I liked: The low price, smooth framerate, plenty of storage space, solid battery life.
I didn’t like: The fact that the color scale keeps readjusting, having to snap a photo when you just want to use the laser.
| Product | Type | Resolution | Battery capacity | Waterproof | LCD screen | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UNI-T UTi120S | Handheld | 120 x 90 | 2600mah rechargeable lithium battery | Yes | 2.4″ (320 x 240 pixels) | Click for more info |
UNI-T UTi89 Pro  | Handheld | 80 x 60 | 5 hours (Rechargeable Lithium Battery) | Yes | 2.8″ (320 x 240 pixels) | Click for more info |
UNI-T UTi260B  | Workbench | 256 x 192 pixels | 5000 mAh Li-ion, 6 hours | Yes | 2.8″ | Click for more info |
UNI-T UTi120S Specifications
| Type | Handheld |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 120 x 90 |
| Pixels | 10,800 pixels |
| Connectivity | USB-C |
| Temperature range | -4 to 752°F (-20 to 400°C) |
| Accuracy | +/- 2% / 2 C |
| Thermal sensitivity | < 60 mK |
| Distance | |
| Storage Type | 16GB micro SD Card |
| Battery capacity | 2600mah rechargeable lithium battery |
| Dimensions | |
| LCD screen | 2.4″ (320 x 240 pixels) |
| Refresh rate | 25 Hz |
| Applications | Home, Cars Inspections, Electrical Panels Check, HVAC Problems, Water Damage |
| View Angle | N/A |
UNI-T UTi120S – Specs & Review
I can’t decide if I like the UNI-T UTI120S’ design. On one hand it looks like a toy when compared to a Flir thermal camera and on the other hand I kind of like the color. Either way, this is a low cost camera which can provide a decent thermal resolution. And speaking of thermal, you’ll be slightly disappointed to know that the thermal sensor is alone on the back of the camera, there’s no visual camera there to support it. Sometimes there’s not much need for that but given the image quality on the unit that I tested, I do think that it would greatly benefit from a visual camera.
When I unpacked it, the first thing I noticed was that it doesn’t come with a carrying case or a pouch. You’ll find four buttons on the front to operate the menu settings and a 2.4″ LCD screen with a 320 x 240 pixel resolution, one thermal sensor on the back and a trigger to capture thermal images which you’ll be able to download to your PC via its USB-C port.
It has a laser too but the annoying part is that sometimes you just want to activate the laser and to do that you pull the trigger but that will snap a photo as well.
UNI-T UTi120S – Thermal imaging quality
I found the infrared resolution to be decent because it uses a 120 x 90 thermal sensor totalling 10,800 pixels. Now if this were 2020, I’d say it’s awesome but lately, the market has been flooded by cameras from chinese manufacturers which use higher resolution thermal sensors for ridiculous prices.
One of the big advantages of thermal cameras which come from China is that they’re not bound to any EAR export regulations like american manufacturers are, so they can provide cameras with a 25 Hz refresh rate as is the case with this one. I found the experience to be much better in comparison to using standard 9 Hz cameras. As expected, there is no option of manual focus on this specific camera and don’t expect to get one at this price level.
One of the annoying things is that it keeps readjusting the color scale so when I pointed it towards really hot areas, things that otherwise would be red in other photos were blue. There wasn’t a way for me to lock in a certain range and keep it. This constant readjustment could be confusing to some.
UNI-T UTi120S – Temperature Range, Accuracy
Now let’s look at this infrared camera’s temperature measurement capabilities. First of all, there’s the thermal sensitivity which is rated at 60 mK. This is inline with what I expected in this price range and it shows. Thermal sensitivity can actually be a much better indicator for image quality than thermal resolution. Think of it as the difference between a 10 megapixel DSLR versus a 20 megapixel standard camera. The image on the DSLR although contains less pixels somehow manages to capture more details.
Thermal sensitivity is a good measure of the quality of the infrared sensor. When using it, I noticed that the images don’t really have that much detail to them and that is because of this. Sure, bigger differences in temperature are noticeable but objects don’t seem to have that much detail to them. Also when you use it in hotter environments the picture seems to get distorted.
Then there is the temperature range and here again, things look inline with what you would expect since it can detect anything in a range from -4 to 752°F (-20 to 400°C). The accuracy is also rated at +/- 2% / 2 C, so no surprises here either. UNI-T have not posted any info on the viewing angle, so we can’t offer you an accurate number.
UNI-T UTi120S – Battery life & Memory
Now we get to the storage and things look great here because it comes with a 16GB microSD card, good enough to never have to delete any thermal images for many years. No matter how many pictures I would take, there was no issue with storage.
In terms of battery, it uses a 2600mah rechargeable lithium battery and this is a welcome feature since cheaper cameras sometime tend to use AAA batteries which you have to buy separately. Now the battery lasted a long time when I tested it but I have read about complaints about it not charging properly on some devices.
The camera is completely waterproof and dustproof with an IP54 rating. This rating means it can rain on it or maybe it can withstand a splash of water but not more than that.
You can also buy the Uni-t 120S on Aliexpress and on eBay.
My name is Kenneth Bryan and I am the Lead Tester and Reviewer of Thermal Cameras here at Industrial Reviews.
