Thermal-mechanical　behavior　of　materials　and　reliability　assessment　of　semiconductor　packages　are　two　of　key　issues　in　electronic　packaging.　Digital　image　correlation　method　is　increasingly　used　for　thermal　deformation　characterization　in　electronic　packaging　in　recent　years.　For　example,　the　deformation　measurements　of　solder　joints　in　various　semiconductor　packages　have　been　reported　in　previous　studies.　However,　the　noise　effects　on　measurement　accuracy　under　thermal　loading　conditions　have　been　less　evaluated.　When　acquiring　images　of　a　specimen　subjected　to　thermal　loading　in　a　chamber　with　glass　window,　the　influences　of　the　computer　vision　system,　specimen　surface　condition,　out-of-plane　deformation　and　rigid　body　translation　and　rotation　are　required　to　be　addressed.　In　this　paper,　such　critical　factors　are　evaluated　during　the　calibration　of　a　digital　image　correlation　system.　Proper　measures　are　introduced　to　minimize　the　noise　level.　The　thermal　deformation　measurement　of　a　solder　joint　in　a　BGA　(Ball　Grid　Array)　package　is　also　demonstrated.　©　2006　IEEE.