Frame Rate

The frame rate of an infrared camera refers to the number of individual frames or images it captures per second, typically expressed in frames per second (fps). Frame rate is a crucial parameter in determining the camera’s ability to capture fast-moving objects and provide smooth, continuous thermal imaging.

A higher frame rate allows the infrared camera to capture more images per second, which is essential for dynamic or rapidly changing thermal scene applications. For example, in industrial monitoring, where machinery or processes might involve quick temperature changes, a high frame rate ensures that no critical thermal event is missed. Similarly, higher frame rates can capture moving objects with greater detail and less motion blur.

Industrial infrared cameras typically have frame rates of around 30 Hz to 125 Hz, but specialized short-wavelength infrared cameras can achieve much higher rates, up to 1000 Hz or more, depending on the application requirements and the camera’s design.

Nevertheless, higher frame rates often come with trade-offs. Increased frame rates can generate more data, requiring more substantial storage and processing power. In addition, shorter exposure time might mean noisier thermal images. Therefore, the best practice is to set the frame rate to a level at which the fastest dynamic scene is still sufficiently captured without motion blur, but low enough to create meaningful images with little noise and without using too much data.