FLIR LS64 Vs FLIR PS-32

SkyPup

New member
Thanks to the good folks at FLIR Commercial Systems and TNVC, I was able to get a new FLIR LS-64 Thermal Scanner to compliment our well used PS-32 scanner.

Currently, the LS-64 is being charged up, but here are some pics before we take them both out hog hunting this weekend to run a functional comparison on the two instruments.

LS-64 = 640X512 = 327,680 OLED Pixels

PS-32 = 320X240 = 76,800 OLED Pixels

The OLED pixels are what you are actually seeing in the viewfinder, so you can easily see the increase in total resolution.

The LS64 is an increase in 4X+ resolution over the PS32, not to mention it also has a 35mm lens instead of a 19mm lens, so for twice the price you are getting 4X+ the range and resolution.

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LS64%20PS32.jpg


Functional analysis report to come after the hunt Saturday night.
 
Now that I got to try it out initially for a couple of hours last night my first impressions are that I like it very much!
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First off, it has no lighted buttons on it like the PS-32, all the buttons remain totally dark and unlite. The exterior is the exact same size and dimension as the PS-32, except that the objective germanium lens is 35mm instead of 19mm, everything else externally is the same, including the same size ocular OLED.

When turning on the LS-64 there is no external light or way to know that it is on until you look through the ocular. It has the same five minute automatic turn off as the PS-32 does if no buttons are pressed in five minutes to save battery power.

Looking through the ocular OLED, it has about 4X more higher resolution, everything is in much more focus and stands out much more clearer with little to no "fuzz", also moving the LS-64 gives virtually zero lag in video frame drops or hangups due to the increased 30Hz frame rate over the PS-32s 7Hz frame rate. The same auto NUC happens with about the same frequency as the focal plane array is reset to a mono-temperature.

On the LS-64 the 2X internal magnification gives virtually zero distortion and is very clear and powerful, much more so than the PS-32 is at 2X. At 4X the LS-64 is still very strong and easy to identify raccoons, rabbits, deer, possums, foxes, etc. at 300 yards. The Red Alert feature is also much stronger as it lights up animals at 2X-4X the range that it does on the PS-32. Another kewl function on the LS-64 is that you can infinitely adjust the magnification from 1X up through about 6x by holding down the magnification button. If you push the button it will shift from 1X to 2x to 4X and back to 1X again. But if you hold the magnification button down it will automatically infinitely increase from 1X up to 6X or so and back down again, a very nice precise feature.

The Brightness Adjustment is the same as the PS-32 with five levels. If you hold down the brightness button for more than one second the 5mW Red Laser comes on, it is pretty powerful for a red laser and easy to see with the naked eye out past 250 yards at night.

I will use both of these thermal scanners on a hog hunt Saturday night and report back how well they functioned, supposed to be high pressure and freezing temps this weekend.
 
Great review..I think Flir owes me credit for the no lighted buttons..They wanted to know why i had electrical tape all over it..because I was busted by a coyote on the first night.

After this review, if you got the money this would be worth buying, but the PS32 does get the job done. I bet this would come in handy when you are on a field and want to still see insta alert far into the woods.
 
Yep first night I owned my PS32 I had the buttons taped over with black duck tape! Who the heck thought glowing red buttons was a great idea on a system designed for night use?
 
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The increase in resolution and detail is stunning, I can easily tell the difference between a raccoon and a rabbit at 350 yards, major increase in clarity enough to ID many more critters in pitch dark.
 
Originally Posted By: SkyPupThe increase in resolution and detail is stunning, I can easily tell the difference between a raccoon and a rabbit at 350 yards, major increase in clarity enough to ID many more critters in pitch dark.

For $2,700 you get thermal detection.....For $6000 you get ID too.... Is that a correct assessment ??
 
What would u say gives you better resolution the bigger lens in mm or the hz. For example if you had a choice between same resolution 320x480 but had to choose between 19mm or 25mm what difference would you see.

Or is it the hertz that gives you better resoltion. I am guessing its both but basically which one makes a bigger difference with thermal..the mm size or hz?
 
