Having only received my unit yesterday I have not had much time to play but the experience so far is good.
My comments on it so far:
1. Very nice to hold and operate one handed. The 'gun' shape works well.
2. Very clear display
3. Navigation pad OK but pressing the lower side is not as easy unless you use the very tip of your thumb (IMHO)
4. USB socket on top is a disaster ! It is too small and fragile looking for my liking. I have been looking for a more compact connector, possibly, right angle, with a more flexible cable. I hope to avoid passing too much leverage onto the socket mount. FLIR could have done this a lot better with larger and more robust socket. Spare leads are easily available though and I have seen a nice flexible flat cable from China that looks a good option.
6. The trigger action to capture images is excellent, but can be a bit laggy between shots....I am impatient I suppose.
7. The lack of a tripod mount or optional adapter is already niggling me. I sometimes need the camera operating hands free which can't be done with the E4 as supplied, unless it is propped up on something, and it’s then not very stable. Mike has developed a modification to the battery to incorporate a tripod mount. The battery base is pretty small though, so stability isn't great.
8. Image quality is excellent with the MSX running. It really does make images more understandable to the layperson viewing them.
9. The soft case (pouch) is, IMHO, a must have accessory. It makes carrying the E4 a breeze. It is very well constructed and the finish is good as well.
Notes:
My unit came from PASS in the UK. I was provided with a Soft case (pouch) for my E4 free of charge. It may be worth asking your supplier if they will do the same. It is worth having it. The soft case that I was given is in fact the one for the Exx range, so I suspect PASS had a few to spare. The difference between the Exx soft case and the Ex soft case is not that great. Both hold the E4 camera perfectly, but The Exx has some more space in front of the camera face (for when people attach an auxiliary lens to an Exx ?) If you look at pictures of the two cases you will see the Ex case is more 'snub nosed' than the Exx. I intend to fit auxiliary lenses to my Ex so the Exx case better suits my needs.
Only one battery is supplied. It is my habit to always buy a spare. They are $50 each in the USA so will likely be GBP50 in the UK ! Battery life is supposed to be very good at 4 hours, so there is no urgent need. The external charger for a spare battery is priced at $125.
The FLIR tools software seems OK. I was surprised that it does not include the option to save images (that have been modified) as standard formats such as jpg, TIFF and bmp etc. A major PITA for me. The free FLIR Explorer99 (March2007revision) permits me to modify images from my PM series cameras and save them as BMP. Not optimal but at least usable. I tried to access an E4 image with Explorer99(March2007). No dice, it does not recognise the .jpg file type.
I will provide further comment when I have had more time with the unit.
Update: Soft case / Pouch datasheets added.
I just found the datsheets in the Ex and Exx series pouches.
Model: Exx Pt No. T911087 (marked on receipt and inside case (on tab) Fits my Ex like a well made glove.