Extech i5 Thermal Imaging Camera - Part# IRC40

by FLIR Systems, Inc.

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

With the Extech i5 Compact Infrared Thermal Imaging Camera, you can detect problems before they become crises. The Extech i5 is one of the smallest, lightest, and most affordable thermal cameras on the market. This powerful, non-invasive monitoring and diagnostic tool features intuitive one-handed operation, a high-resolution, 2.8-inch LCD color screen, precise thermal sensitivity, a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, and a storage capacity of up to 5,000 images. The included QuickReport software makes sharing and analysis of radiometric images quick and easy.

i5 Compact IR Camera At a Glance: Detect hidden problems and make quick damage assessments Large, 2.8-inch LCD color screen with 80 by 80 pixel thermal resolution Store up to 5,000 images on camera's 512 MB miniSD card Rugged body with intuitive, one-handed operation meets IP43 standards QuickReport software analyzes images, prepares reports, and adjusts image settings Two-year limited warranty on parts and labor

Provides powerful non-invasive monitoring to detect hidden problems. View larger.

Analyze images and generate temperature report using QuickReport software. View larger.

Find Problems, Evaluate Work, and Schedule Repairs
Improperly functioning equipment can be dangerous or lead to lost productivity if not detected soon enough. Infrared inspection with the Extech i5 will reveal minor variations in temperature that can signal electrical and mechanical failures, leaky air ducts, missing insulation, and moisture problems. Inspect motors, transformers, circuit breakers, pumps, heating and cooling systems, new equipment installations, and repairs by contractors.

Roof and house inspectors and energy auditors can use the Extech i5 to see beyond what's visible. Asphalt-paving companies rely on thermal cameras to ensure and report on quality jobs. The Extech i5 makes it simple to detect hidden problems in your home or work environment, allowing you to make quick damage assessments and be proactive rather than reactive.

2.8-inch color LCD screen View larger.

One-Handed Operation and Large Color Screen
At 12 ounces, the Extech i5 fits in a pocket, tool kit, or belt. It has an ergonomic handle, easy-to-access buttons, and an intuitive navigation pad that allow for one-handed adjustments and settings changes. The double-molded, rugged design with easy-grip handle construction meets IP43 dust/splash proof standards. The i5 comes packed in a hard carrying case.

With an 80 by 80 pixel thermal resolution, high accuracy rate of 2 percent, thermal sensitivity of 0.1 degrees Celsius (compliant with NETA testing requirements), and a temperature detection range from -4 to 482 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 to 250 degrees Celsius), the Extech i5 helps you find problems faster and easier. You'll enjoy the convenience of focus-free viewing through the large, 2.8-inch LCD color screen. Custom settings--including locking the temperature range, adjusting emissivity, and configuring your preferred color palette--allow you to tailor the display to your exact preferences.

5,000 Image Capacity and Li-Ion Battery for All-Day Use
With the quick pull of a trigger, the Extech i5 saves an image to a 512 MB miniSD card inside the camera for later analysis. Up to 5,000 radiometric images can be saved in JPEG format.

The included rechargeable lithium-ion battery lasts for over four hours, which means uninterrupted inspections, allowing you to get through a project without a single charge. For added convenience, you can plug the charger directly into the camera for recharging--no need to remove the battery.

QuickReport: Instantly Go from Import to Report
Each radiometric image can be organized and analyzed using the included QuickReport PC software. The built-in report templates allow the user to include either two infrared images, or an infrared image and a digital photo, when presenting data in a report. Image descriptions, text, and voice comments can be transferred automatically as well. Use QuickReport to add your company logo to inspection reports, drag and drop images, preview report pages, or add text comments. Inspection reports can be emailed and exported to Microsoft Excel, Word, or PowerPoint, or to the FLIR Reporter software, without any loss of valuable radiometric data.

QuickReport allows you to adjust the level, span, zoom, and pan of the camera. It features a choice of 10 different color palettes, and allows you to change isotherm and temperature levels, as well as create spot meters, lines, and areas. The alarm displays risk of surface condensation, mold growth, and inadequate insulation at variable parameters that you set.

This camera measures 8-4/5 by 3-1/10 by 3-3/10 inches (H x W x D).

Warranty Information
The Extech i5 is backed by a manufacturer's two-year limited warranty on parts and labor.

What's in the Box
Camera, microSD card, miniSD adapter, battery, AC adapter with EU, UK, US, and Australian plugs, QuickReport software, USB cable, hand strap, carrying case, and CD of manuals and documentation.

Product Description

Small and lightweight, weights only 12 ounces. Saves up to 5,000 fully radiometric JPEG images on mini SD card. 2% accuracy and 0.18°F sensitivity picks up even the smallest changes. 2.8" high resolution LCD display. Easy-to-use menu allows for one-hand navigation. Li-Ion battery provides 5 hours of operation on a single charge. Includes: Mini SD card, AC adapter/charger, USB cable and software.

