Convert IS2 to JPG

FLIR thermal cameras save many captures as IS2 files, but common photo viewers, report tools, and image editors usually require JPG. Exporting creates a shareable picture while the original IS2 remains available for thermal analysis and remeasurement.

What the IS2 format is

IS2 is a proprietary FLIR thermal-image format used by many FLIR handheld cameras and related imaging systems. Depending on the camera and capture settings, it can contain an infrared image, visible-light image, radiometric temperature data, emissivity, reflected temperature, atmospheric parameters, measurement tools, and other metadata.

Windows Photos, macOS Preview, web browsers, and most general-purpose image applications do not decode IS2 directly. Support also varies by camera model and software version, so an application that opens one IS2 file may not support every IS2 variant.

What the JPG format is

JPG (also called JPEG) is a widely supported raster-image format used in email, websites, reports, presentations, and standard photo editors. Its lossy compression produces smaller files than uncompressed formats, but it can soften fine detail and does not preserve the IS2 file's radiometric dataset.

Use JPG when the recipient needs a viewable thermal image. Keep the original IS2 when temperatures, measurement regions, emissivity settings, or other acquisition data may need to be reviewed later.

Using FLIR Thermal Studio

1. Install a current version of FLIR Thermal Studio that supports the camera and IS2 files. Some features or versions require a license.
2. Copy the file from the camera or memory card to a local folder, then open Thermal Studio and import or drag image.is2 into the workspace.
3. Open the image and set the palette, level and span, temperature scale, fusion mode, visible/thermal view, and measurement annotations as required. The exported JPG reflects the displayed rendering.
4. Use the application's image export or save command, such as File → Export, and choose JPG or JPEG.
5. Select the destination and JPEG quality, then save the file. Use the source resolution for reports; reduce dimensions only after checking that labels and thermal details remain readable.

Menu names differ between Thermal Studio releases. If the command is not under File → Export, check the image context menu or the application's save/export options.

Using FLIR Tools or camera software

FLIR Tools can open and export compatible IS2 files when an existing installation supports the camera model, but it is a legacy product and may not be available or fully compatible with newer cameras. Use its image Save as, Export, or report-image command and select JPEG.

A camera-specific desktop utility may provide the same function. Copy image.is2 from the camera or card, open it in the software supplied for that model, and select its JPEG export option. If neither application opens the file, ask the camera owner to export it with the software matched to the camera, or obtain the corresponding FLIR software and support package.

Do not rename image.is2 to image.jpg; changing the filename extension does not change the file format.

Online conversion and compatibility

General-purpose online converters do not normally provide reliable IS2 input support because the format is proprietary and may contain radiometric structures that ordinary image libraries cannot interpret. Uploading inspection images can also disclose sensitive information about equipment, facilities, or clients. Use FLIR desktop software rather than an online converter unless a service explicitly documents support for the exact camera-generated IS2 variant and its privacy terms are acceptable.

What the JPG export retains

A JPG normally contains the pixels produced by the current display and export settings. Palette, level and span, temperature scale, visible/thermal blending, measurement markers, and annotations that are shown during export may be burned into those pixels; hidden temperature values and editable measurement data are not recoverable from the JPG.

JPEG quality controls compression artifacts, not radiometric accuracy. Export at native resolution and high quality when labels, edges, or hotspot details matter. Preserve the unmodified IS2 beside the JPG for analysis, recalculation, and provenance.