FLIR MS24, MS32 Operator's Manual

First Mate MS-Series

Thermal Imager

Operator’s Manual

Document Number: 432-MS00-00-10

Revision: 110

October 2011

— First Mate MS-Series Operator’s Manual

© 2011 FLIR Commercial Systems, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. No
parts of this manual, in whole or in part, may be copied, photocopied,
translated, or transmitted to any electronic medium or machine readable
form without the prior written permission of FLIR Commercial Systems, Inc.

Names and marks appearing on the products herein are either registered
trademarks or trademarks of FLIR Commercial Systems, Inc. and/or its
subsidiaries. All other trademarks, trade names, or company names
referenced herein are used for identification only and are the property of their
respective owners.

This product is protected by patents, design patents, patents pending, or
design patents pending.

If you have questions that are not covered in this manual, or need service,
contact FLIR Commercial Systems, Inc. customer support at 805.964.9797
for additional information prior to returning a camera.

This documentation is subject to change without notice.

This equipment must be disposed of as electronic waste.
Contact your nearest FLIR Commercial Systems, Inc.
representative for instructions on how to return the product to
FLIR for proper disposal.

This document is controlled to FLIR Technology Level EAR 2. The information
contained in this document is proprietary and/or restricted and pertains to a
dual use product controlled for export by the Export Administration
Regulations (EAR). This document and data disclosed herein or herewith is not
to be reproduced, used, or disclosed in whole or in part to anyone without the
written permission of FLIR Systems, Inc. Diversion contrary to US law is
prohibited. US Department of Commerce authorization is not required prior to
export or transfer to foreign persons, parties, or uses otherwise prohibited.

FLIR Commercial Systems, Inc.

70 Castilian Drive

Goleta, CA 93117

Phone: 888.747.FLIR (888.747.3547)

International: +1.805.964.9797

www.flir.com

ii October 2011

Table of Contents

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

First Mate MS-Series Camera Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Operating Your First Mate MS-Series Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Camera Features and Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Charging the Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

First Mate MS-Series Power Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Buttons and Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Auto Shutdown Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Technical Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

First Mate MS-Series Model Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Environmental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Physical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Lens Choice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Range Detection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Important Safety Instructions

• Read these instructions!

• Follow all instructions!

• Heed all warnings!

• Only use the attachments/accessories specified by the

manufacturer!

• Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel.

Caution!

Danger of explosion if battery is incorrectly replaced. return the
equipment to the manufacturer for battery replacement.

The battery used in this device may present a risk of fire or chemical
burn if mistreated. Do not disassemble the camera, store above
60°C, or incinerate. The battery is factory replaceable only and
must be replaced with the identical battery pack.

432-MS00-00-10, Revision 110 iii

— First Mate MS-Series Operator’s Manual

iv October 2011

1Introduction

The First Mate MS-Series handheld thermal imaging camera gives
every mariner the power to see at night like never before.

The First Mate MS-Series camera gives you the power to see
more—and to see farther—than every other night vision technology
around:

• When you have the First Mate MS-Series camera on deck,

at night in dark anchorages you will be able to see your
surroundings, even when it is cloudy and there is no
moonlight or starlight.

• See clearly in total darkness—unlike other night vision systems,

First Mate MS-Series cameras require no light at all

• See logs, rocks, land, and other hazards that radar

can miss

• Boat with confidence at night knowing that you can

see harbor entrances and waterways in total darkness

• See with FLIR’s award-winning maritime thermal night vision

technology in the palm of your hand

First Mate MS-Series Camera Image Visible Image

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1—Introduction First Mate MS-Series Operator’s Manual

1–1 First Mate MS-Series Camera Features

• Rugged design—Built to withstand the demands of outdoor use.

• 240×180 or 320×240 microbolometer sensor for excellent
image quality and clarity

• 19 mm lens with 24° field of view

• Palm-Sized Portability and Light Weight—Only 12 Ounces

• Embedded LED Tasklight

• USB Cable for battery charging

• Rechargeable Internal Li-Ion battery—Provides up to 5 hours of
camera operation on a single charge.

Caution!

Do not disassemble the camera enclosure. Disassembly can cause
permanent damage and will void the warranty.

Do not point the camera directly at extremely high-intensity
radiation sources, such as the sun, lasers, arc welders, etc.

