TOPDON TC002C Thermal Camera

Solid feeling device. Nice case with 2 cables, key one for me, lightning to usb-c. No problems connecting via cable to an iPhone 14. App functions well and fairly easy to out the camera to work without really having to read the manual. But I did, calibrated everything and verified the temperature readings with a kitchen thermometer in hot water. Complaints of the unit “clicking” well, do some homework. That’s by design to stay calibrated. It’s a sub $300 thermal camera that records accurate pictures and video to your phone or device. If you want professional grade FLIR, chuck another zero on the cost. Solid device, good software. Testing some things for work….dell server, touch screen PC, AXIS cameras, switch and wireless AP

I was on the fence for years about buying a thermal camera, until our energy bill spiked drastically last month. Looked for a USB-C device that works with iPhone 15, and found this Topdon one as the only that doesn’t require a lightning-to-USB-C adapter. Chose a dongle instead of a standalone device for simplicity and to keep the price low. Resolution and picture taking was also key. Put up attic stairs insulation (unfortunately) before buying the TC002C, but was surprised at heat leaking around the edges (color photo). Put HVAC duct tape around the edges and immediately saw a dip of 2 degrees, despite it being later in the day and hotter outside. The only way to see that effectiveness was with the thermal camera; even my laser thermometer has too wide of a spot to be that pinpointed. Plus, seeing all of the temp ranges at once is fantastic. The most important advice I have is to learn the app. Changing the filter colors is situational, but I prefer the grayscale because it’s not as busy. Using the spotting options is extremely important; you can choose to drag line, grid, go full frame, or manually place dots—using them appropriately makes comparing location temps so easy. And you can change the font color on the settings page, which helps a ton. Turn on the automatically connect camera and save settings in the Learn More (why??) page. Overall, I absolutely love this device because it just works. And the app is way more useful than any of the YouTube reviews of the TC002 showed.

Does the TC002 IR camera deserve five stars? Perhaps not. But then my previous camera was FLIR ONE EDGE PRO. It suffices to say that FLIR, for about close to three times the price was far from matching my expectations. And then there is TC002 from TOPDON (first time hearing that name). I plugged in the camera, and there it was. Much higher refresh rate with higher resolution. The site claims TC002 is HD. Well, that's very far from an actual HD resolution, but for such a small IR camera, it is still far-far better than what FLIR offers! That's it. Last night, I watched the paw trail my cat left while going toward her water bow. It was eerie and downright scary what this toy could do. And yes, the cat left enough warmth on the wooden floor for the sensor to pick up a distinct paw trail... This thing put a smile on my face!!! I should have taken a picture, but I was in awe to even think about it then. TC002 pros compared to FLIR ONE EDGE PRO: 1. Improved resolution 2. Way faster refresh rate - putting the center of the FLIR camera on top of the object to get a temperature reading was torture. The refresh was that sloooooow. With the TC002, it feels natural, practically instantaneous. 3. Better software - easier to connect and work with and with more options. 4. FLIR communicates through WIFI. The initialization takes 15 seconds... Annoyingly slow and additionally blocks the WIFI on the phone while connected. 5. TC002 arrives with a robust case to carry the camera. You can buy a case for FLIR for an additional $30, and most of the carriers don't have it in stock!!! 6. You don't need to charge TC002 or worry that the battery might go bad. It takes energy from the phone. TC002 cons compared to FLIR ONE EDGE PRO: 1. The temperature numbers are often lost (practically invisible) because they have the same color as the high-temperature object behind them on the camera view. 2. The contrast on average temperature objects seems to be slightly better on FLIR. The issue feels minor. The TC002 feels more sensitive than the FLIR, which might explain the contrast issue. Also, FLIR has a second camera in the visible spectrum, which helps contour the actual objects. 3. FLIR has a second camera. As good as TC002 is, it cannot match that feature. 4. FLIR can be put in an inconvenient place without the need for a cable connecting it to the phone. General cons: 1. Occasionally, there is a moment of hanging while calibrating. Both cameras have this issue, but it is far worse with FLIR (slow again). 2. When rotating the camera, there are some lines appearing on the screen. Both cameras have the issue, but it is more pronounced with TC002. Regarding accuracy, I got the same readings from both cameras +-0.1 degrees Celsius. I did not test it extensively, though, just heat from my CPU. Conclusion: FLIR seems to be built by a corporate. In the sense that the camera should have those features, so here they are. It does not matter if it is annoying. It will get the job done. TC002, on the other hand, seems to be built by a passionate hacker. In the sense of let us have fun and see how far we can get.

I mainly use this gadget for my graphic installations. It connects right to my phone, letting me scan and make sure my vinyl’s getting hot enough during post-heating. Works great for that purpose! I even tested it out one night in a cemetery full darkness and something that looked like an opossum popped up on the scan. Scared the life outta me, but hey, it proved the thing works! I’m giving it four stars because the image feed can lag now and then; I just wish it responded a bit quicker. But overall, it’s a solid little tool and definitely worth the money.

This is a pretty nice little tool for the iPhone users. I have been using iPhone for years, this is perfect for me. I keep this device around the house, for any needs of checking temperatures. Its easy to setup the 1st time. Just download the app, and plug in the thermal imager, it the app will auto detect that the device is connected, and prompt you to open the app. Once the app opens, it will take a few seconds to calibrate, then its ready to go. There are a few different features, there is the traditional thermal detection function. Show the highest, and lowest temp, and the spot you are pointing to. There is also a feature you can draw a rectangular shape, and it will only detect the highest and lowest in the box you have draw. There is also a liner feature, only detect the high and low on that line you draw. This is very useful, and small enough to keep it in my pocket. The accuracy is around 3 to 5 degrees differences. I have try to test it with my handheld thermal meter. But as you are using it for a few mins, the temperature gets more accurate over time, I think its because of the on going calibration. there is also a time lapse feature, I can set it to track the high and low temperatures over a period of time. This is very useful, I can see how much the temperature have increased or decreased over how long. So far I really like this little imager. But do keep in mind, this only works with the iPhone, will not work android phones.

It’s pretty neat and it does show variances in temperature on exterior walls and works really well for its price point

Good product, but error in communication. It works as intended with my iPhone 15pro Max. However it is designed for the lighting port. HOWEVER, it DOES include in the case a short lighting to USB-C and I think a lighting micro USB cable for Android phones. After you download their app, you can set temperature to C and F temperature ranges with upper and lower ranges. Functionality shows temperature changes very close to real time. Like when you have it look at you when you exhale you see that temperature change. Good clarity of images not grainy or pixelated like I thought it would be so it works as expected. I would recommend this unit.

For a long time I've thought that an IR camera would be fun to have but never could justify the high price of a standalone device. This iPhone accessory is the perfect way to go! It works very well and is small and easy to carry in your accessory bag and have on hand whenever you need it. Also very nice that it is powered by the phone and doesn't need a separate charging cord. It's proven so very useful to be able to "see" in the new thermal dimension. We're of course used to seeing colors and textures, but being able to see thermally give you a whole new perspective. Dogs leave thermal paw prints as they simply walk on the carpet. I was initially surprised to see a "jail bar" pattern in the wall above our king bed, but then of course realized those were the 2x4 studs in the exterior wall and the "jail bars" were the subtle temperature difference in the 2x4 wood vs the insulated spaces between. This thermal camera is essentially a whole wall stud finder! that gives you and instant picture and doesn't require the typically frustrating dragging of a tool and listening for changes in a tone. I also do electronic design and it's very insightful to instantly get a thermal image of all the components on an operating PCB. I wish I'd purchased this sooner!