Thermal Master P1, Repair Master

The Thermal Master P1 Thermal Imaging Camera is a handy tool that works well with both iPhone and Android through USB-C. The 320×240 resolution provides clear imaging, and it is impressive for such a small device. I like that it covers a wide temperature range from -4℉ to over 1100℉, making it useful for home projects, inspections, or hobby use. The camera connects easily, and the setup is straightforward with the app. It feels lightweight yet sturdy, and the portability makes it convenient to keep in a bag or toolkit. The infrared detail is sharp enough to spot heat loss, electrical issues, or just experiment with everyday objects. A reliable and fun thermal camera for those who want capability in a compact design.

I've demoed several Thermal Master products including the Thor, P3, X2, and now the P1 camera.

The P1 is the budget option but I'm honestly impressed with it's performance compared with the P3 which is over twice as expensive.

It comes in a very nice, zippered soft case that fits in a pocket, glovebox, bag or toolbox. The camera itself is in a rugged plastic housing that seems pretty durable compared to the aluminum but more delicate-feeling P3. The phone connects via USB-C and unlike the P3, no lightning port adapter is provided.

The "Temp Master" app for the P1 has all the same functionality as the P3. The main differences are the P3 has two temperature ranges you can set and the P1 has a lower resolution. Honestly with the X^3 smoothing/upscaling I can barely tell a difference in the lower resolution of the P1 compared to the P3. All the same contour palettes and measurement features are available to either camera. This includes point measurements, line measurements, box or circle averaging. The P1 does not have a focal ring so it's not able to get as sharp of an image as the P3 is.

The camera includes a USB-C extension cable that allows you to plug into a laptop to use with Thermal Master Windows software. This seems to be for lab environments where you're trying to record and post-process measurements during an experiment. The X^3 smoothing is not available on PCs but if you're conducting real experiments you're not going to want smoothing being applied to your data anyways.

Overall this is probably my favorite model in the Thermal Master line that I've been able to try so far strictly because it's so inexpensive. You can spend $140 and get an incredibly powerful diagnostic tool for electronics, home inspection, auto repair, electrical inspection, wildlife viewing at night. It isn't highly specialized for any of these, but it does well enough that I think this camera provides the best bang for the buck in their product line. The only reason I really see for paying more for the P3 is if you're doing macro-level thermal inspection on electronics and you need the focal ring or if you need the higher camera resolution for improved sparial resolution in an experiment (more pixels means more data or smaller measured area for each pixel). The P1 should get the job done just fine for a general use tool around the house or the shop.

This thing is better than it has any right to be. The image clarity is better than I expected for the price. When moving the image around, there is no lag or stuttering. I like that you can change the image colors, ranging from iron red to black/white.At $129, it has no competition.

I work maintenance in a small factory. Bought the P1 mostly for electrical and bearing checks. The sensitivity is solid; even a few degrees difference stands out. I can rotate the image 360° and adjust brightness or contrast right on the app. It connects instantly every time and runs smooth all the way.

Hard to believe a $119 thermal can look this good. TM must have some real engineers who actually design their own stuff instead of just slapping parts together. That’s probably why they can sell it for that price and still make something that works damn well.