Be careful not to leave fingerprints on the camera’s infrared optics.
Clean only with low pressure fresh water and a lens cloth.

2 October 2011

2 Getting Started

The First Mate MS-Series camera is available with the features,
options, and accessories described in this manual.

Refer to the packing list enclosed with your camera shipment to
determine the actual contents of your camera package.

•MS24 and MS32 Cameras

In addition to the camera, Quick Start card, and Documentation/
Training CD or DVD; the following items are included in the camera
package:

Soft Carrying Pouch

Lens Cover

USB Cable

Wrist Strap

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2—Getting Started First Mate MS-Series Operator’s Manual

•MS24 and MS32 Camera Options

The following optional accessories are available for the First Mate MS­Series camera

Floating Lanyard

Camera Carrying Pouch

Hard Shell Storage Case

4 October 2011

3 Operating Your First Mate MS-Series
Camera

3–1 Camera Features and Controls

Power

Display Brightness/
(Tasklight On/Off
when Camera in off state)

LED Tasklight

USB/Charging

Plug

2

× zoom/

Freeze Frame

White hot/
Black hot/
Marine red

Eyepiece

Adjustable
diopter ±2

432-MS00-00-10, Revision 110 5

Lanyard Clip

3—Operating Your First Mate MS-Series Camera First Mate MS-Series

3–2 Charging the Camera

Caution!

To assure proper charging, First Mate MS-Series cameras should
be turned OFF thro ughout the charging c ycle. Char ging MUST only
be done when the camera is at room temperature; 0 to 40°C (32
to 104°F) or battery damage may occur.

The battery in the camera should
be fully charged prior to use.
To charge the camera, lift the
cover from the USB port, plug in
the USB cable provided with the
camera, and also plug it into a USB
power source.

• When charging correctly, the charging indicator will be lit orange.

• When fully charged, the charging indicator will light solid green.
The initial charge time is approximately 5 hours.

Plug in USB Charger

Charging indicator orange

when charging

Charging indicator green
when fully charged

6 October 2011

First Mate MS-Series Operator’s Manual 3—Operating Your First Mate

3–3 First Mate MS-Series Power Management

Your First Mate MS-Series camera is equipped with a power
management system that provides up to five hours of continuous
operation. When left in the Off state the battery will hold a charge
for up to two months. To make the best use of the camera it is
important to understand the basic power states of the camera.

• When the camera is turned on from the Off state, it takes
about four seconds to become operational. During the Bootup
process, The FLIR splash screen is shown and then the
software version is displayed briefly. Pressing the Power
button will toggle the camera between On and Off.

• The camera shuts down after about five minutes if no
buttons are pushed. Auto shutdown 30s, is shown in the
display, and after counting down for 30 seconds the
camera will shutdown.

Camera

State

Off The display is off, the camera buttons are dark, and the LED

Tasklight comes on when the Brightness button is pressed.

On

The display is on, the camera buttons are back-lighted, and
the LED Tasklight is disabled.

How do you know?

3–4 Buttons and Controls

Power Button

Turn the camera On and Off.

Display Brightness Button

Use this button to cycle through the five levels of
display brightness. Each press of the button
advances to the next level of brightness.

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3—Operating Your First Mate MS-Series Camera First Mate MS-Series

When the highest brightness level is reached, subsequent
button presses advance to the next lower brightness levels.
When the lowest brightness level is reached, subsequent button
presses advance to the next higher brightness level.
One of the following icons is displayed for approximately three
seconds after the button is pressed indicating the current
brightness level:

HighestLowest

Note

When the First Mate MS-Series camera is powered Off, the
Display Brightness button, when held on, turns on the LED
Tasklight.

White Hot/Black Hot/Marine Red Button

Use this button to toggle between the three video
palettes. In the default White Hot palette, hotter
objects appear as white or light grey. In Black Hot,
hotter objects appear as black or dark grey. The
Marine Red palette is based on the White Hot pallet,
but the hottest objects in the scene are red to help
maintain normal night vision.

While white hot is the most commonly used and visually intuitive
method of viewing thermal imagery; black hot can often enhance
contrast of certain objects or provide better visual perspective in
some conditions. When switching between palettes, the
appropriate icon is displayed for approximately 3 seconds.

