Thermal Master T2 Max thermal imaging scope review

Thermal Master T2 Max: 30-second review

The Thermal T2 Max is designed as a simple thermal scope for a range of uses, from detecting heat signatures out in the field to assisting wildlife photographers and game and conservation managers in locating subjects to the main focus, which is for use hunting.

The thermal scope unit itself is relatively small, with the size of the T2 Max only increasing due to the grip and mounting system that it comes encased in. This grip enables plenty of flexibility and enables it to be partnered with different accessories and equipment; it can also be stripped right down and connected directly to the base of your smartphone, enabling you to use it as an Android smartphone thermal scope.

Getting started with the Thermal Master T2 Max is easy despite a lack of detailed instructions. While the packaging, the semi-protective case, and the overall quality of the product are very good, there is very little written literature or even a simple manual or guide to getting started. The fact that this needs to be connected to your Android phone or the Thermal Pad Plus—available as an optional extra—means that some sort of guide on how it all connects would have been handy, however easy it might be.

Likewise, it takes a bit of playing around with the T2 Max to discover all its functions and features. The manual, whilst relatively large, only features a few pages actually on the device itself, and this is then repeated in a variety of different languages. Essentially, it is a manual that focuses on the Thermal Master software, which is installed on the Titan Pad Plus or Android App, rather than the hardware.

To be honest, it doesn’t take too long to get your head around it, and when it’s mounted in the grip with the Thermal Pad attached, it’s all relatively simple. The scope itself shows the thermal signature of the scene ahead of you on the screen of your phone or Titan, which will look blurry at first due to the need to focus the lens manually.

It’s very apparent from the outset that this isn’t an imaging camera but rather a scope for spotting things, so the resolution is extremely low—just 256×192—which looks absolutely fine on your phone or tablet screen, but anything larger really starts to show the limitations of the image quality. However, using the X3 features, you can boost this resolution, and it’s well worth doing even on the small screen, as the clarity of the picture is far superior.

In this test, I’ve used it to spot subjects for wildlife photography, especially muntjac. Muntjac is an invasive species that, while plentiful in the undergrowth of the New Forest, is often difficult to spot. While they’re almost impossible to see with the naked eye, using the T2 Max enables you to highlight their presence with a heat signature—or at least that’s the idea.

Once the connections to the T2 Max were worked out—which really was straightforward—and the Titan Pad Plus was attached, use was simple enough. Unlike some other Thermal Master products that offer advanced thermal detection and readouts, the T2 Max with the screen or Android app connected is far more of a thermal detection device or Scope.

Ultimately, the thermal pick-up works well once you’ve selected the right colour overlay and shows a decent amount of information, although some of the colour modes do seem a little pointless.

As a handy thermal scope, it’s a relatively cheap option, well made, and ultimately fun to use. When used to spot wildlife in the forest, the small heat signatures of the animals hidden in trees and the undergrowth make a huge difference for wildlife photography, as well as being a lot of fun.

Thermal Master T2 Max: Price & availability

The Thermal Master T2 Max is available from the Thermal Master website for $399 by clicking here.

Thermal Master T2 Max: Design & build

The Thermal Master T2 Max is a small thermal scope that comes encased in a grip design, making it easy to carry and handle out in the field. This design enables it to be used in a variety of ways, and the fact that it can be semi-dismantled so that the thermal Scope is removed from the grip means that it can utilised with other equipment which makes it extremely flexible, considering the price.

When the T2 Max arrives, it’s assembled into the grip, making it easy to use and attach the Titan Pad Plus (Optional extra also looked at in this review) or Android phone, which provides a screen and interface for the system. However, you can also remove the scope from the grip so that it can be plugged directly into the base of your Android smartphone and used alongside the Thermal Master app.

Removing the scope takes a few minutes, as four screws need to be undone before lifting the unit away. Once that’s done, it reveals a USB Type-C connector that can be plugged directly into your smartphone. However, it’s worth noting that if you have a protective case on your smartphone, you’ll probably have to remove it to get a flush fit. That said, it’s a nice feature and adds to the flexibility of use.

Popping the scope back in and re-screwing the screws secures the scope back into the grip, and the USB Type-C connector ports directly into the grip, giving you access to the changeable battery that slots inside. This enables the power button at the back and the trigger button at the front, which you can use to trigger the laser sight and power the device on and off, again the instructions give you little to no information about the function of these buttons.

One of the nice features is that there are several mounting options around the top of the handle. These can be used with the supplied mounts to add a torch, so if you’re using this at night, you can combine visual and infrared thermal imaging to spot heat signatures from subjects. Alternatively, you can use it to mount the grip onto a larger rig of some type.

