Compare PT II Thermal Cameras

The Guide Sensmart PT450S, PT650S and PT870S share the same advanced PT II inspection platform, ≤15 mK thermal sensitivity, 50 Hz imaging and eight lens configurations. The principal difference is native infrared resolution: choose the PT450S for detailed professional inspections of accessible targets, the PT650S when smaller targets, longer distances or regular cropping demand more detail, or the PT870S when native megapixel resolution is required for critical, large-scale or long-distance inspections.

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Guide Sensmart PT450S PT II Thermal Imaging Camera with ApexVision

Guide Sensmart PT450S

480 × 360 native IR resolution

8 lens options

From £10,585.00 incl. VAT £8,820.83 excl. VAT
Guide Sensmart PT650S PT II Thermal Imaging Camera with ApexVision

Guide Sensmart PT650S

640 × 512 native IR resolution

8 lens options

From £15,385.00 incl. VAT £12,820.83 excl. VAT
Guide Sensmart PT870S PT II Thermal Imaging Camera with ApexVision

Guide Sensmart PT870S

1280 × 1024 native IR resolution

8 lens options

From £35,885.00 incl. VAT £29,904.17 excl. VAT

Guide Sensmart PT450S vs PT650S vs PT870S: which should you choose?

The three PT II models provide the same professional camera format, ≤15 mK thermal sensitivity, 50 Hz live imaging, rotating optical module and specialist lens selection. Moving through the range primarily buys more native detector pixels.

The correct model depends on the smallest target you need to resolve, its typical working distance, how much of the thermogram you may need to crop and the evidential detail expected in the final report. If accessible targets normally fill the frame, the PT450S may provide everything required. The PT650S and PT870S become increasingly valuable as targets become smaller, more distant or more difficult to isolate within a wider scene.

Comparison of the Guide Sensmart PT II PT450S, PT650S and PT870S thermal imaging cameras
	PT450S	PT650S	PT870S
Native IR resolution	480 × 360	640 × 512	1280 × 1024
Native detector pixels	172,800	327,680	1,310,720
ApexVision S1 output	Up to 960 × 720	Up to 1280 × 1024	Up to 2560 × 2048
Pixel increase over PT450S	Baseline	Approximately 90% more	Approximately 659% more
Best at	Detailed inspection of accessible professional assets	Resolving smaller or more distant targets across varied inspection work	Maximum-detail inspection of critical, distant or complex assets
Typical inspection profile	Close-to-moderate-distance electrical, mechanical, HVAC and building inspections	Industrial, utility and building inspections involving smaller targets and regular cropping	Critical utility, power-generation and industrial work requiring native megapixel detail
Choose when	Your targets normally fill the frame and extensive cropping is unnecessary	Greater target detail is regularly useful, but native megapixel resolution is not required	Missing fine detail or losing evidence through heavy cropping would carry significant consequences

Choose the PT450S for highly capable professional thermography

The Guide Sensmart PT450S combines 480 × 360 native infrared resolution with the same ≤15 mK sensitivity, 50 Hz imaging and professional operating platform available across the PT II series.

It is the commercially sensible choice when targets can normally be approached closely enough to occupy a useful portion of the frame and substantial post-inspection cropping is not routinely required.

Choose the PT450S for:

Electrical panels, switchgear and distribution equipment
Motors, bearings, pumps and production machinery
HVAC systems, plant rooms and building diagnostics
Preventive-maintenance and condition-monitoring programmes
Professional inspections at close-to-moderate working distances
Teams prioritising PT II ergonomics, sensitivity and lens flexibility over maximum resolution

Choose the PT650S for high resolution across demanding mixed inspections

The Guide Sensmart PT650S increases native resolution to 640 × 512, providing approximately 90% more detector pixels than the PT450S.

It is the strongest overall balance for professional teams that regularly inspect smaller or more distant targets, enlarge images for reporting or work across a mixture of electrical, mechanical, utility and building applications - but do not require the exceptional resolution of the PT870S.

Choose the PT650S for:

Detailed electrical and industrial condition monitoring
Smaller components or targets inspected from moderate distances
Substations, utilities, solar installations and other distributed assets
Large facilities containing varied electrical and mechanical equipment
Reports in which thermograms are frequently enlarged or cropped
Teams that need native 640 × 512 resolution without moving to the PT870S

Choose the PT870S when native megapixel detail is essential

The Guide Sensmart PT870S provides 1280 × 1024 native infrared resolution - more than 1.3 million detector pixels.

