FOTRIC 346A vs FLIR E8 Thermal Camera Imager Comparison
What's the difference between the FOTRIC 346A and FLIR E8XT handheld infrared thermal cameras?
Key Differences
| FOTRIC 346A Thermal Camera | FLIR E8XT Thermal Camera |
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Key Feature Differences
Both FOTRIC 346A (384x288) and FLIR E8XT (320x240) are the high-resolution models of handheld industrial thermal cameras with durable rugged, durable, accurate and portable design. Same specifications include an accuracy rating of ±2°C or ±2%, thermal sensitivity of 0.05°C (50mK), picture-in-picture feature, adjustable level and span. a 2-year warranty on the cameras.
The top key difference between these two thermal cameras is the infrared detector resolution - Fotric 346A has 384x288 resolution compared to 320x240 resolution on the Flir E8XT (44% more pixels on Fotric 346A thermal camera). Fotric 346A also has better spatial resolution. It means the Fotric 346A thermal camera will provide higher quality and larger radiometric images, and can reveal more details.
The second key difference between them is the adjustability of the lens focus. Flir E8XT has a fixed focus lens which means you can only get a clear picture at a certain distance from the object. When the object is further away or closer to the camera you will get a blurred or vague thermal image. Fotric 346A thermal camera has an auto and manual adjustable focus lens and you can easily adjust the focus to get a precise view of the object of interest automatically or gently rotating the lens' ring. An adjustable focus lens is preferred by most professional inspectors to supply high-quality images to their customers. Some inspectors like the FLIR MSX feature on E8 which overlaps the objects' profile lines from the built-in visible light camera to the thermal image. The infrared image looks clearer with MSX, however, MSX has nothing to do with the focus. You may get an out-of-focus infrared image behind MSX. Sometimes the MSX can create misleading information, such as seeing through a glass window with a thermal camera.
The third key difference between them is the temperature measurement range - Fotric 346A thermal camera has -4°F to 2192°F compared to -4°F to 1022°F on the Flir E8 thermal imager. This means Fotric 346A can cover more application tasks, especially the inspection high-temperature objects.
The fourth key difference between them is the camera sensor frame rate - Fotric 346A has 30Hz compared to 9Hz on the Flir E8. This means you can see a smoother thermal image and video on Fotric 346A without ghosting.
The fifth key difference between them is the screen size - Fotric 346A has 5-inch full touch-screen 720P displayer compared to a 3-inch screen 240P on the Flir E8. This means Fotric 346A has a larger screen display and you can see the details better and easier. You can get a high-resolution thermal image display with Fotric 346A.
The sixth key difference between them is the laser light spot - Fotric 346A has the built-in laser pointer while Flir E8 doesn't. FLIR put the laser pointer on some of their expensive models, but not the Ex series. Laser point can be very helpful sometimes to show the customer whether the camera is observing. Fotric 346A thermal camera can measure the distance and area size with the aid of the laser.
The seventh key difference between them is the voice annotation function - it is available on Fotric 346A while not on Flir E8XT thermal camera. Instead of taking note by hand and write down the image file name number, it is sometimes very convenient to just record short audio as the note to the infrared image taken. The audio note is saved along with the thermal image and can be retrieved in the post-processing. Fotric 346A supports up to 200 seconds of voice annotation, and text annotation as well.
The eighth key difference between them is the video recording capability. Fotric 346A support both radiometric video recording and non-radiometric video recording while Flir E8XT thermal camera doesn't. FLIR supports video recording on some of their expensive models, but not the Ex series. Video recording can be very useful to quickly document the thermal condition of the objects, such as roof scan. Fotric 346A thermal camera can record hours long of non-radiometric video saved in *mp4 file and up to 3GB fully radiometric video at up to 16 frames per second.
Other Important Features
Battery
Both cameras have interchangeable Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery. While Flir E8XT thermal camera provides 1 battery per camera, Fotric 346A includes 3 Li-ion batteries ensure enough power for one-day job.
