Milwaukee has announced their new M12 thermal imaging camera, model 2260-21, which further broadens their already vast selection of testing & diagnostics tools. The thermal imager features a 160×120 px thermal image resolution, 14-662°F temperature range, 3.5″ 640×480 px color LCD display, and it saves images to an SD card (2GB included) via jpeg format.
The M12 thermal imager is capable of simultaneously capturing a thermal map and a visual image, which can be viewed back-and-forth in-camera or side-by-side in a report. 2 LED floodlights help illuminate dim work areas visually and in the corresponding photographs. The camera is rated at IP54 for weather and dust resistance, and is designed to be comfortably operated with gloved hands.
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On paper, the M12 version looks to have an edge against competing models, but competitors (e.g. FLIR/Extech and Fluke) have many more years of experience in designing and troubleshooting these types of tools. It will be interesting to see if Milwaukee can successfully encroach on their territory.
The tool is bundled with a 2GB SD card, USB cable, 1X M12 RedLithium battery, 30-minute charger, SD card reader, carrying case, and report creation software. MSRP is $2500, and a tool-free version (2260-20) may be available in the future.
Buy Now(Buy Now via Home Depot)
(Video Preview by Tools in Action)
(This post is a revision of the preview post first published on July 25th, 2011 to include updated specs and product details.)
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fred
Other inspection tools are also pricey – but can have decent payback times depending on your application. I was initially skeptical about the ROI for visual inspection See Snake equipment – but its educated use has paid off in both pinpointing problems and increased market share. While I don’t have an application in mind for thermal imaging – if I were a utility/commercial electrical contractor I might – but I’d want to compare this offering against the FLIR equipment that seems to lead the market.
Stuart
Agreed – due to the cost of the sensor and supporting electronics, this type of tool usually does require a sizable investment. But, as you mentioned, their benefits can justify their cost. While I haven’t used one personally, I know that they can be great for detecting hotspots and leaks.
I can definitely find a use for a thermal imager in my daily work and hobbies. A thermal map of my former PC watercooling loop and radiator would have been useful. A map of my current air-cooled PC would be useful. And a map of the window would show me if there are any leaks or areas that could be better sealed off.
rob
I love the M12 product line, but this will be one tool well beyond my budget. I am sure it is quite useful, but I don’t think you could say this is priced for the DIY crowd at all. Granted I know Milwaukee aims for the profesional market first.
Stuart
This one is definitely aimed at the professional market. But, who knows, maybe prices will come down in a few years.
There are many potential DIY uses, so hopefully tool-lending libraries and hackerspaces will consider adding one to their collections.
More affordable models available from Extech and FLIR, but they range from $1200-$2000 for “point and shoot” i3/i5/i7 models.
Renato Anzalone
I have most of the M12 tools but opted for the Flir i7. Only reason was the price. I found it on Amazon in the opened box section for $1500 and paid an extra $45 for 2 years insurance as back up.
Tyler
I thought milwaukee only had a 30 min charger instead of a 20 min.
Stuart
That is correct, the charger time for standard M12 batteries is 30-minutes. I have corrected the error, thanks for bringing it to my attention!