Black hotWhite hot Marine Red

8 October 2011

First Mate MS-Series Operator’s Manual 3—Operating Your First Mate

Zoom Button—MS32 models only

Use this button to switch the camera between no
zoom (full resolution) and 2× zoom. The central
part of the image is magnified twice its normal size
when 2× is selected.

When zoom has been selected the icon is
continuously shown in the display:

Freeze Frame Button—MS24 models only

Use this button to freeze the video so that a single
frame may be inspected closely.

Diopter Controls

The diopter adjustment lever allows a ±2 diopter setting range. When
the diopter adjustment lever is pointing straight away from the
camera, it is in the neutral position.
Adjust the diopter setting for the sharpest image in the viewfinder.

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3—Operating Your First Mate MS-Series Camera First Mate MS-Series

3–5 Battery

Your First Mate MS-Series camera is equipped with a
sophisticated power system using a rechargeable
internal Li-Ion battery.

Battery Status Indicator

While the camera is On, a battery status
indicator is always shown in the corner of
the display image. This indicator provides
an estimation of the remaining battery
charge.

3–6 Auto Shutdown Operation

Auto Shutdown is a feature of the First Mate MS-Series
camera that helps to guard against draining the battery
prematurely by inadvertently leaving the camera on.
Auto Shutdown turns the camera off if the following
conditions are met:

• The camera is On

• No buttons have been pressed for about five minutes.

full charge

half charge

plugged in

Once these conditions are met you will see the following
message in the display: Auto shutdown 30s, and after
counting down for 30 seconds the camera will shutdown.

Press any button during this countdown to terminate
Auto Shutdown and resume normal operation.

Note

Pressing any button during an Auto Shutdown countdown will only
terminate the countdown and abort the shutdown.
The normal function of the button will not occur.

10 October 2011

4Technical Data

4–1 First Mate MS-Series Model Features

The First Mate MS-Series cameras are available with either NTSC or
PAL video output format.

Scout Model

MS24 First Mate MS-Series Handheld Thermal Camera with video

resolution of 240 × 180 pixels

MS32 First Mate MS-Series Handheld Thermal Camera with video

resolution of 320 × 240 pixels with 2

× digital electronic zoom.

Included with
all camera
models

Feature

Start up from
stand-by

Thermal Sensitivity,
Waveband

Detector Type VOx Microbolometer

Resolution 240

Image Processing FLIR Proprietary Digital Detail Enhancement

Focus, Zoom Fixed focus. 2

Video Display NTSC 7.5 Hz refresh rate

Lens Cover, USB Cable, Wrist Strap, Operator’s Manual, and Soft
Carrying Pouch

<5 seconds

<50 mK @ f/1.0,

7.5 - 13.5 μm

× 180 pixels MS24
× 240 pixels MS32

320

× electronic zoom on applicable models only.

4–2 Power

Battery Types Internal Li-Ion

Battery Life Operating Approximately 5 Hours at room temperature

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4—Technical Data First Mate MS-Series Operator’s Manual

4–3 Environmental

MS24 and MS24

Operational Temp. -4°F to 122°F

(-20°C to 50°C)

Storage Temp. -40°F to 140°F

(-40°C to 60°C)

Ratings IP-67, 1 meter drop

4–4 Physical

MS24, MS32

Weight 12 oz. (340 g) with battery

Size (L

× W × H) 6.70” × 2.31” × 2.44”

4–5 Lens Choice

MS24, MS32

FOV

4–6 Range Detection

Detect Man (1.8 m × 0.5 m)

MS24

MS32

350 yd. (320 m)

500 yd. (450 m)

(172

× 58.7 × 62 mm)

24°

× 18°

1

1. Actual range may vary depending on camera set-up,
environmental conditions, and user experience.

12 October 2011

Santa Barbara Portland

FLIR Commercial Systems, Inc.
World Headquarters
FLIR Systems, Inc.
70 Castilian Dr.
Goleta, CA 93117
USA
PH: +1.888.747.FLIR
(+1.888.747.3547)

Europe

FLIR Commercial Systems B.V.
Charles Petitweg 21
4847 NW Teteringen - Breda
The Netherlands
PH: + 31 (0) 765 79 41 94

FLIR Corporate Headquarters
FLIR Systems, Inc.
27700A SW Parkway Ave.
Wilsonville, OR 97070
USA

FX: + 31 (0) 765 79 41 99
[e-mail]