The hertz only gives you the realtime speed in the viewfinder.

Think of the hertz like flipping the pages in a comic book really fast. If you flip 9 (9hz in this case) pages a second, you can see each page turn and the delay between flips. If you flip at 30Hz you cannot decipher the screen stopping and it looks like fluid motion in the viewfinder.

Although this deals with security cameras, this video shows an example of what the issue is. They call it frames per second. In Thermal, it is hertz and the called the refresh rate. Very similar but same principal to the eye.


The resolution is just the number of pixels on the screen to show the image. Mine is 160x120 and 30hz. So the picture is small and shows little detail. His new model shows 4X the resolution and is able to display more detail in the image. Much like a very small picture on this message board can be hard to see detail in, but when the pictures are larger, you can see much better and not work so hard to pick up detail. This will be tremendously helpful finding game in thick brush and seeing movement behind cover in some cases.


Oh and Skypup... Very... Nice gear. The critters cannot be safe around you. And that is a beautiful "Back yard" also.. You are blessed.
 
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I am pretty sure that the lens has allot to do with it.

On my FLIR Thermal Weapon sights (both 30Hz) they both have the same size large lens but one is 320X240 and the other is 640X480, they both perform pretty much the same out to 250 yards at 1X. At 4X and above the 640X480 is much cleaner though due to more pixels available and has more range with higher magnifications.

The only problem with a larger lens is generally less FOV, however on the PS-32 and LS-64, the LS-64 with the larger 35mm lens actually has a larger field of view by a little.

Basically, at 1X-4X the lens is of primary importance, above 4X though it is the microbolometer with more pixels that has the cleaner image and the target is represented by more pixels.

These germanium IR lenses are at least 1/2 the cost of the entire unit, they are very expensive. A FLIR 35mm lens cost $2K, a FLIR 65mm lens costs $3.5K, and a FLIR 100mm lens costs $5.5K. The Germanium lenses cost allot.
 
Hope hot shoe and extended lenses become available for the ls series. Then I can pitch my getto video out adapter for the ps series. Having it feeding a video screen makes scanning while sitting inside the vehicle easy, plus larger screen gives better resolution. Just shot 8 hogs last night. Detected them while driving by, parked and setup waiting for them to leave the field. Got 7 out of 11. I found 4 that night and farmer found 3 more next day, 1 in field in between the rows, and 2 in brush north of field.
 
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Originally Posted By: Hard_wareHaving it feeding a video screen makes scanning while sitting inside the vehicle easy, plus larger screen gives better resolution. Just shot 8 hogs last night. Detected them while driving by, parked and setup waiting for them to leave the field.

Hard Ware....

For $6k you can just get the dual camera setup for your vehicle.....just think of the cool factor with this mounted on your truck.....LOL
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...vectorid=229466


 
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Was thinking of getting Cadillac flir unit for driving lights out. ebay 600.00 I have everything else to make it work. 4 for 360 degree view
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Rolling death!
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Originally Posted By: SkyPupThe increase in resolution and detail is stunning, I can easily tell the difference between a raccoon and a rabbit at 350 yards, major increase in clarity enough to ID many more critters in pitch dark.


SkyPup (per my PM)
If you can do this with a LS-64 then there is diffidently something wrong with mine. I could hardly tell the difference between a coon and a coyote at 200 yards Saturday night.
 
Originally Posted By: family guyOriginally Posted By: SkyPupThe increase in resolution and detail is stunning, I can easily tell the difference between a raccoon and a rabbit at 350 yards, major increase in clarity enough to ID many more critters in pitch dark.


SkyPup
If you can do this with a LS-64 then there is diffently somthing wrong with mine. I could hardly tell the difference between a coon and a coyote at 200 yards Saturday night.

Did you take the Lense cover off?
 
Originally Posted By: SkyPupPretty much that is a good assessment.

I can ID all the cows at night in the backyard with the LS-64 now....

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I would pay $6K to see this well!

Do you have an actual picture of your backyard with the LS-64??
 
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