Thermal Imager Comparison Guide

Comparison Summary

The FLIR TG165 and Fluke VT04 are both compact spot thermal imaging cameras (also called visual IR thermometers) which can help you quickly see temperature patterns and save you time during troubleshooting and inspections. Each camera is simple enough to be used without any prior infrared training. This makes these tools perfect for everyone from professionals and contractors to hobbyists and DIY homeowners.

Each camera has a similar form factor – both are small “gun” style cameras. To capture images, simply point and pull the trigger to shoot. Each camera has a 2-inch screen with several buttons for navigating the menus.

Another important detail which both cameras share is that the IR images they produce are not radiometric – this means that the thermal heat map is really just for show, as the actual displayed temperature reading is taken by a built-in IR thermometer. That’s why you will often hear these tools called “visual IR thermometers”.

If you need fully radiometric IR images where you can see exact temperature data for any part of the scene, you will need a higher-end camera. From FLIR, the E4, C3, and FLIR ONE Pro will all be a step-up. Fluke’s next step up would be the TiS10 thermal camera, another more capable alternative to these visual IR thermometers.

As for thermal imaging specifications, there are some important differences between these two infrared tools. To start, the TG165 has a larger thermal sensor at 80 x 60 pixels, compared to 31 x 31 pixels on the VT04. For thermal sensitivity, the TG165 wins again with 150mK, compared to 250mK on the VT04. This means that the TG165 will be more sensitive to temperature variations. The TG165 is also slightly more accurate at ±1.5% or 1.5°C, compared to ±2% or ±2°C on the VT04.