A thermographic camera, sometimes called a FLIR (Forward Looking InfraRed), or an infrared camera less specifically, is a device that forms an image using infrared radiation, similar to a common camera that forms an image using visible light. Instead of the 450–750 nanometre range of the visible light camera, infrared cameras operate in wavelengths as long as 14,000 nm (14µm).
The difference is Infrared Cameras are uncooled, and less sensitive. Creating an array or light/colors. Such as this image…
Thermal Imaging Cameras also work off Infrared but are usually completely different.
They are vaccum sealed, and cooled…to produce a more detailed/sensitive picture. Such as…
The ones the troopers use, are the FLIRS…which is cooled.