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Product Details

• Item Weight: 5 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 6.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B003B3N60E
• Item model number: Extech i5
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #87,136 in Home Improvement (See Top 100 in Home Improvement)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not for everyone, November 18, 2010

By 

T. Conrad "Old Grouch" (Colorado Springs) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Extech i5 Thermal Imaging Camera - Part# IRC40 (Tools & Home Improvement)

This is not your average device. Camera, yes, but very low resolution. 80x80 or 6400 pixels. About 0.006 megapixel. Think of it as 6400 thermometers in an 80x80 array. Also, not for low temperatures, no good for snow and ice. So why buy it?

If you are a building improvement type, very useful for spotting heat 'leaks', or hotspots. You could use one of the far less expensive infrared thermometers, but they measure only one point at a time. You would have to scan the surface and hope you didn't miss anything. With this, you can capture an entire side of a house, and save the image. For electrical circuits, one shot of a circuit breaker panel shows the relative loading of each circuit. Breakers with higher loads are warmer. I use it for design and troubleshooting of electronic circuit boards. Easy to spot overloads and shorts. The old method was to feel each component. That can hurt if you find a very hot one. With the i5, one image shows all, without missing anything. Easy to check the effectiveness of a cooling fan.

A word about Extech: They make a wide variety of low cost handheld instruments. Not as good as Fluke or Agilent, but more affordable. The i5 is not really Extech, but is made by FLIR, the parent company. FLIR has been in the thermal imaging business for a long time, the i5 is their entry level product.

The unit is very easy to use. Push the on/off button, wait a bit for the internal calibration and warm up, open the shutter (rocker arm under the lens) and point at something. To save an image, pull the 'trigger' on the front of the unit. You get a false color image, warmer generating reds, yellow or white, colder green, blue, violet. A scale on the image shows the temperature range. Time and date may be included on each image if you desire. You can review previously captured images with a single button push. You can copy the images to a computer with the mini-SD adaptor, but far easier to use the included USB cable. The i5 looks like a small disk drive, drag the images to wherever you need them. The lens is fixed focus, minimum working distance is about 2 feet.

The quick start guide has about 21 languages. Extech/FLIR sell this everywhere. The manual does not tell you how to configure the AC adaptor. You have to select from one of half a dozen plugs (for just about anywhere in the world), and insert it in the wall wart before using it. Line it up carefully, slide it in until it clicks, and you are ready to go. Takes about 4 hours to fully charge the battery. The included memory card is 512 megabytes, it will hold about 5000 images.

And you cannot take "pictures" of someone under their clothes. You will get the outside temperature of their apparel. Generally very close to room temperature.

So it isn't for everyone, but if you need to measure temperatures over an area, this is the most economical unit on the market.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great little thermal camera!, June 21, 2011

By 

Rob Stover (Colorado) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Extech i5 Thermal Imaging Camera - Part# IRC40 (Tools & Home Improvement)

I purchased my Extech I5 Thermal Imaging Camera in 2008 for 3000.00. As a water and mold damage remediation professional, I saw the need for specialized tools to increase the accuracy and veracity of my remediation projects. I have performed approximately 200 water and or mold damage projects since buying this camera, and the Extexh I5 has become invaluable to

me. Many a sceptical and uncertain home owner has been persuaded to proceed with water damage remediation once I showed them a thermal scan "proving" the presence of water in areas that to the human eye looked perfectly normal.

Water in organic items like wood or sheetrock can grow mold if not dealt with promptly. If you can't see the water, you probably will not remove it! Thermal imaging is a great tool to use to protect your greatest investment!

20 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not for iPad or Printed Reports, November 16, 2010

By 

Norman N. Mcdonald - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Extech i5 Thermal Imaging Camera - Part# IRC40 (Tools & Home Improvement)

Probably great to satisfy curiosity regarding temperaturs and heat or cooling leak indications. Representation on hand-held screen is crisp and clear. Uses a micro-SD card to store photos, but camera does not creat photo file folder (DCIM or similar) recognized by most computers including iPad nor will a Blackberry if you want to Email it while in the field.

Potential customers cannot see immediate results of surveys except on handheld screen unless carrying a Windows OS laptop. Technical Support answered on 2nd ring, was great and said no getting around this.

Accompanying software for Microsoft computers only. Instruction book is on CD, 164 pages that you can print out and have bound at Staples for just under $5.00. Instruction book contains a lot of infared technology history and other potentially valuable informational data, but not exceptionally revealing about the device.

Photo size on memory card is 80 x 80 and image distorts when attempting to insert into MS Word documents used for written reports.

Manufacturer literature states that this is an entry-level device that may fit your needs.