7 Handling the camera

7.1 Charging the battery

7.1.1 General

Before starting the camera for the first time, charge the battery for 2 hours using the stand-alone battery charger.
Select a mains socket that is near the equipment and easily accessible.

7.1.2 Using the stand-alone battery charger to charge the battery

Put one or two batteries in the battery charger.

Connect the power supply cable plug to the connector on the battery charger.

Connect the power supply mains-electricity plug to a mains socket.

When the white LED on the battery charger glows continuously, the batteries are fully charged.

It is good practice to disconnect the stand-alone battery charger from the mains socket when the batteries are fully charged.

7.1.2.1 Stand-alone battery charger LED indicator

Type of signal	Explanation
The white LED flashes.	The battery is being charged.
The white LED glows continuously.	The battery is fully charged.

7.1.3 Using the USB battery charger to charge the battery

Put the battery into the battery compartment of the camera.

Connect the USB battery charger to a mains socket.

Fold up the rubber cover at the top of the camera.

Connect the USB connector of the USB battery charger to the USB-C connector in the connector bay of the camera.

To check the status of the battery charging, do one of the following:

If the camera is turned on: Place your finger at the top of the screen and swipe down. The battery status is displayed on the swipe-down menu.
If the camera is turned off: The battery charging indicator is displayed on the screen.

It is good practice to disconnect the USB battery charger from the mains socket when the battery is fully charged.

7.1.4 Charging the battery using a USB cable connected to a computer

Fold up the rubber cover at the top of the camera.

Connect a USB cable to the USB-C connector in the connector bay. Connect the other end of the USB cable to the computer.

7.2 Removing the battery

Turn off the camera.

Remove the battery from the camera.

7.3 Turning on and turning off the camera

To turn on the camera, push the on/off button .
To turn off the camera, push and hold the on/off button for more than 0.5 second.

7.4 Adjusting the thermal camera focus

For accurate temperature measurements, it is very important to adjust the focus correctly.

You can adjust the camera focus by rotating the focus ring or by pushing the autofocus button. The camera can also be set up to perform continuous autofocusing.

7.4.1 Manual focus

To adjust the focus manually, rotate the focus ring.

7.4.2 Autofocus

To autofocus the camera, push the Autofocus button.

7.4.2.1 Autofocus method

When autofocusing, the camera can use one of the following focus methods:

Contrast: The focus is based on maximizing the image contrast.
Laser: The focus is based on a laser distance measurement. The laser is used when the camera is autofocusing.

The focus method is configured by a setting. Select icon

(Settings) > Device settings > Focus > Auto focus and then select Contrast or Laser.

7.4.3 Continuous autofocus

The camera can be set up to perform continuous autofocusing.

When the continuous autofocus function is enabled, the camera bases the focus adjustments on continuous laser distance measurements. The laser is continuously on.

To enable or disable continuous autofocus, select icon

(Settings) > Device settings > Focus > Continuous autofocus > On or Off.

7.5 P button

The P button is used when screening in Operator mode.

You can also assign different functions to the programmable P button, by doing the following:

Push and hold the P button. This displays the Programmable button menu.

Push the navigation pad up/down to select one of the functions. Push the center of the navigation pad to confirm.

7.6 Remote operation button

The Remote operation button is used to trigger the screening in Button mode. The Remote operation button can also be used as an external P button in Operator mode.

7.6.1 Pair devices

Before you can use the Remote operation button with the camera, you need to pair the devices. See section 10.3.4.1 Pair with the button .

7.6.2 Change the battery

To change the battery, do the following:

Stick the button to a flat surface.

Grip the silicon edges and gently screw the upper housing of the button counter clockwise. Lift the top off.

Replace the battery with a regular coin cell battery (CR2032).

7.7 Zooming an image

You can zoom an image by using the camera’s digital zoom function. You can do this on live images and on saved images in edit mode.

To digitally zoom an image, do the following:

Zoom in: Touch the screen with two fingers and spread the fingers apart.
Zoom out: Touch the screen with two fingers and pinch the fingers together.