Visible light camera
Both Fotric 346A thermal camera and Flir E8 have a built-in visible light camera and can take picture-in-picture fusion image. A 13MP industrial grade HD digital camera is included on Fotric 346A while a 0.22MP digital camera is included on Flir E8-XT thermal camera. Fotric 346A also has the flashlight which can be helpful when you are inspecting in a dark or low-light environment, such as the attic. The flashlight can help shot a bright visible light image too.
Internet Connection
Flir E8XT Wifi has a Wi-Fi connection with a smartphone or a tablet so the image can be streamed. The WiFi support on Fotric 346A will be available soon.
Movable Measurement Spot, Box or Line
While Flir E8 provides 1 center spot and 1 area box measurement tools. Fotric 346A thermal camera offers 8 spots, 8 area boxes, and 8 lines measurement tools, and all the spots, boxes and line can be movable to the area you desired. This can be very helpful when multiple areas are inspected simultaneously.
Storage Capacity
Internal memory in Flir E8 can store at least 500 sets of images. Fotric 346A provide 32GB memory SD card which can store over 2,000 sets of images. You can also change the memory SD card to larger storage for your Fotric 346A.
Color Palettes
3 color palettes, Iron, Rainbow, and Gray, are available in Flir E8-XT. 15 standard color palettes and 15 inverted palettes are available in Fotric 346A thermal camera.
Product Specifications
Purple color indicates the spec is different!
| Fotric 346A thermal camera | Flir E8-XT thermal camera | |
| IR Detector Size | 384 x 288 Pixels | 320 x 240 Pixels |
| Thermal Sensitivity | <0.05°C (50mK) NETD | <0.05°C (50mK) NETD |
| Temperature Range | -4°F to 2,192°F | -4°F to 1,022°F |
| Frame Rate | 30 Hz | 9 Hz |
| Field of View | 25x19 Degrees. Other lens options available. | 45x34 Degrees |
| Spatial Resolution (IFOV) | 1.14 mrad | 2.6 mrad |
| Screen Size | 5.0 Inch HD touchscreen | 3.0 Inch |
| Color Palettes | 15 standard color palettes and 15 inverted color palettes | 3 |
| Video Output | Yes. Micro HDMI. | No |
| Lens Focus | Adjustable, Auto and Manual | Fixed |
| Laser Pointer | Yes. Can measure distance and area size. | No |
| Picture-in-Picture | Yes | Yes |
| Radiometric Video Recording | Yes. Up to 3GB per file. Up to 16 frames per seconds. | No |
| Non-Radiometric Video Recording | Yes. Hours up to the storage limit. Up to 16 frames per second. | No |
| Moveable Spots | Yes | No |
| Moveable Boxes | Yes | No |
| Moveable Lines | Yes | No |
| Touch Screen Display | Yes | No |
| Minimum Focus Distance | 0.3 Ft (0.1m) | 1.6 Ft (0.488m) |
| Accuracy | ±2% or 2°C | ±2% or 2°C |
| Battery quantity | 3 | 1 |
| Battery Use Time | 4 hours | 4 hours |
| Battery Type | Fotric's Li-ion | Flir's Li-ion |
| Camera Light | Yes | No |
| IR Digital Zoom | No | No |
| Voice Annotation | Yes, 200 seconds | No |
| Data Logging | Yes | yes |
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Warranty |
2 YEARS |
2 YEARS |
| Calibration Included | Factory Calibration | Factory Calibration |
| Power Supply Voltage | 120V/220V Universal | 120V/220V Universal |
| Interfaces I/O | USB type-C | Wifi, USB |
| Storage | SD card 32GB, upgradable | Internal Memory, 500 images |
| IP Rating | IP54 | IP54 |
| Product Weight | 1.006 kg (2.22 lbs) | 0.576 kg (1.27 lbs) |
| Battery Type | Li-ion | Li-ion |
| Dimension |
312.8 × 123.3 × 139.2 mm |
385x 165 x 315 mm 15.2 x 6.5 x 12.4 in |
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Level and Span |
Yes, adjustable |
Yes, adjustable |
