Why Are Infrared Thermal Imaging Cameras So Expensive?

Why Are Infrared Thermal Imaging Cameras So Expensive?

   Infrared thermal imaging cameras provide a large number of conveniences and application cases for modern military, medical, construction, security and other fields. But why the price of such a useful thermal imaging camera is so expensive, mainly because its cost is expensive. The reasons for the higher cost are the following 4 points: lens, detector, circuit, and algorithm.

(1) Lens

   Infrared thermal imaging camera lenses are usually made of germanium glass, which has a very high refractive index and can only be transparent to infrared light, but not to ultraviolet light and visible light. Therefore, the infrared camera lens can distinguish plants and animals in a dark environment. Not only that, the lens also uses common germanium scattered metal elements that are not found in ordinary cameras. It is very difficult to extract high-concentration germanium, which further causes the production cost of germanium lenses. If it is for the design of non-standard lenses, extremely high costs will be invested even in the development stage.

(2) Detector

   The detector is a high-precision instrument with high technological content, and the core technology is basically mastered by the United States and France. At present, there is no more sophisticated or comparable product in China, so high-end detectors have long been monopolized by these two countries. Moreover, the domestic use was limited before, and there was no large-scale research and development, which led to the need to use imported detectors in the design of infrared thermal imaging cameras in China, which invisibly increased the cost.

(3) Circuit

   On the one hand, the quality of an infrared thermal imaging camera also depends on whether the circuit design adopts the automatic verification technology of no file. If it is a backward product, it will use a file to adjust the temperature of the circuit board. The use of the baffle will cause the screen to pause, and may also cause the circuit connection to be unstable. Therefore, the infrared thermal imaging camera that adopts the technology of automatic calibration without files also increases the corresponding cost.

(4) Algorithm

   Thermal imaging cameras with face recognition or other excellent algorithms can further improve practical applications. Moreover, in different application fields, different algorithms need to be customized to meet actual needs, so this will also cause the difference between the prices of different infrared cameras, and also increase the cost.

   Under the same circumstances, infrared thermal imaging cameras sold abroad will be more expensive than domestic ones. This is not because the performance of foreign products is better, but with the same performance, foreign products need to pay customs duties, value-added tax, and perhaps consumption tax, plus freight, rental fees, and agency fees, which greatly increase the cost of foreign thermal imaging cameras. price. Therefore, domestic infrared thermal imaging cameras with better performance can be bought at the same price.