Inspection Cameras - A Complete Guide

An inspection camera, sometimes referred to as a snake camera, is a digital camera designed to be small and flexible enough to slide into narrow or otherwise inaccessible spaces.

These instruments’ main purpose is to serve as an exploratory camera. This could be in plumbing applications, medical diagnostics, mechanical repairs, or a wide range of other scenarios. They allow the user to view a live video feed of detailed, close-up images broadcast from locations that otherwise couldn’t easily be seen with the naked eye.

Inspection cameras typically consist of a long, flexible probe or arm, attached to some form of handheld base unit. The miniature camera module itself is mounted on the end of the probe. Some inspection camera kits include a small screen for viewing the live video relay. Others are designed to operate wirelessly, streaming the images they capture to a remote screen (such as on a computer or phone) via Wi-Fi.

Many people naturally tend to associate the term ‘endoscope camera’ with medical procedures. Technically speaking, any apparatus referred to as an endoscope will most likely have been designed specifically for use inside the human body.

However, the name is often used as a more general reference to a whole range of inspection camera models and kits, used across many different industries and applications.

As outlined above, a borescope is an umbrella term used to refer to any type of inspection camera that isn’t specifically intended for human medical use. There are two main types of borescope inspection camera: rigid and flexible. Rigid borescopes were once the norm, but today flexible products are becoming increasingly popular.

Both rigid and flexible borescopes may be manufactured around a collection of fibre optic or rod-based lenses and image guides. When this is the case, these fibre optic inspection cameras are often referred to as ‘fibrescopes’. However, standard borescopes are usually sufficient for most types of every day, non-destructive industrial or equipment inspections.

When comparing borescopes and endoscopes, there are a few key differences to keep in mind. As endoscopes are principally designed for use in the human body, they tend to be smaller in diameter, and more flexible. Small inspection cameras, sometimes labelled as mini inspection cameras in the UK, can also be handy for a wide range of specialist non-medical uses.

The larger borescope often features a brighter light than most endoscopes. It typically offers a broader field of view (anywhere from 50 up to 120 degrees). This field of view is often adjustable via the attached handset or viewing unit. Endoscopes can usually provide greater magnification or zoom than standard borescopes, ideal for more detailed close-up viewing.

A wireless inspection camera is a generic term used for both borescopes and endoscopes. Regardless of the primary purpose of the instrument, a wireless inspection camera can broadcast its streaming video to a remote screen over Wi-Fi. This can be handy in certain environments and applications, where it’s inconvenient to have footage relayed directly to an attached handheld viewing module via a connected lead.

Bluetooth inspection cameras are another option for remote viewing, using a paired Bluetooth connection to a device rather than a Wi-Fi internet connection.

Today, many models of snake camera offer wireless functionality, including both rigid and flexible borescopes. They allow video feeds to be watched from a laptop, phone, tablet, desktop computer, or other type of LCD monitor. Depending on signal range and strength, this can often take place in an entirely separate location to the camera itself. For this reason, wireless inspection cameras might often be referred to as remote inspection cameras.

For advanced use in hazardous or highly inaccessible areas, specialist inspection cameras are also available that can be steered fully remotely by a handheld control unit.

You’ll often see flexible inspection camera with light listed as a common feature of many high-quality snake cameras. Illumination is one of the chief benefits of using an inspection camera, along with the ability to adjust your field of view and zoom in on specific areas for closer inspection.

In applications such as plumbing and pipework analysis, auto diagnostics and cavity wall inspection, having a bright light attached to your flexible inspection camera is very important. It helps to achieve a clearer view in many small and often dark spaces, particularly where natural light doesn’t penetrate easily, and detail would otherwise be hard to make out.

Note that most endoscope cameras designed for use in the human body don’t tend to offer quite the same intensity of illumination as standard borescope cameras. However, they may offer increased field of view and zoom capabilities.

If you need to inspect areas at height, a telescopic inspection camera may be a suitable option. These work similarly to most standard snake cameras but tend to be mounted on a longer telescopic pole to enable them to reach greater heights. They’re usually rigid, for obvious reasons of stability, although they may feature a flexible head towards the end of the pole where the camera and light are mounted.