Thank you both for the information on the differences between the Radiance 1 and HS platforms. When I obtained the official “Menu” software from the Amber Senior project engineer he commented that it should work with my Radiance 1 despite containing references to the Radiance HS. He said the two camera firmwares were basically the same. Sadly I have yet to get the Radiance 1 to respond to that HS version of the software despite the the correct version (V3). Most frustrating and I need to spend some time investigating the reason for the inability to establish communications (it fails the communications check that Menu provides)
These are relatively rare cameras due to their initial purchase cost and age. It is testament to their build quality that some of them are still performing well to this day. The Amber Senior project engineer was very pleased to hear that my camera was still working well beyond its expected service life. He told me about a private project he completed a few years ago for a company that still uses an Amber Radiance cooled camera and the DFOV lens. He built them a special combined power supply, data interface and software package for controlling the lens.
With regard to finding such cameras…. All of my working cooled cameras came to me via eBay and at very good prices. Sadly times have changed since those purchases though and I see far fewer “bargains” these days and some of the cooled cameras being offered ring alarm bells with me as they are unlikely to be viable due to condition or the need for unobtainable software (ex military types). I think I just got very lucky to find the cameras that I have when they were at more hobby friendly prices. My FLIR SC4000 purchase remains the best bargain camera buy at £900 but then there was the fully functional, low hours, MWIR AGEMA THV550 for 99 pence ! That was also somewhat of a bargain
Another THV550 with a faulty EVF cost me £200 a few years ago and that was also a great price for such a camera.
The SC4000 that I have is very unusual in that it is the expanded wavelength coverage version that covers part of the SWIR band down to 1.5um. That produces some very interesting thermal imagery through plate glass windows and opaque ceramic substrates !
Sadly my days of such exotic purchases seem to be behind me now as prices have increased considerably in recent years. I still have plenty of unusual cameras to “play” with and keep me occupied though
I have been repairing and testing modern, current model, thermal cameras in recent months. Most have come out of China and have been from various Retail price points. Sadly they are all pretty similar inside and, for me, quite boring. Almost getting to “system on a chip” levels of integration and, of course, common LWIR microbolometer technology. For me, they are less interesting as I appreciate fine engineering and love to see a nice solid metal chassis with well designed engineering within
Not much of that to be seen in modern budget microbolometer cameras…. More like “good enough” engineering at the lowest possible BOM cost ! I know I am a dinosaur with these views, but I am a happy dinosaur when working on the older cameras with their fine engineering and differing approaches to construction and electronics package
This is why I like the Amber cameras
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