For the majority of infrared cameras, what critical parameters can be changed once an image is saved in digital format?

• A. Focus and zoom
• B. Temperature range and scale
• C. Exposure time and gain
• D. Emissivity, reflected temperature

Answer: (D)

Post-processing of saved infrared images hinges on radiance-to-temperature conversion using two key factors: emissivity and the temperature of reflected ambient radiation. The numbers you see as temperature in an infrared image come from how efficiently a surface emits infrared energy (emissivity) and how much energy is bouncing off the scene from the surroundings (reflected temperature). If you adjust these two values in software after saving, you can recalculate the temperature map to better reflect the actual object and environment.

Focus and zoom are hardware capture settings; they affect the image during acquisition but don’t change the stored radiometric data used to derive temperature. Exposure time and gain alter the captured signal at capture time and aren’t typically reinterpreted after saving to change the temperature values. Temperature range and scale influence how the data are displayed, not the underlying pixel temperatures themselves.