Inspection Camera / Bore Scope
Moderator: RichardW
- Ben82
- Posts: 1086
- Joined: 03 Dec 2012, 07:47
- Location: Sköllersta/Örebro, Sweden
- My Cars: C5 V6 2004
- x 7
Inspection Camera / Bore Scope
Hi All,
I'm looking at buying an (USB) inspection camera/bore scope this weekend (to go digging around in the walls of the house).
I've found one that our "halfords" do that is for about £23. And I've found some videos that have been taken with the one I'm looking at getting:
and
Anyone here who has (or has used) a bore scope, able to comment on whether the quality of those videos is pretty much on par with what one would expect from one? To me the videos are "ok" not really the best quality (but they aren't really going to be camcorder quality anyway) nor really the worst that I've seen.
I'm looking at buying an (USB) inspection camera/bore scope this weekend (to go digging around in the walls of the house).
I've found one that our "halfords" do that is for about £23. And I've found some videos that have been taken with the one I'm looking at getting:
and
Anyone here who has (or has used) a bore scope, able to comment on whether the quality of those videos is pretty much on par with what one would expect from one? To me the videos are "ok" not really the best quality (but they aren't really going to be camcorder quality anyway) nor really the worst that I've seen.
2004 Citroen C5 3L V6 Auto
Brit living in Sweden with an imported from Germany French Car!
Brit living in Sweden with an imported from Germany French Car!
- xantia_v6
- Forum Admin Team
- Posts: 9091
- Joined: 09 Nov 2005, 22:03
- Location: France or NewZealand
- Lexia Available: Yes
- My Cars: -
1997 Citroen Xantia V6 (France)
1999 Citroen XM V6 ES9 (France)
2011 Peugeot 308 CC THP 155 (NZ)
1975 Jaguar XJ-S pre-HE (NZ) - x 835
Re: Inspection Camera / Bore Scope
Having used a usb borescope camera a couple of times to look inside walls and floors, I have been somewhat disappointed with the field of vision and ability to illuminate dark spaces. Also be very careful not to let the lens surface touch anything that might scratch it, or the device will become practically useless,
- Ben82
- Posts: 1086
- Joined: 03 Dec 2012, 07:47
- Location: Sköllersta/Örebro, Sweden
- My Cars: C5 V6 2004
- x 7
Re: Inspection Camera / Bore Scope
xantia_v6 wrote:Having used a usb borescope camera a couple of times to look inside walls and floors, I have been somewhat disappointed with the field of vision and ability to illuminate dark spaces. Also be very careful not to let the lens surface touch anything that might scratch it, or the device will become practically useless,
Hmm, Thanks. Not really sure what would be best, I guess I could give it a go, and go through the hassle of returning it if it turns out to be fairly crap.
2004 Citroen C5 3L V6 Auto
Brit living in Sweden with an imported from Germany French Car!
Brit living in Sweden with an imported from Germany French Car!
- CitroJim
- A very naughty boy
- Posts: 49658
- Joined: 30 Apr 2005, 23:33
- Location: Paggers
- My Cars: Bluebell the AX, Polly the C3 Picasso, Pix the Nissan Pixo, Propel the duathlon bike, TCR Pro the road bike and Fuji the TT bike...
- x 6204
- Contact:
Re: Inspection Camera / Bore Scope
You'd have thought, given their application, these devices would have a scratch-proof lens. They can do it on watches and phones easily enough...
Jim
Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
- Stickyfinger
- (Donor 2016)
- Posts: 10445
- Joined: 28 Mar 2013, 21:05
- Location: Somset my lovleee
- My Cars: Xantia V6 ACTIVA 3ltr 24v Manual p1
Xm 2.1TD Ph2 Exclusive
AX, little Daffodil
SAXO White Mk1. Sally - x 1297
- Contact:
Re: Inspection Camera / Bore Scope
The Lens is the most expensive part, so plastic is used for cost...no grinding etc
Alasdair
Activa, the Moose Rider
3x C5x7 Steering racks and counting
Activa, the Moose Rider
3x C5x7 Steering racks and counting
- CitroJim
- A very naughty boy
- Posts: 49658
- Joined: 30 Apr 2005, 23:33
- Location: Paggers
- My Cars: Bluebell the AX, Polly the C3 Picasso, Pix the Nissan Pixo, Propel the duathlon bike, TCR Pro the road bike and Fuji the TT bike...