7.8 Connecting external devices and storage media

You can connect the following external devices and media to the camera:

An SD memory card.
A computer to move image and video files to and from the camera, using a USB-C to USB-A or a USB-C to USB-C cable.
A video monitor or projector, using a USB-C to HDMI adapter.
A USB battery charger.

LED indicator showing that the memory card is busy.

SD memory card.

USB-C cable.

7.9 Configuring Wi-Fi

Depending on your camera configuration, you can connect the camera to a wireless local area network (WLAN) using Wi-Fi, or set up the camera as a wireless access point.

7.9.1 Connecting the camera to a WLAN

Select icon (Settings) > Connections > Wi-Fi > Connect to network.

Select Available networks. This displays a list of the available networks.

Select one of the available networks and push the navigation pad.

7.9.2 Setting up a wireless access point

Select icon (Settings) > Connections > Wi-Fi > Share.

(Optional step.) To display and change the parameters, select Share settings.

To change the SSID, select Network name (SSID).

To change the WPA2 password, select Password.

7.10 Pairing Bluetooth‎ devices

You can use the camera with a Bluetooth-enabled headset.

Before you can use a Bluetooth device with the camera, you need to pair the devices.

Follow this procedure:

Select icon (Settings) > Connections > Bluetooth .

If the Bluetooth check box is unchecked, push the navigation pad to enable Bluetooth.

Select Available devices.

Wait until a list of available devices is displayed. This will take about 15 seconds.

When a Bluetooth device is found, select the device to add it, and begin the pairing procedure. The device is then ready to be used.

7.11 Operating the laser

The laser distance meter consists of a laser transmitter and a laser receiver. The laser distance meter determines the distance to a target by measuring the time it takes for a laser pulse to reach the target and return to the laser receiver. This time is converted to a distance, which is displayed on the screen.

The laser transmitter also works as a laser pointer. When the laser is on, you will see a laser dot approximately at the target.

To operate the laser, do the following:

Enable the laser by selecting icon (Settings) > Device settings > Lamp & laser > Enable lamp & laser.

To turn on the laser, push and hold the laser button icon . The distance to the target is displayed on the screen.

To turn off the laser, release the laser button icon .

7.12 Cleaning the camera

7.12.1 Camera housing, cables, and other items

Use one of these liquids:

Warm water
A weak detergent solution

Equipment:

A soft cloth

Follow this procedure:

Soak the cloth in the liquid.

Twist the cloth to remove excess liquid.

Clean the part with the cloth.

7.12.2 Infrared lens

Use one of these liquids:

A commercial lens cleaning liquid with more than 30% isopropyl alcohol.
96% ethyl alcohol (C2H5OH).

Equipment:

Cotton wool

Follow this procedure:

Soak the cotton wool in the liquid.

Twist the cotton wool to remove excess liquid.

Clean the lens one time only and discard the cotton wool.

7.12.3 Infrared detector

Even small amounts of dust on the infrared detector can result in major blemishes in the image. To remove any dust from the detector, follow the procedure below.

Follow this procedure:

Remove the lens from the camera.

Use pressurized air from a compressed air canister to blow off the dust.

7.13 Hand strap

The upper part of the hand strap is attached to the camera by a bracket. There is one bracket for the left side and one for the right side of the camera.

The lower part of the hand strap is threaded through the attachment point at the base of the camera.

7.13.1 Mounting the hand strap

Fit the upper part of the hand strap into the bracket.

Fit the bracket in place on the camera and tighten the screw with the supplied Torx key.

Thread the loose strap through the attachment point at the base of the camera. Secure the strap with the hook-and-loop fastener.

7.14 Lanyard strap

To mount the lanyard strap, do the following:

Remove the camera battery.

Starting with the FLIR logo part, thread the lanyard strap through the attachment point at the base of the camera.

Pull the entire lanyard strap through the attachment point until it stops.

7.15 Wrist strap

The wrist strap can also be used to attach a carabiner to the camera.