When the unit arrives, there is very little instruction about how the thermal scope actually works. Whilst the quick start guide is relatively thick at just over 150 pages, only a few of these are dedicated to each language. There is just enough information to figure out the setup, although there are no diagrams of the wire configuration with the supplied USB Type-C cable. Thankfully, there is a little more information about the software functions when using the Titan Pad Plus or the Thermal Master app.

Guessing the connection setup is relatively easy. The supplied USB Type-C cable is an integral part of the grip with a socket partway along the cable, and USB Type-C connector at the end. The first connector pushes straight into the right-hand side of the grip (when viewed from the back) to connect the scope to the battery grip, while the other end connects directly to your smartphone or the Titan Pad Plus. Once everything is connected, you can then press and hold the power button on the back until the lights turn on, and then press the trigger button once to quickly switch the laser sight on and off. Meanwhile, on the screen, you’ll get a view of the thermal image once you remove the lens cap and navigate to the settings in the performance section.

One thing to highlight is that the lens is manual focus, so while you can see the image, it may initially appear blurred. You simply need to rotate the lens to bring everything into sharp focus.

A few practical things to consider about the build and handling: on the base, there is a battery compartment that takes a lithium-ion battery, which slots directly into the grip and is then bolted in place. It’s quite industrial in design, but it means that if your battery runs out, you can swap it while out in the field. Additionally, as mentioned, there are plenty of mounting options, and in the box, along with a few other accessories, you’ll find a variety of different mounts, which need to be screwed or clamped into place depending on what you’re attaching it to.

Ultimately, the Thermal Master T2 Max is a lightweight thermal imaging scope that can be mounted, handheld or plugged directly into the base of your Android phone on almost anything.

Thermal Master T2 Max: Features

The T2 Max thermal monocular scope is designed for a variety of uses, including being attached to a compound bow, rifle, crossbow, helmet, tripod, car, boat, iPad, phone, or even a bike—essentially, any situation where a thermal imaging scope could be useful. Unlike thermal cameras used for DIY and professional building work to detect wiring and pipework, this particular thermal scope is designed for use in the field. It has a much narrower field of view and is better suited to detecting animals and people at a distance.

The system is built to be completely modular. The thermal scope is integrated into a grip system that features an interchangeable battery, allowing for extended use if you carry spares. The grip itself also features a reverse charging interface, meaning it can supply power to the Titan Pad Plus screen if needed. The design also enables easy mounting of tactical torches and the Thermal Master rangefinder, both of which are optional extras.

The T2 Max is designed to be used with either the Android app or the Titan Pad Plus. Within these, you have a variety of different options, including the ability to take pictures—albeit at very low resolution—and record video. It also features heat signature tracking, allowing you to monitor animals as they move through undergrowth, even if they’re not visible to the naked eye.

There is a 3x option that boosts the resolution using AI, increasing the low resolution from 256 pixels to 512 pixels along the longest edge. There are also various sight targets that you can cycle through if you are using this for hunting and have it mounted to a bow. These offer color adjustments to improve visibility, though this is more useful for hunting than for photography. However, if mounted onto your camera, it could be a great tool for spotting wildlife in the dark.

One of the issues with thermal cameras and scopes in daylight is the risk of sunburn damage to the sensor. This scope has built-in sunburn protection, which prompts you when pointing the lens towards an area of high-temperature radiation, helping to protect the delicate electronics.

Inside is a 20mK Thermal Master high-sensitivity sensor, which includes the X3 Super IR resolution, doubling image clarity and impact. This certainly works well. It also features a series of AI enhancements to help boost thermal imaging, including Insight Intelligence Exclusion for target recognition and Razor High-Definition Image algorithms, which further enhance sharpness and clarity.

One of the standout features of the Titan Pad Plus (Which is an option extra and can be used in place of an Android phone), once attached, is its fully functional touchscreen. If you spot a subject and need to zoom in to confirm what it is, you can simply pinch to zoom, up to 15x. Again, this is a digital zoom, so the resolution isn’t great, even with the AI boost, but it does provide slightly better clarity.

There are also several viewing modes, including “HD,” which enhances image detail, and “Highlights,” which makes targets stand out more clearly. Again, these modes are more suited to hunting than photography.

As features go, this is very much an outdoor thermal imaging scope rather than one designed for indoor use. While it’s great for photographers looking to locate wildlife, its primary focus—especially with the overlay target options—is geared more towards hunting.

