# Thermal cameras



## ethanhogan (Jun 1, 2016)

Does any one on here have one? If so how much did you pay? I'm looking for a thermal camera to asses hive size through walls house barns etc!? The good ones are $1500-5,000 or more. Any suggestions?


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## enjambres (Jun 30, 2013)

I use a much less expensive (at least I hope it is) IR temp gauge that I borrow from my husband's tool shed when I need to pinpoint a cluster. Useless through insulation (duh!) but I can get good readings through 7/8ths thick pine hive bodies.

Enj,


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## Cyan (Jan 27, 2015)

The one we have at work for detecting gas leaks is a FLIR- pretty hefty price tag even used. However, I believe Caterpillar makes a cell phone with a thermal imaging camera that runs somewhere around $500. How well that might work for you, idk, but as those phones improve I may look into buying one. Being able to check for air leaks (temperature loss from a home/building) is pretty handy when remodeling.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

To me the size of the hive has no bearing. I'm always prepared for a large one. The more important factor is where the hive is located as to not tear up the residence looking for it. A simple 30.00 laser thermometer is all I use so I can't assist with thermal cameras.


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## ethanhogan (Jun 1, 2016)

My bee man that is what I am looking for. I guess size was not necessarily the right wording. I want know where the bees are in relation to a wall. If they are on the outer wall or if they are on the interior wall and have to tear someone's drywall down Etc etc


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## K Wieland (Sep 15, 2011)

Sony used to sell digital cameras (<100$) with a "night mode" pre 2005. Typically cameras block the IR and let the visible through. In the night vision mode, they blocked the visible and let the IR through. Normal silicon detectors are sensitive in the near IR, so these are actually pretty good thermal cameras. However, people realized that you could use the night mode to see people through their clothes, so they don't cameras with that feature anymore. Might be able to find a used one.

See here, for example:
http://irbuzz.blogspot.com/2007/05/ir-for-beginners-sony-nightshot-cameras.html


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