That is exactly four times the native pixel count of the PT650S and approximately 7.6 times that of the PT450S. This is not simply a modest step up in specification: it materially changes how much thermal detail can be retained across large scenes, distant targets and heavily cropped images.

Choose the PT870S for:

Small or distant targets that occupy only a limited part of the thermogram
High-voltage substations, transmission equipment and power-generation assets
Large solar, renewable-energy and industrial installations
Thermally complex scenes containing multiple potential anomalies
Critical inspections where uncertainty or a missed fault carries substantial cost
Detailed engineering, research or diagnostic work requiring native megapixel data
Reports requiring the maximum available thermal detail and cropping flexibility

What does the resolution difference mean in practice?

When the same lens and working distance are used, a higher-resolution PT II camera places more detector pixels across the inspected target:

The PT650S records approximately 90% more native pixels than the PT450S
The PT870S records four times as many native pixels as the PT650S
The PT870S records approximately 7.6 times as many native pixels as the PT450S

Those additional pixels can reveal finer thermal patterns, preserve substantially 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 safely or practically be made to fill more of the frame.

Which PT II lens configuration should you choose?

Every PT II model is offered in eight purchase configurations covering wide-angle, standard, telephoto, macro, high-temperature and dual-field-of-view requirements.

The camera model determines the amount of native thermal data available. The lens determines how that resolution is applied across the target, based on field of view, working distance and measurement temperature.

45° wide-angle: For walls, rooms, large equipment and confined spaces where stepping farther back is difficult
25° standard: The most versatile choice for general electrical, mechanical, HVAC and building inspections
15° medium telephoto: For smaller components or moderately distant assets
7° telephoto: For small, distant, elevated or restricted-access targets
Macro: For close inspection of very small components and fine thermal patterns
25° high-temperature: For equipment requiring measurements up to 2000°C
25° + 45° DFOV: Switch between general and wide-area coverage without changing lenses
25° + 15° DFOV: Switch between general and more distant targets without changing lenses

A higher-resolution camera cannot compensate fully for selecting the wrong field of view. Match both the camera and lens to the smallest target, typical working distance and maximum temperature you need to measure.

Capabilities shared by all three models

Whichever PT II camera you choose, the platform provides:

≤15 mK thermal sensitivity
50 Hz infrared imaging
ApexVision S1 image enhancement
Standard measurement range from −40°C to 650°C
High-temperature configurations reaching up to 2000°C
Manual focus and interchangeable lens configurations
Wide-angle, standard, macro and telephoto options
Dual-field-of-view configurations
Rotating optical module for awkward inspection positions
5.5-inch Full HD touchscreen
Integrated OLED viewfinder
Physical controls and customisable buttons
Dual visible-light cameras and integrated illuminator
Laser-assisted distance measurement from 0.1 to 35 metres
USB-C and Micro HDMI connectivity
Two rechargeable batteries and dedicated charger
Supplied 128GB SD card
Guide IR Analyser software for image analysis and reporting

PT II FAQ

Clear answers to the most common questions about choosing between the Guide Sensmart PT450S, PT650S and PT870S.

The principal difference is native infrared resolution. The PT450S provides 480 × 360, the PT650S provides 640 × 512 and the PT870S provides 1280 × 1024. They otherwise share the same PT II operating platform, ≤15 mK sensitivity, 50 Hz imaging and lens configurations.

Yes. The PT450S, PT650S and PT870S all provide thermal sensitivity of 15 mK or better. Moving up the range increases native detector resolution rather than thermal sensitivity.

Choose the PT650S when smaller targets, longer working distances or regular cropping make additional image detail valuable. Its 640 × 512 detector contains approximately 90% more native pixels than the PT450S.

The PT870S is justified when inspections involve very small or distant targets, large and thermally complex scenes, extensive cropping or critical assets where maximum available detail reduces uncertainty. If accessible targets normally fill the frame, the PT450S or PT650S may offer a better commercial return.

The PT870S provides the greatest native detail and is therefore the strongest body for demanding long-distance inspection. However, the correct telephoto lens is equally important. The 15° or 7° configuration will place more detector pixels across a distant target than the standard lens.

Yes. The PT450S, PT650S and PT870S are each offered with the same eight wide-angle, standard, telephoto, macro, high-temperature and dual-field-of-view configurations. This allows camera resolution and lens requirements to be selected independently.

Not by itself. Higher resolution provides greater spatial detail and more pixels across the target. 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 cameras. ApexVision S1 can produce higher-resolution output from every model, but native detector resolution remains the clearest measure of how much thermal data the camera captures directly.