The FLIR E-Series (E4 / E5 / E6 / E8) Review

Thermal imaging systems have been highly sought after by individuals and companies alike because of their usefulness, ranging from detecting potential electrical line problems, down to locating possible water leaks inside the house. With plenty of excellent systems and impressive thermal imaging cameras attributed to their name, Flir has once more delivered another exceptional line of their products—the E series.

The E series comprise of four models and each is fitted with features and specifications that are similar in some cases and vastly different in other aspects. In this review, we have compared the four systems based on their common features and according to the differences that they have in order to help you decide on the right thermal imaging system for you.

COMMON GROUND:

Creating a series of systems with common features is done for years now, simply because it seems so much more practical to create a common ground for all the models rather than create an entire new specification for every product.

With this idea in mind, one common denominator among the four E series models is their impressive 3” color LCD with a 320 x 240 MSX resolution. MSX or Multi-Spectral Dynamic Imaging) is a FLIR exclusive technology that offers sharper-than-usual image rendering, making low-quality images more appealing to the eyes. The image delivery can also be viewed in three different color palettes: Iron, Rainbow, and Gray.

Speaking of appeal, the design of these gadgets is a far cry from the i series’ lightweight features. With dimensions of 11.9” x 5” x8.1” and a weight of approximately 1.2 pounds, the E series looks and feels well-built and offers plenty of room for manual operation.

Look for other thermal imagers…

Another feature which makes an appearance on all E series models is the on-board 640 x 480 digital camera, which offers crisp imaging. However, due to its focus-free lens, it tends to deliver blurry images at times, especially when trying to inspect smaller components. Its wide 45 x 34 degree field of view, on the other hand, may provide some help to the image quality despite the focus-free feature since the depth of field improves as the field of view increases. Temperature range is the same for all the four camera models at -20 to 250 degrees Celsius or -4 to 482 degrees Fahrenheit.

The E series also come equipped with a swappable Li-ion battery with an excellent 4-hour battery life. These removable batteries are somewhat highly beneficial since it is one way to restart the gadget if it suddenly hangs. They can be charged using a USB cable which is included in the package.

Another interesting feature these cameras have is their ability to store images in their internal storage. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have any Micro SD card so you have to use a micro USB cable to connect the thermal imaging camera to the PC to download the pictures. The internal storage can only save up to 500 pictures, which is not a lot but is enough. The pictures are saved in the standard JPEG format, which is good news especially when sending or sharing pictures.

Check out Flir E4Check out Flir E5Check out Flir E6Check out Flir E8

Warranty is the same in all four models. The E series come with a 10-year warranty for the IR detector, a 5-year protection for the batteries and a 2-year guarantee for the parts and labor.

DIFFERENCES:

There are a few differences to consider which would actually help you in deciding which model you should purchase.

IR Resolution:
The first model of the E series, the E4, comes equipped with an impressive 80 x 60 IR resolution or a total of 4800 pixels which is more than enough for a good quality image. From there, higher resolutions and total pixels are noted. The E5 is fitted with a 120 x 90 resolution and an equally higher total number of pixels at 10,800. The E6 boasts of an even higher IR resolution at 160 x 120 with an impressive 19,200 pixels. The last, but by no means the least in the group, the E8 is packed with an IR resolution of 320 x 240 and an excellent 76,800 pixels.

Judging by numbers alone, the E8 model outranks the other cameras in the E series by a considerable amount in terms of IR resolution as well as in the number of pixels.

Thermal Sensitivity:
When it comes to thermal sensitivity, the lower the sensitivity, the better the images turn out to be. With this in mind, the E4 model offers a thermal sensitivity of less than 0.15 degrees Celsius, whereas the E5 delivers a lower sensitivity of <0.10 degrees Celsius. The E6 and the E8 systems have the same thermal sensitivity at less than 0.06 degrees Celsius. Image Modes:
All of these models come with various image modes such as the IR image, visual image, MSX technology and a thumbnail gallery. However, one feature in the image mode delivery that is only existent in the E6 and E8 models is the picture-in-picture mode. This configuration allows you to overlay a thermal image unto a real-color photo to determine locations and parts with potential problems as well as to facilitate better documentation.

Price Range:
With all the differences seen in the four E series units, pricing is also a consideration, especially when choosing a thermal imaging camera. The E4 camera is the cheapest among the 4 camera systems at less than $1000. The E5 comes with a price range of $1400-$1500. Considering the features presented, it should come as no surprise that the E6 is as a higher price range of $2000-$2500, whereas the E8, with all its numerous specifications is found between the $3000-$4000 mark.

There are more Flirs to check!

CONCLUSION:
To help you visualize the differences and similarities better, here’s a table for your convenience:

Based from the above table, you would have at least an idea on which model to buy. As I have said, each has its own benefits as well as disadvantages. The E4 is definitely within a lower price range and can offer good quality images. This makes it suitable for those who are still new with thermal cameras. For those who want a better imaging camera, of course there’s still the E5 and the E6 models, each with its own corresponding price tag. The E8 is ultimately better in all aspects and can provide clearer images. However, the price range is a bit too steep for my taste. All in all, the E series is more than capable of providing exceptional thermal imaging quality. It is all just a matter of preference and budget.

For more information about FLIR E4 click here.
For more information about FLIR E5 click here.
For more information about FLIR E6 click here.
For more information about FLIR E8 click here.