Buying basics
Thermal camera resolution explained
Why native detector pixels matter more than marketing-sized output.
Short answer
Native IR resolution is the physical detector pixel count. Enhanced or super-resolution processing can improve readability, but it cannot create the same measured scene detail as a genuinely higher-resolution detector.
A practical workflow
- Find the native IR detector figure.
- Separate it from display and enhanced-output resolution.
- Compare sensitivity, focus, field of view and working distance alongside pixel count.
Common mistakes
- Buying by screen resolution
- Assuming digital zoom adds measured detail
- Ignoring minimum focus distance
Choosing a camera for this job
Start with native IR resolution, thermal sensitivity, field of view and focus. Close electronics work often needs macro or manual focus; broad building scans benefit from a useful field of view and enough native pixels to resolve an anomaly from a safe distance. Compatibility and reporting workflow matter as much as the headline detector specification.
Compare the exact models in our catalogue →Reviewed August 2026 · Educational information, not a substitute for qualified electrical, mechanical or structural advice.