Very intresting discovery!
To test if the lower noise was from a different firmware or other hardware I want to show some results from my Seek Compact (non XR, non Pro) with different app-versions. The device was bought used and is already a few years old. Unfortunately the camera firmware did not change, probably because for my first test when I got it I already used the V2.1 app.
TL; DR: Noise performance was the same with both app versions.
Anyway here are the differences I noticed. Target was my (not so clean) desk and a baking oven.
Seek-app version 1.9.5.15:
Saves images with 832x624 px. ,the camera model in the EXIF is "PIR-206, 0.0.0.5"
The live image has "Seek thermal" displayed above the image.
Highest displayed temperature: +330°C
When very hot objects appear there seems to be an overflow and -40°C are displayed.
Seek-app version 2.1.1.3:
Saves images with 1280x960 px. , the camera model in the EXIF is "Compact"
Temperature indicators are smaller.
The live image has "Seek compact" as overlay in the image.
Highest displayed temperature: +324°C (maybe the heater turned off), same overflow error.
When very hot objects appear the automatic scale does not reset. So after viewing the oven the temperature scale was useless for room temperature (2.1.1_4.jpg)
Oh, and the registration can be skipped...
Because my Xperia Z3 has the micro-USB port in the left side and the Seek-app can not rotate the thermal image I used the app "Rotate Screen Orientation" from
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2331514 to lock the screen orientation to landscape. Thus also the text in the images is 90° off...
Best regards,
Cat