Thermal Camera Specifications Explained: Resolution, IFOV, and What Export Rules Mean for You
Resolution is the headline, IFOV is the decision. A practical reading of thermal payload specs, plus the export thresholds worth checking early.
2026-02-193 minDONYION supply team
A 640 × 512 sensor and a 320 × 240 sensor can cost three times apart, and the cheaper one is sometimes the better choice. What matters is the instantaneous field of view — the ground area a single detector pixel sees at your working distance.
Three numbers that decide the payload
- IFOV: smaller values resolve smaller targets from further away
- NETD: lower values separate small temperature differences
- Frame rate: matters for moving targets, not for static inspection
Where export rules bite
Thermal cores below certain IFOV limits fall under control lists in several jurisdictions, and the same camera can be uncontrolled in one configuration and controlled in another. Confirm the exact core, lens and frame rate before you commit to a delivery date.
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