PROS: MSX image enhancement, Wi-fi with Cloud connectivity & Bluetooth, Wider temperature range, large 3.5″ touchscreen, 5 MP Visual Camera.
CONS: Infrared resolution could be even higher, but MSX helps a lot.
| Product | Type | Resolution | Battery capacity | Waterproof | LCD screen | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Flir C3-X | Handheld | 128 x 96 | 4 hours | Yes | 3.5″ | Click for more info |
FLIR C5  | Handheld | 160 x 120 | 4 hours | Yes | 3.5″ | Click for more info |
FLIR C3  | Handheld | 80 x 60 | 2 hours | No | 3″ | Click for more info |
Seek Shot  | Handheld | 206 x 156 | Li-Ion, 4 hours | No | 3.5″ | Click for more info |
Flir C3-X Specifications
| Type | Handheld |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 128 x 96 |
| Pixels | 12288 |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-fi (Cloud support), Bluetooth |
| Temperature range | -4 F to 572 F (-20 C to 300 C) |
| Accuracy | 3 C |
| Thermal sensitivity | 0.07 C |
| Distance | |
| Storage Type | Internal Storage (>5000 images) + Cloud storage |
| Battery capacity | 4 hours |
| Dimensions | 138 x 84 x 24 mm (5.4 x 3.3 x 0.94 in) |
| LCD screen | 3.5″ |
| Refresh rate | 8.7 Hz |
| Applications | HVAC inspection, Electrical inspections, Plumbing, Roofing, Automotive Diagnostics |
| View Angle | 53.6 |
| Features | Waterproof, Dustproof, Manual Focus, Visual Camera |
Flir C3-X – Specs & Review
The Flir C3-X is very similar to the old Flir C3, just with some key additions which we’ll list in our Flir C3-X review and we will also compare the Flir C3-X vs C3.
First of all, they upgraded the connectivity and this new thermal camera has Bluetooth and especially Cloud Support in the form of the Flir Ignite Cloud platform. Now, the C3-X becomes the second camera together with the C5 that can automatically upload thermal images to the Flir Ignite platform.
The USB port was upgraded too, because it now comes with a faster USB-C port instead of the old micro USB.
Please note, that the camera will be sold in two versions, one with wifi and one without wifi. Given that you get the Cloud connectivity, the Wifi version will be worth its money.
When you want to capture images, you get the minimum and maximum temperature reading live on the screen and it also has auto orientation. You can toggle between spot measurement or set a defined box area.
No change in the number of color palettes that are offered, there is a selection of 4 color palettes to choose from: Rainbow, Iron, Grey and Rainbow HC (High-Contrast).
You can switch between automatic level and span or manual and the manual mode helps you clearly highlight the object that you want to measure.
Just like on the older model, it lets you adjust the emissivity for when you are measuring shinier materials or body temperature and the ambient temperature so that you can get a more accurate temperature reading.
If you are a professional, you can use the camera with the Flir Thermal Studio software to create thermal reports, do batch processing and enhance thermal videos by editing them.
Flir C3-X – Thermal imaging quality
The Flir C3-X has a newer sensor with a higher IR resolution than the standard C3 because it can now output images with a 128 x 96 pixel infrared resolution. That means 12,288 thermal pixels in total and more than 2.5x times more detail than what the Flir C3 would offer.
Along with the infrared sensor, there is an upgraded 5 megapixel visual camera for MSX image enhancement, a big improvement to the 640 x 480 camera that the older model had.
In terms of the thermal data, it captures the images in the same way that the C3 did, in JPG format with 14-bit radiometric thermal data embedded for each one of the 12,288 pixels.
The refresh rate has remained the same and will remain for a while for most infrared thermal imaging cameras because of the EAR export regulations.
There is no manual focus but there is a manual level and span feature that allows you to highlight the object that you are measuring by tapping on the screen. This is a great feature that you can also find on the Flir C5, but not on the old C3.
Flir C3-X – Temperature Range, Accuracy
The Flir C3-X also has an improved thermal sensitivity in comparison to the C3 with the camera being able to react to a 0.07 temperature difference.
And the improvements continue because the object temperature range was widened to a thermal scope from -4 F to 572 F (-20 C to 300 C), that is twice as wide as the C3. This opens the device up to more applications like troubleshooting refrigeration equipment or tools with high heat environments like ovens.
But this improvement has come with a slight loss in temperature accuracy because now Flir puts this camera with a +/-3 C accuracy. Now we know that the wider the temperature range of a camera, the lower the measurement accuracy so this is not necessarily a disadvantage. In terms of field of view, it also has a 53.6 viewing angle.
Flir C3-X – Battery life & Memory
The Flir C3-X can store images in 2 different places: The first one is its internal memory which can hold at least 5000 images and the other one is the Flir Ignite cloud. Now with the Flir C5, you get 1GB of storage space on the platform so we expect that it will be the same with the C3-X.
There is also a huge improvement in the battery capacity and energy efficiency because the Flir C3-X now has a 4-hour battery life and it takes just 2 hours to fully charge it.
The good news doesn’t just stop on the inside, it is also on the outside of the device because this thermal camera now has an IP54 enclosure and it is waterproof and dustproof. You can splash it with large amounts of water and it will still function. It can also withstand a 2-meter drop.
The LCD screen is larger and it now has a 3.5″ screen size. It is a capacitive IPS touchscreen that lets you operate all aspects of the thermal camera.
In terms of warranty, it is subject to the same warranty contract as all of the Flir thermal cameras, 2 for the device and 10 for the thermal imaging sensor provided you register your device within 60 days of purchase.
