The Liemke company, which belongs to the Blaser Group, is known for its innovations in the field of thermal imaging technology; they recognized early on the potential that this area holds. Whereas in the past entire units were imported from the Far East, which is no longer necessary thanks to German development, the Liemke Keiler 1 is produced in Germany with “Made in Germany”. The image quality of the device is said to be excellent, it is said to be compact and it also feels very good in the hand. Whether the device really delivers what it promises and whether it could convince us, you can find out in this test report.
Unboxing
The Liemke Keiler 1 is delivered in a very high-quality box and the device as well as the accessories are reliably protected by foam in the box. The materials were chosen to be of very high quality and overall it makes a superior impression on us.
Scope of delivery
The scope of delivery is generous and includes many useful items.
Included in delivery are:
- Neoprene cover that covers the whole device and protects it very well.
- Tripod adapter plate, to use the device e.g. to be attached to a Primus trigger stick.
- Charging cable with different connectors to be able to charge abroad.
- Carrying strap, e.g. to use the device also for stalking.
Liemke promotes the device with the following facts
- Powerful 640×512 pixel 12 µm VOx sensor
- 35mm f/1.0 objective lens
- Range of up to 1,750 m
- Excellent field of view of 22 m at 100 m
- fits in (almost) every jacket pocket
- Adjustable eyepiece – also suitable for eyeglass wearers
- Scroll wheel as central control element and easy-to-touch switches – simple and intuitive operation even in complete darkness
- individually configurable menu
- secure grip and easy change from one hand to the other
- Long battery life of up to 9 hours
- removable exchangeable battery with quick charge function
- high-contrast image display even in difficult conditions due to HD OLED display with 1024 x 768 pixels
- internal memory with 32 GB capacity
- Photo and video function
- Wifi-capable for live image transmission via LIEMKE app
- suitable for field and forest
In addition, the pure technical data speak for themselves
| Detector and optics | |
| Objective lens | 35 mm f/1.0 |
| Field of view | 22×17.6 m / 100 m-12.5°x10.0° |
| Resolution and type | 640×512 VOx |
| Pixel Pitch | 12 μm |
| Pixel field of view/PFOV | 0.34 mrad |
| Detection range | 1.750 m |
| Frame rate | 50 Hz |
| NETD | 50 mK |
| Magnification | 1.9x base magnification (digital zoom up to 10.0x) |
| Focusing area | 1 m to infinity |
| Display | 1024×768 px OLED |
| Functions and media | |
| Internal memory | 32 GB |
| Wifi and app compatibility | yes |
| Battery life | Until 9 h |
| Physical and environmental characteristics | |
| Size | 158x72x47 mm |
| Weight | 465 g |
| Waterproof | IP67 (dustproof / waterproof at brief immersion) |
| Operating/storage temperature -20 °C to +50 °C / -40 °C to +70 °C |
It is already clear from the given data that this is a device that is on a high technical level. As always, however, the data can only be compared to a limited extent. The real difference between different thermal imaging devices can only be found out in practice.
Operation
To focus the image, there is a focus adjustment on the eyepiece. The device has an eyepiece for eyeglass wearers and can therefore be adjusted precisely, which is done by turning the eyecup out and in. The control buttons are easy to reach and can be operated very well by both left- and right-handed users. The operation is self-explanatory and intuitive. Of course, the device is designed in such a way that all control buttons can be felt and operation is also possible without any problems when wearing gloves.
The On /Off switch can be regulated in three stages: On, Off and in between the standby function. After that comes the control button that leads to the menu. This can be operated by pressing the key and turning the control wheel. You will quickly become familiar with this operation when you hold the device in your hand for the first time. The rotary wheel in the center is used to control the menu or to zoom. We feel this function is the most coherent. For example, the mode button can be used to quickly select between different parameters of the weather situation. This automatically changes the setting and contrast so that the image is always excellent.
Size and battery
The design clearly stands out from the previous series, it has the advantage that a replaceable battery can be installed, which enables an arbitrarily long runtime by changing it. This is a huge advantage over older devices. Due to this compact design and a size of 158x72x47 mm, the device can be easily and quickly stowed in a trouser or jacket pocket. We like this because most hunting pants have side leg pockets that the Liemke Keiler 1 fits perfectly into. Older devices could only be stowed in these in an obstructive way, so the new design adapts much better here.
Weight and hand strap
As already mentioned, the device is very handy. The strap can be connected directly to the wrist strap, making it very easy to wear around the neck. The only drawback is that the wrist strap is a bit narrow in our opinion, and we would have preferred a wider strap. However, the hand strap also has a great advantage, even if it is a bit narrow, it can be used on both sides, left and right.
Image
The image is displayed excellently. The detector is large, allowing a wide field of view. The initial optical magnification here is 1.9x and a field of view of 22×17.6m. We find the low initial magnification to be very good, since it is especially useful when stalking, for example. a large area can be viewed. The OLED display delivered a very good, excellent picture in our test, which really thrilled us. The test period was in the fall, which made image processing difficult. Still, in our opinion, it is one of the best devices on the market at the time of this review.
Internal memory
The internal storage is 32 GB, which is sufficient capacity for pictures and videos. The thermal imaging camera can be controlled via APP and Wi-Fi. In the test, the APP ran stably and the operation was intuitive and simple.
Hunting test
Of course, we have also tested the camera on the hunt, especially in the fall in bad weather, the thermal imaging camera must now show what is really in it. Relatively quickly we were able to spot a herd of sows, although the weather conditions were not the best. But the Liemke Keiler 1 did not disappoint us here either and delivers a really good image even under more difficult conditions. The herd of sows standing in the bushes turned out to be a doe with young boar, which we were able to address very easily and accurately with boar 1 and let them move on. On our later way we were able to spot and kill a fox.
The device can also be operated very well with gloves, which is an advantage that should not be underestimated, especially in fall and winter at lower temperatures. The device can be quickly switched to standby via the on/off switch, even when wearing gloves. This standby mode then also gives the device a longer battery life, which we find to be a big advantage. The shape of the camera is compact and handy and fits in almost any jacket pocket. Furthermore, the neck loop has proven very useful for walking, for example. even when stalking, to have the thermal imaging device strapped on and ready to hand at all times.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a device that is state-of-the-art and easy to operate, the Liemke Keiler 1 is a really good choice. We are thoroughly impressed by the new concept, the operation and the shape and give it a clear buy recommendation at this point. As already mentioned, the device belongs to the top class of handheld devices.