To mount the wrist strap, do the following:

Remove the camera battery.

Fold the wrist strap. Make sure that the part with the FLIR logo faces away from the bend.

Thread the bent wrist strap through the attachment point at the base of the camera.

Pull the entire wrist strap through the attachment point until it stops.

7.16 Front protection

To protect the camera lens and the laser distance meter, you can attach the front protection by using the supplied fastening device.

7.17 Changing camera lenses

Applicability: Camera models with an exchangeable lens.

Follow this procedure:

Take a firm grip around the inner ring of the lens. Rotate the inner ring 30° counter-clockwise until it stops.

Carefully pull out the lens.

The infrared detector is now fully exposed. Do not touch this surface. If you see dust on the detector, follow the instructions in 7.12.3 Infrared detector .

Make sure that the inner ring of the camera lens is fully in its open position.

Correct: The tooth (1) is in its end position at the black stop pin (2).
Wrong: You must rotate the inner ring until the tooth (1) reaches the black stop pin (2).

Carefully push the lens into position.

Rotate the inner ring of the lens 30° clockwise. The lens makes a click when it locks in place.

Make sure that the two index marks are aligned, indicating that the lens is locked in place.

7.18 Calibrating the lens–camera combination

Applicability: Camera models with an exchangeable lens.

7.18.1 Introduction

Before a new lens can be used with the camera, the lens–camera combination must be calibrated.

This is a process that previously had to be performed by a FLIR service department, but for the FLIR Exx-EST series the calibration can be performed by the user. This feature is called AutoCal. The AutoCal procedure requires a calibration target, which is included in the lens package.

7.18.2 AutoCal‎ procedure

Dip the calibration target in water for 1 second and let the excess drip off.

Tape or hang the calibration target on a wall.

Mount the new lens on the camera according to the procedure in section 7.17 Changing camera lenses . When the lens is mounted, the calibration wizard starts automatically.

From a distance of 2 m (6.6 ft.), aim the camera toward the crosshair, using the laser pointer. The camera will take a picture automatically.

In the camera, align the thermal and visual images (indicated by the two squares in the image below), using the touchscreen arrows. The lens–camera combination is now calibrated.

To repeat the procedure at a later time, go to Settings > Camera information > Calibrate lens....

7.19 Calibrating the compass

It is recommended that the compass is calibrated every time you move the camera to a new location.

Follow this procedure:

Push the navigation pad to display the menu system.

Select icon (Settings) and push the navigation pad. This displays the Settings menu.

Use the navigation pad to select Device settings > Geolocation > Compass.

If the Compass check box is unchecked, push the navigation pad to enable the compass.

Select Calibrate compass and push the navigation pad. Follow the on-screen instructions.

	WARNING
When the camera is set to autofocusing with the laser method, do not point the camera at the face of a person when you use the autofocus function. The laser beam can cause eye irritation.

	WARNING
Do not point the camera at the face of a person when the continuous autofocus function is on. The camera uses laser distance measurements (that are continuous) for the focus adjustments. The laser beam can cause eye irritation.

	WARNING
Do not look directly into the laser beam. The laser beam can cause eye irritation.

	CAUTION
Do not apply solvents or similar liquids to the camera, the cables, or other items. This can cause damage.

	CAUTION
If you use a lens cleaning cloth it must be dry. Do not use a lens cleaning cloth with the liquids that are listed above. These liquids can cause material on the lens cleaning cloth to become loose. This material can have an unwanted effect on the surface of the lens.

	WARNING
Make sure that you read all applicable MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) and warning labels on containers before you use a liquid: the liquids can be dangerous.

	CAUTION
Be careful when you clean the infrared lens. The lens has a delicate anti-reflective coating. Do not clean the infrared lens too vigorously. This can damage the anti-reflective coating.

	CAUTION
In Step 2 below, do not use pressurized air from pneumatic air circuits in a workshop, etc., as this air usually contains oil mist to lubricate pneumatic tools.