Thanks, I see your point...the thing is, they are both SMC diodes...one is far hotter to touch then the other...and yet the hotter_to_touch one shows up 20degC cooler on the thermal cam.
I am wondering about the distance the thermal cam is held away from the components aswell.
Flir E8 only has options for integer numbers of feet (!!) away from the target.....0,1,2,3,4....
......but i am holding it just 10cm away from the components........and so i have to select "zero feet" because thats the nearest option to what i am doing...but its obviously incorrect...i wonder how to get round this?