WILSONVILLE, OR – Thermal imagers detect and amplify minute temperature differences between objects in the user’s environment and convert them into recognizable images, much like a digital photographic camera does with visible light.
Similar to photographic cameras offering different settings and filters to optimize image quality in different environments, FLIR engineers have increased the performance of their newest Breach thermal monocular and ThermoSight Pro thermal riflescopes by adding distinct palette options that display captured temperature data in discrete color sets. Each palette offers various advantages, depending on user preference and circumstances.
“Breach and ThermoSight Pro offer a choice of seven palettes, and there is no right or wrong palette for any particular application,” says FLIR Sales and Distribution Manager, Angelo Brewer. “The choice really comes down to personal preference, the characteristics of the user’s environment, and how the image might be used.”
WHITE HOT: The most commonly used palette, White Hot displays warm objects in white, while cooler objects appear dark. This palette is great when there’s a wide span of temperature in the same scene.
The main advantage of White Hot is that the overall scene looks very realistic, so the user more easily interprets details. This palette is suitable for scenes with either high or low contrast, making it a great option when shifting from one landscape to another.
BLACK HOT: The opposite of White Hot, the warmest objects appear black in this popular palette. Black Hot is a favorite among law enforcement and hunters alike, because scenes look lifelike, especially at night.
RAINBOW HC: This palette uses multiple colors to display minute temperature differences. It is often used in large, open areas where differences in temperatures are minimal. It adds more visual interest to the scene and ensures excellent visibility of objects with a high temperature. Rainbow HC is particularly useful in low contrast scenes, as it utilizes a wider color spectrum to add details to the scene and ensures excellent visibility.
SEPIA: This palette displays warmer temperatures in yellow and cooler temperatures in black. The Sepia color palette has a relatively narrow visual spectrum and helps reduce eye and mental fatigue. Because it is easy on the eyes, Sepia is great choice when looking through Breach or ThermoSight Pro for a significant stretch of time, such as while conducting surveillance or waiting in a blind.
IRONBOW: Ironbow is a nice, general-use palette that simulates the glow of heated objects. This palette allows users to quickly spot warmer objects against cooler backgrounds. Much like iron in a fire, a target’s radiance is conspicuous against the surrounding background, allowing for quick acquisition of people, animals and other warm objects.
ARCTIC: Arctic is another popular palette, because it displays high temperatures with a well-defined outline that separates warm from cool, helping warmer targets stand out in their surroundings.
OUTDOOR ALERT: Outdoor Alert uses the lifelike detail of Black Hot, but highlights the hottest ten-percent of the scene in orange, making it even easier to find hot objects in a scene. Outdoor alert is a popular choice for nighttime game recovery and surveillance.
When it comes selecting a thermal imager, the ability to display and view the environment in multiple color palettes has significant benefits; seven choices are always better than one. And while choosing a preferred color palette is up to the user and the specific environmental conditions in which they’re operating, with so many choices, Breach and ThermoSight Pro definitely have a video palette that will provide a clear advantage.
The new FLIR Breach thermal monocular and all three new ThermoSight Pro thermal riflescopes are now available for purchase at established FLIR dealers throughout the US, starting at $2,495 and $2,199, respectively.
