Straight answers
Short pieces on the questions that come up before you buy. For the full walkthrough of every number on a thermal spec sheet, start with Thermal 101.
384 or 640: what does sensor resolution actually buy you?
Resolution buys you range and field of view at the same time, and nothing else. A 640-wide sensor puts 2.8 times as many pixels on the scene…
Updated 2026-09-20
12 µm vs 17 µm: does pixel pitch matter?
Pixel pitch matters because it sets the lens. A 12 µm pixel is 30 % smaller than a 17 µm one, so a 12 µm sensor reaches the same field of vi…
Updated 2026-09-20
Why the detection range on the box is not the range you will get
The box figure is real, but it answers a question you are not asking. It is the distance at which a 1.8 m tall person occupies about two pix…
Updated 2026-09-20
Thermal scope, clip-on or handheld: which one first?
Buy a handheld first unless you already know you will shoot at night regularly. A handheld is what you actually use most — scanning, walking…
Updated 2026-09-20