camcorder to it, you could do that? Which one would you look through then, the thermal imager? And like you said earlier, you'd keep the camcorder in a backpack, while you're recording?

Not sure on the amplification but your right as the field of vision isn't very large. On the 250D Raytheon (primarily stationary therm) my partner Cliff is currently equipped with (besides this x200), I think he just got a wider lens which is really important when that bigger unit is strategically positioned and stationed, running all night. You definitely want the widest field of vision possible.
As for the x200, I actually just used it again the other night in the Santa Cruz Mtns when the boys and I did a quick one-nighter. When that x200 is used in conjunction with a sony digital recorder, you actually look through the eyepiece on the recorder and not the therm (or if you have the flap open it's a bigger screen but gives off way to much light). It's kind of weird and I was a little rusty the other night because it takes you a while to realize you don't have to point the camera or turn your head, LOL. You only turn and move around the therm with the camp pole.
In my opinion, until we get a workable attachment with recording capability for that hand-held or pocket attachment that's decent quality, we're not going to walk up on a squatch and get good footage if you know what I mean. Until that happens, our best chances are catching one while I therm outside from the passenger seat of a moving vehicle, therm from a vantage point from a distance or catch one coming through during the night where we plant the stationary, or maybe, just maybe from a spy position away from the others at camp.
I really believe now that had I had the current recording set-up with me in WA during my sighting, I would've got maybe 8-10 seconds of it getting the hell out of there (certainly better then nothing). Had it happened with me literally flicking a switch and not giving off light I'd have had the two minutes I saw it and likely more for however much longer it was planning to stand there like a statue before departing. God, that would've been something, seeing that thing walk off after what I think was obviously a deceptive strategy on it's part to remain perfectly still to not draw (or make me lose) attention.

This post has been edited by bartlojays: Feb 22 2008, 01:10 AM

[Grazhopprr]

A year and a half since the last post, and not that much has changed, about using thermal in the field. Now there are mini-digital dvrs for recording, to attach to them, but no stand alones that have a total package of long term internal video recording, that I know of at least. Some of the newer ones have telelphoto to an extent, but not real zoom x20 plus, which would be nice. The prices haven't come down, hehe. Ebay still sells used ones that work fine. These units aren't made for squatching, so you have to patch what you need together. As long as they sell batteries, I'll use my dinosaur firehouse model, and hi8 recorder. Some of the old stuff can be better that the newer models. My Sony Nightshot hi8, still kicks butt on even the newest night vision units.

I'm still of a mind that thermal is pretty much for finding BF, with followup by other means of hunting and recording. Elimination of other subjects, etc. Makes moving through a section many times faster when you know what made that twig snap. Deer,,,,,,,,,,Deer,,,,,,,coon,,,,,,,,,,,,,bear,,,,,,,,,,BEAR,,,,,,,,,deer. Eyeshine with other nightvision? Call over the thermal guy. Rock thrown? Call over the thermal guy. An advantage also, if you see one, and it runs off, you can track the foot prints for at least 5 minutes after it ran through. During the fall, winter, spring, is best for it, when the environment is alot cooler than the BF, and it would stand out like a sore thumb. Even at night, in the summer, the surrounding environment would make it difficult to see it against 80 plus temps.

Keep an eye on Ebay. I got mine for 1500.

[Spazmo]

GH-
Take a look at the new FLIR H-series...
Internal recording to SD card PLUS a video output, 320x240 native resolution, and a pricetag between $3k and $4k.
It's been announced, but has not shipped yet.