I gave my Android phone thermal vision superpowers with this accessory

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The InfiRay P2 Pro currently sells for around $250, but it’s well worth it if you require a thermal vision camera.
• Use a thermal camera on functioning items to learn how they should look, which will make it easier to spot faults later.
• The InfiRay P2 Pro thermal camera is the best option, offering flexibility, speed, and accuracy without needing separate charging.

I’m a big fan of Android smartphones with built-in thermal cameras, such as the awesome Ulefone Power Armor 18T.

I also understand that some people just don’t want to have to swap out their smartphones to get access to this useful superpower.

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If you don’t want to buy a new smartphone, the InfiRay P2 Pro is the tool for you.

The InfiRay P2 Pro consists of a tiny thermal camera and a magnetic snap-on macro lens that allows the camera to be brought super close to the item being examined.

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The camera is indeed tiny. Measuring 27×18×9.8mm and weighing in at a minute 9 grams, it’s smaller and lighter than a charging cable.

The InfiRay P2 Pro is tiny.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

Setting up the P2 Pro is easy — download and install the P2 Pro app from the Google Play Store, fire up the app, pop the camera into the USB-C port, and away you go.

Here is the InfiRay P2 Pro fitted onto an Android smartphone.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

If your Android smartphone is the ruggedized type, you might have problems fitting the camera and need to get your hands on a USB-C extender.

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Then you can start exploring your environment.

Here’s an InfiRay P2 Pro selfie.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

A feature of the P2 Pro app I really like is that along with crosshairs at the center of the image are two more that pick up the highest and lowest temperature in the shot.

The P2 Pro app gives you a raft of thermal information.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

Then there is the macro lens.

Here’s the magnetic macro lens for the P2 Pro.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

Popping the macro lens onto the front of the camera lets you get up close and personal with what you’re looking at, giving you better resolving power to really home in.

Let’s get up close with the macro lens.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

Here’s a closeup thermal image.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

The software offers a lot of customization options without being packed with unnecessary features.

This thermal camera is awesome, especially considering the price.

Not sure what you can do with one? Here are just a few things you can do with a thermal camera:

• Find overheating electrical components (faulty components usually run hotter).
• Diagnose all sorts of HVAC problems, from windows that leak heat to radiators that aren’t warming up properly to AC units that aren’t cooling.
• Find dangerously overheating rechargeable batteries.
• Find radiator pipes underneath floorboards.
• Find overheating power cables.
• Find problems with cooling systems on desktop and laptop systems.
• Spot binding brakes on cars.

My tip for learning to use a thermal camera is to use it to look at things when they aren’t faulty — your radiators, car brakes, electrical stuff, anything — and that way you get to know how things should look, so you can tell when things aren’t working right.

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I find the thermal camera so useful that I turn to it without thinking about it. Just now, I wanted to know if an electrical appliance was getting power. Instead of reaching for a multimeter, I used my thermal camera to see if anything was warming up on the inside. Once I saw components heating up, that eliminated a load of possible problems.

ZDNET’s buying advice

I’ve been testing a number of thermal cameras — both standalone and attached to smartphones — and the InfiRay P2 Pro is the best. It’s small, the macro lens makes it super flexible, it’s fast and accurate, and it doesn’t need to be charged separately.

InfiRay P2 Pro tech specs

• 256×192 IR resolution
• 256×192 IR resolution
• -20°C to 550°C ± 2°C temperature range
• Small design: 27mm × 18mm × 9.8mm and weighs 9g
• Battery-free design
• Support Android 9.0 and above
• USB-C interface