Best budget thermal imaging setup for investigation work?

Right, I'm looking to upgrade my investigation kit without spending an absolute fortune. Currently I'm using a standard digital camera with infrared filter and a couple of decent torches, but I'm keen on getting proper thermal imaging capability. Ideally under £400 total.

The obvious option is a used thermal camera like the FLIR E4 or E5 - you can pick these up secondhand around £200-250, then pair with a decent tripod. But I'm wondering if the newer phone attachment thermal cameras are worth a look? The CAT S61 is expensive but I've heard good things.

Also - has anyone got experience with budget night vision? I know it's not the same as thermal but better than nothing for dark investigations.

Used FLIR is your best bet honestly. The E4 is limited but perfectly functional for paranormal work - most anomalies show up as temperature differential anyway, you don't need professional-grade sensitivity. I got mine for £180 three years ago and it's still brilliant. Make sure the battery still holds charge though - they can be pricey to replace.

Skip the phone thermal cameras entirely - the resolution is garbage and they're overpriced for the quality. For night vision, grab a decent monocular from Amazon (£60-90) rather than full goggles. Lighter, less obtrusive, and actually usable in group investigations without looking like SWAT team cosplay.

paired with a decent tripod

Honestly a cheap £20 tripod from Argos works fine for static shots. Save your budget for the camera itself. If you're doing mobile investigations, consider a camera harness instead - gives you hands-free operation without the weight.

Fair warning - thermal imaging requires a learning curve. Thermal artifacts, reflectivity issues, temperature compensation - there's a lot of ways to get false positives. YouTube has some good tutorials, but I'd genuinely recommend hiring a professional thermal camera operator for your first couple of investigations just to learn proper technique. Costs maybe £150 for an evening but worth it.

Don't bother with all this really. Most paranormal activity is better documented with basic equipment - high-sensitivity audio recorders (EVP work), still cameras with good flash, EMF meters. Thermal imaging looks impressive but has loads of false positives. Build the fundamentals first.