It remains to be seen whether the battery lasts as long as the camera itself; unfortunately, in my experience, the batteries don't last that long. Some inspection cameras use disposable batteries. While these are more convenient because there’s no need to wait hours for the battery to charge, they may work out more expensive and you’ll need to dispose of the batteries after use. Battery life is another big piece of the puzzle when you’re shopping for this kind of tool. You don’t want to have an endoscope that choose through batteries left and right (increasing the cost of operation through the roof) just like you don’t want to have to be constantly recharging or leaving your endoscope plugged in. Thanks to the major leaps forward in innovation (particularly when it comes to compact digital camera technology) today’s top endoscopes are not only light years more advanced than even those released just 10 years ago – but they are more user-friendly and a lot less expensive, too.

First off, you’ll notice the brilliant quality snake probe itself. The cable is 7.9 mm wide, so it’s not the narrowest, but it has unbeatable rigidity for getting round tight corners. You can bend it anywhere along its length and it will stay there, which is incredibly handy. The camera unit on this set up measures in at just 8.2 mm, giving it an opportunity to probe tighter spaces and areas that some of the larger cable cameras cannot get to. It is still capable of producing high definition video at 640x480 resolution – though it isn’t quite as HD as 720p or 1080p HD cameras we’ve reviewed above provide. Like choosing any other camera, there are also variations in focal distance, frames per second, and pixels to compare. Generally speaking, the longer the focal distance range, the better for sharp images. More frames per second means you’ll observe smoother motion in videos. As far as pixels go, the higher the pixel density, the crisper the image.

Telescopic cameras are used for areas out of reach. These are usually rigid and allow you to look at things above you, for example into pipework or ceilings. Connection and Amount of Storage Keep the camera lens clean. Use a dust-free cloth to keep the view clear. If the lens gets very dirty, you can use alcohol wipes to gently remove debris.

Specifically designed with a 5 m (16.4 foot) camera cable probe – a probe that is IP 67 waterproof and made out of nearly indestructible components to get into areas other endoscopes may have struggled with – this is the kind of tool you want to use on smaller projects where you don’t need a pile of cable bunching up in your hands or at your feet.The 8 mm diameter flexible camera head contains 4 bright LEDs that do a good job of lighting up the darkest spots and have three different levels of brightness. You get 95 cm of cable to inspect pipes or behind wall cavities, which isn’t loads, but it wraps neatly around the unit and doesn’t take up much room. Transferring the image from the camera to the smartphone is wonderful. No delays or transmission errors. If your inspection camera comes with a display, you should ensure it’s large enough for you to clearly view what’s going on. 3″ and above tends to be the best screen size for viewing. Any smaller than this, and you may not be able to get a good view of the area. The length of the cable is also an important factor. I’ve recommended cameras with cable lengths ranging from 1 m to 10 m. Those with long cables can get into areas a lot further away, but the camera itself will feel heavier. This makes the cable overall a little less manoeuvrable once you’ve managed to get it into a tight space.

Of course, you may not know exactly what task you are using your camera for. The models I’ve recommended have variable focal distances; a distance of between 3 and 10 cm would be suitable for a wide range of tasks. Cable Type and Length The option in the app to rotate the image by 90 degrees is very valuable, so you have better control of the orientation. Those that need a new endoscope to make their lives as a professional a lot easier on a daily basis are going to have different expectations and different requirements for this tool than homeowners or DIYers that might only use their endoscope a handful of times every year – if that. Wireless endoscopes take both pictures and videos, which are viewable live or can be saved to your device’s memory or the cloud. Generally speaking, if you want to get the best images, you need to find a balance between zoom and brightness. If you zoom in too close, images can become blurry and degraded. Sometimes the highest level of brightness is far too bright and washes out images and details. Attachments

Key considerations

If you’re going to be working outside, it’s a good idea to get an endoscope that connects to smartphones, as you typically won’t want to lug a laptop or desktop out there. If you’ll be working primarily indoors, it can be okay to get one that connects via USB. Camera quality We shared eight different top endoscope options that run the gamut of price points in this product category, showing that it’s possible to get your hands on a quality endoscope regardless of what your budget might be – but it is still important to establish your budget ahead of time. Home use: Wireless endoscopes are ideal for homeowners who are hands-on with repairs and home maintenance. You can inspect gutters, drains, beneath cabinets, and inside walls.