Thermal Master T2 Max: Performance

The design and build of the Thermal Master T2 Max are solid enough, and when you consider the price, it is actually well balanced for what you get. What I do like is the fact that you can mount this onto other equipment. If you are using it with your camera, the small quarter-inch thread on the base enables you to attach it to a cage, allowing you to use it as an aid to locating wildlife when they are difficult to spot in trees or undergrowth, such as muntjac in the New Forest.

However, the more I used the T2 Max and explored its functions and features, the more apparent it became that its main focus is hunting. Its range of features is finely tuned for this use, such as the various targets and overlays that can be displayed either in the app—designed for Android phones—or through the Titan Pad Plus.

For the purposes of this Review, I have used it to aid wildlife photography, for which it was really useful. Initial setup was quick and easy, and the ability to simply plug in the screen onto the small grip makes it extremely easy to handle. The build quality is also sufficiently robust that you don’t have to worry too much about it. Whilst it is durable, the actual design and build are quite basic, so for features such as the battery compartment, a simple screw mechanism is used to bolt the battery door closed. There’s no catch—it’s all very robust and industrial.

Likewise, to remove the actual scope from the grip, you need to undo four bolts. There’s no quick-release mechanism; tools are required to remove it. This need for tools extends to the mounting options, which again require the tools supplied in the box to mount torches and other equipment to the grip.

While this approach might be normal for those used to camping, fishing, and hunting, for photographers who are accustomed to a more refined approach to their products, it might feel a little rugged. Even down to the fact that the lens cap is attached directly to the body and is a simple push fit onto the front of the lens—though to be honest, it works perfectly well. If you need a thermal scope for spotting wildlife, then this setup will likely feel perfectly normal.

There is a little more refinement when it comes to attaching the Titan Pad Plus to the grip, which is done through the smartphone clamp that will also accept most smartphones. However, while clamps like this appear on many other products, usually with a spring mechanism, here it is once again a little more mechanical, with a long screw that clamps the grip around your phone. It’s a simple mechanism, but you can’t deny that it is extremely effective.

When it comes to thermal quality, the focal length of the lens is relatively narrow, designed to be used at long distances rather than at close quarters, which is often the case with smaller thermal cameras designed for home DIY and professional trades. The longer focal length is better suited to spotting animals in undergrowth and actually works incredibly well, with a decent range quoted by Thermal Master at 1600 yards.

When you first start using the screen, you’ll notice that the display is in black and white. Tapping the colour overlay option in the top right-hand corner opens up the different thermal signature overlays. The first four are simple black-and-white versions, while the next three provide coloured overlays. The first of these coloured overlays highlights subjects or thermal signatures in orange, the next is the more traditional thermal image seen with other devices, and the final one applies a late-night infrared green effect to everything, which works particularly well at night.

Navigating the rest of the interface is relatively straightforward. On the left-hand side, you have the ability to take pictures or videos, as well as review footage. There is also a heat tracking option, the X3 resolution reset settings button, and on the right-hand side, the colour overlays, target options, and display modes, including “Ninja Mode,” which dims the screen for night use. Additionally, there are two further options for the ranging function, but these can only be used if you have the Thermal Master rangefinder attached.

When reviewing the images and footage you can then share those through the Bluetooth connection. Once again there are no instructions for this, but as I discovered, tap the share button and making sure your computers Bluetooth is on, select the computer from the share link on the T2, tap pair and the image or video will then transfer to your computer.

Overall, if you need a thermal imaging scope at a relatively decent price, the T2 Max is a great option. Its compatibility with Android phones makes it extremely flexible, but I have to say that the Titan Pad Plus was a great addition and worked exceptionally well. It’s nice to have a dedicated screen on the device rather than having to rely on your smartphone. While it might not have the advanced features found in many home DIY or professional maintenance thermal imaging devices, this version does seem much more focused on a specific market. Although it’s not specifically aimed at photographers, it does work rather well for picking up wildlife ready to photograph.

Should you buy the Thermal Master T2 Max?

The use of the T2 Max is extremely useful, and it is very much just a thermal imaging device. This enables you to pinpoint wildlife or objects that would otherwise be difficult to view using the normal light spectrum. If you’re a photographer wanting to photograph wildlife, then it’s definitely very handy for picking out animals in the undergrowth, detecting their heat signature, which will be vastly different from that of the surrounding foliage. This allows you to pinpoint their location and get ready to take the shot when they move. Likewise, pointing it up into the trees enables you to spot birds sitting on branches that would otherwise be hidden, and I personally found this really useful. I was actually quite surprised by how helpful it was.

However, there’s no getting away from the fact that the T2 Max’s core users will be those looking to use it for hunting, and with the target overlays, I’m sure it will be very effective.

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

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