The Xinfrared One XH09 thermal camera: REVIEW

In the past, thermal imaging cameras were usually only available to those with specific corporate needs or military budgets and were either of lower quality or too expensive for the common user.

But that has changed now that rugged mobile phones, which often use FLIR Lepton sensors, have integrated thermal imaging capabilities.

Among this terrain, the Xinfrared One XH09 stands out as a hardware addon that works with both iOS and Android phones. To provide higher-fidelity thermal imaging performance, it uses a unique sensor.

This camera and the Xinfrared P2 Pro, its predecessor, seem to be very similar at first glance. But this new design has a grip meant to make taking pictures and videos easier, along with a variable-focus lens and an upgraded resolution sensor.

It is simple to use the camera by just plugging it in and running the Thermal Eye X app on your phone. But the package also comes with a handle and a short USB-C cord extender for an improved experience.

In addition to the handle, one XH09 can be installed atop a rifle scope for hunting purposes thanks to the housing provided by Xinfrared. Even though this would provide hunters with an unfair advantage and might only apply to people who live in areas with loose gun laws, it’s still a possibility.

This specific use draws attention to the One XH09’s much smaller field of view, which sets it apart from many other thermal sensor phones and accessories. This feature makes it more appropriate for outdoor activities like hunting. Still, it’s adaptable enough to be used for things like figuring out heated heating pipes or finding engine block cracks.

In conclusion, compared to the P2 Pro, the One XH09 is a significant improvement for Xinfrared and has attractive features that make it worth the increased accessory price.

How much does it cost?

When the InfiRay Xinfrared P2 Pro was first released, the Xinfrared One XH09 cost about $40 extra, according to the manufacturer’s website. For an additional $30 and next-day shipping, it is also available on Amazon. XINFRARED ONE XH09 cost is $340/£370

Model	Xinfrared One XH09 (for Android)
Resolution	256×192
Connection	USB-C
Accessories	Camera, USB cable and phone bracket
Works on	Android phones 9.0 or above
Camera	Focal length: 9mm, FOV: 19.63°×14.71°
Thermal Range	0C to 100C
Thermal Accuracy	3C (plus or minus)
Weight	18.5g
Dimensions	23mm x 23mm x 23.8mm

Design.

The One XH09 camera comes with a short cable extension and is packaged in a nice, compact pouch. With a USB-C connector and output, our test device was made with an Android phone in mind. There is, however, a variant with Lightning connectors that is compatible with Apple iOS.

Although it’s not the best solution, you may attach the camera directly to your phone or tablet, facing either way.

A smartphone bracket mount that has a grip to hold the phone and camera in the ideal places is included with our camera. Additionally, the bottom of the bracket has a quarter-inch thread, which facilitates a simple attachment to a photography tripod.

The absence of a Bluetooth button on this excellent bracket is the one thing that worries us. A button to record video or take still photos on the handle would greatly enhance the workflow.

Measuring only 23 x 23 x 23.8 mm, the camera boasts an IP65-rated aluminum construction and is remarkably compact. It has a rubber lens cover and manual focus that is attained by twisting the lens’s front. Mounting the camera on the phone bracket makes it reasonably simple to adjust the focus ring for the best results. But with a rifle installed, it might be harder; we didn’t have the attachment to try this.

You can set the angle in the Thermal Eye X program because the camera can have varying angles depending on whether it’s mounted on the bracket or directly on the phone. This guarantees that the image you’re working with is not upside-down.

At first glance, the 256 x 192 resolution of the One XH09 sensor can seem low. Still, it’s impressive given the FLIR Lepton 3.5 sensor’s meager 160 x 120 resolution. With 49,152 pixels as opposed to 19,200, the One XH09 sensor has a pixel density that is more than twice as high.

Customized especially for this camera, the Thermal Eye X software is the most recent version of a utility that is used in many X-infrared systems. With its many improvements to monitor hot spots and show peak temperatures, it makes it possible to record thermal subjects in still photos and video.

Even on powerful smartphones, there is a disadvantage to asking for overlays with numerical temperatures: the screen lags. This implies that the software does not have hardware acceleration for these text overlays, which means that the capture process is not as fluid as it could be.

This software has advanced significantly since the P2 Pro’s release, even if there is still space for development. It has most of the necessary features that those who work with thermal imaging would probably need. Users can choose from a wide range of palettes to apply different fake color schemes to the photographs.

Furthermore, the program gives users exact control over the source of temperature data inside the image and lets them designate the surfaces (such as wet, brick, or skin) that are shown in the shot.

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A lack of a timed capture function is an important factor.

Without a third hand, capturing a picture becomes hard when utilizing the camera bracket with one hand and focusing with the other. When I tried to use voice activation, it just went back to the standard camera.

A 10-second countdown option that allows users to start a recording and modify the focus and framing as necessary could be one possible solution. Including a button on the handle or integrating such a function would make taking exact pictures much easier.

XINFRARED ONE XH09: CAMERA

This sensor is similar to the one that was previously used in the Xinfrared T2S Plus, but it differs significantly. Although the sensor in the T2S Plus runs at 25 Hz, the sensor in the One XH09 clocks in at 50 Hz, which is twice as fast.

Again, because it detects movements better than the T2S Plus, the One XH09 is positioned as being more appropriate for outdoor applications due to these factors as well as its lens’s narrower field of view.

In terms of power usage, even when the app is not open, the camera starts to use power as soon as it is inserted into the phone. Therefore, it’s best to disconnect the camera after using it for the intended purpose.

A drawback in comparison to a phone’s built-in camera is the incapacity to improve photos by combining them with regular exposures from traditional camera sensors. This isn’t possible because the phone doesn’t know how the One XH09 is situated. On the other hand, it can show a picture-in-picture (PIP), which helps the user understand the thermal image more clearly.

Even with a thermal sensor with a respectable resolution, the images can still have considerable pixelation. Xinfrared has added the X3 capability to the camera software to address this. This function makes use of the higher 50Hz cycle to record more frames and use the extra data to produce a better-quality image.

In practice, this oversampling increases the resolution and works really well.

The limited field of view decides whether this method works well or poorly for the majority of users. If the subjects are close together, the frame could be too tight. With practice, it performs better and produces satisfactory outcomes for individuals who are farther away.

The manufacturers state that the temperature accuracy is within 3°C. It is advised not to rely on this degree of accuracy for medical assessments as it is insufficient for such purposes.

Conclusion: The camera’s capacity to draw power depletes the battery life of any phone it is used with. The effect might be substantial if your phone has a tiny battery. The easiest approach to ensuring that you don’t run out of power solution might be to use it with a tablet.