The Guide Sensmart H3+S, H4S and H6S share the same Hammer II operating platform, <15 mK thermal sensitivity, 50 Hz imaging and extensive lens selection. The deciding difference is native infrared resolution: choose the H3+S for professional inspections of accessible targets, the H4S when additional detail and cropping flexibility are regularly useful, or the H6S for the smallest, most distant or most critical targets.
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The three Hammer II models provide the same core inspection workflow, <15 mK thermal sensitivity, 50 Hz live imaging and access to the same specialist lens configurations. Moving from the H3+S to the H4S or H6S primarily buys more native detector pixels.
The correct model depends on the size and distance of your targets, how much you need to crop thermal images and the level of detail required in the final report. If accessible targets normally fill the frame, the H3+S may provide everything the inspection requires. Higher resolution becomes increasingly valuable when targets are smaller, farther away or occupy only part of a wider scene.
| H3+S | H4S | H6S | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native IR resolution | 384 × 288 | 480 × 360 | 640 × 480 |
| Native detector pixels | 110,592 | 172,800 | 307,200 |
| ApexVision S1 output | Up to 768 × 576 | Up to 960 × 720 | Up to 1280 × 960 |
| Pixel increase over H3+S | Baseline | Approximately 56% more | Approximately 178% more |
| Best at | Professional inspection of accessible targets | Balancing additional detail with overall investment | Resolving small, distant or complex targets |
| Typical inspection profile | Close-to-moderate-distance electrical, mechanical, HVAC and building inspections | Mixed industrial work involving smaller components, moderate distances and regular image cropping | Critical assets, longer working distances and reports requiring maximum thermal detail |
| Choose when | Your targets normally fill the frame and extensive cropping is unnecessary | Extra detail is regularly valuable, but native 640 × 480 resolution is not essential | Missing a small anomaly or losing detail through cropping would justify the additional investment |
Choose the H3+S for capable professional thermography
The Guide Sensmart H3+S combines 384 × 288 native resolution with the same <15 mK sensitivity, 50 Hz imaging and lens flexibility available across the Hammer II series. It is the commercially sensible choice when targets are accessible, occupy a useful portion of the frame and do not require substantial cropping afterwards.
Choose the H4S for the strongest balance of detail and investment
The Guide Sensmart H4S increases native resolution to 480 × 360, providing approximately 56% more detector pixels than the H3+S. It is designed for professionals who regularly benefit from greater target detail and cropping flexibility but cannot justify paying for resolution that their normal inspections will rarely use.
Choose the H6S when maximum native detail matters
The Guide Sensmart H6S provides 640 × 480 native resolution - approximately 78% more detector pixels than the H4S and 178% more than the H3+S. It places more pixels across the same target when the camera, lens and working position remain unchanged.
This makes it the strongest Hammer II model for inspections where small faults, longer distances or extensive cropping make native image detail commercially important.
When the same lens and working distance are used, a higher-resolution Hammer II places more detector pixels across the inspected target:
Those additional pixels can reveal finer thermal patterns, preserve more detail after cropping and make smaller or more distant components easier to assess.
Higher resolution does not automatically improve temperature accuracy or replace correct focus, emissivity settings and lens selection. Its value is greatest when the target cannot be made to fill more of the frame safely or practically.
Every Hammer II model is offered in ten purchase configurations covering eight individual lens options and two dual-field-of-view combinations. The camera model determines the total native resolution; the lens determines the field of view, target coverage, practical working distance and available temperature range.
A higher-resolution camera cannot compensate fully for choosing the wrong field of view. For the most reliable configuration recommendation, match the camera and lens to the smallest target, typical working distance and maximum temperature you expect to measure.
Whichever Hammer II camera you choose, the platform provides:
Hammer II FAQ
Clear answers to the most common questions about choosing between the Guide Sensmart H3+S, H4S and H6S.
The principal difference is native infrared resolution. The H3+S provides 384 × 288, the H4S provides 480 × 360 and the H6S provides 640 × 480. They otherwise share the same Hammer II platform, <15 mK sensitivity, 50 Hz imaging and lens selection.
Yes. The H3+S, H4S and H6S all provide thermal sensitivity below 15 mK. Moving up the range increases native detector resolution rather than thermal sensitivity.
Choose the H4S when smaller targets, moderate working distances or regular cropping make additional image detail useful. Its 480 × 360 detector contains approximately 56% more native pixels than the H3+S while remaining below the cost of the H6S.
The H6S is justified when inspections involve small or distant targets, complex thermal scenes, extensive cropping or critical assets where maximum available detail reduces uncertainty. If accessible targets normally fill the frame, the H3+S or H4S may provide better value.
The H6S provides the greatest native detail and is therefore the strongest body for demanding long-distance work. However, the correct telephoto lens is equally important. A 15° or 7° configuration places more pixels across a distant target than the standard lens.
Yes. The H3+S, H4S and H6S are sold with the same range of standard, wide-angle, macro, telephoto, wide-temperature and dual-field-of-view configurations. This allows the camera resolution and lens requirements to be selected independently.
Not by itself. Higher resolution provides more spatial detail and more pixels across the target, but accurate temperature measurement still depends on correct focus, emissivity, reflected temperature, viewing angle and environmental conditions.
Use native infrared resolution as the primary basis for comparing the three cameras. ApexVision S1 can produce higher-resolution output from every model, but the native detector resolution remains the clearest measure of how much thermal data the camera captures directly.
Tell us your application, target size and working distance. We’ll help confirm the most suitable camera and lens configuration.