- x 6204
- Contact:
Re: Inspection Camera / Bore Scope
So why has the cheap sports watch I bought from the 'bay for 6 quid have a scratch-proof lens then?
Goodness knows it's been well tested...
Goodness knows it's been well tested...
Jim
Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
- Stickyfinger
- (Donor 2016)
- Posts: 10445
- Joined: 28 Mar 2013, 21:05
- Location: Somset my lovleee
- My Cars: Xantia V6 ACTIVA 3ltr 24v Manual p1
Xm 2.1TD Ph2 Exclusive
AX, little Daffodil
SAXO White Mk1. Sally - x 1297
- Contact:
Re: Inspection Camera / Bore Scope
Its not a lens is it, its a clear plastic cover.
Morning btw, woken up at 4am by our local owls having a "toot-along" !!
Morning btw, woken up at 4am by our local owls having a "toot-along" !!
Alasdair
Activa, the Moose Rider
3x C5x7 Steering racks and counting
Activa, the Moose Rider
3x C5x7 Steering racks and counting
- CitroJim
- A very naughty boy
- Posts: 49658
- Joined: 30 Apr 2005, 23:33
- Location: Paggers
- My Cars: Bluebell the AX, Polly the C3 Picasso, Pix the Nissan Pixo, Propel the duathlon bike, TCR Pro the road bike and Fuji the TT bike...
- x 6204
- Contact:
Re: Inspection Camera / Bore Scope
Wondered what you were doing up so early too Alasdair...
I just woke up at my normal time...
Already baked a loaf, spent 30 mins in the gym and completed all forum admin!
I just woke up at my normal time...
Already baked a loaf, spent 30 mins in the gym and completed all forum admin!
Jim
Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
- xantia_v6
- Forum Admin Team
- Posts: 9091
- Joined: 09 Nov 2005, 22:03
- Location: France or NewZealand
- Lexia Available: Yes
- My Cars: -
1997 Citroen Xantia V6 (France)
1999 Citroen XM V6 ES9 (France)
2011 Peugeot 308 CC THP 155 (NZ)
1975 Jaguar XJ-S pre-HE (NZ) - x 835
Re: Inspection Camera / Bore Scope
I should have been more precise. My camera has a (non-removable) plastic cover on the end whith the lens and illumination LEDs behind it. If the plactic cover gets scratched, light from the LEDs gets refracted back, greatly reducing the available contrast of the camera.
Re: Inspection Camera / Bore Scope
I wouldn't spend that much on a camera anyway.
I bought a perfectly functional one for £6.50. At that price, if the lens cover should get scratched, it could be considered disposable (although personally I'd look into replacing it with a glass watch crystal).
I bought a perfectly functional one for £6.50. At that price, if the lens cover should get scratched, it could be considered disposable (although personally I'd look into replacing it with a glass watch crystal).
- Ben82
- Posts: 1086
- Joined: 03 Dec 2012, 07:47
- Location: Sköllersta/Örebro, Sweden
- My Cars: C5 V6 2004
- x 7
Re: Inspection Camera / Bore Scope
It's kinda more what's available that I can get for my week off this week. Only way to get them for ~£7 over here is to get them on eBay from china, so will probably be a 2 week wait. Had I known the walls here would be a pain, I probably would have made the decision to get one a lot soonerdnsey wrote:I wouldn't spend that much on a camera anyway.
I bought a perfectly functional one for £6.50. At that price, if the lens cover should get scratched, it could be considered disposable (although personally I'd look into replacing it with a glass watch crystal).
2004 Citroen C5 3L V6 Auto
Brit living in Sweden with an imported from Germany French Car!
Brit living in Sweden with an imported from Germany French Car!
- Stickyfinger
- (Donor 2016)
- Posts: 10445
- Joined: 28 Mar 2013, 21:05
- Location: Somset my lovleee
- My Cars: Xantia V6 ACTIVA 3ltr 24v Manual p1
Xm 2.1TD Ph2 Exclusive
AX, little Daffodil
SAXO White Mk1. Sally - x 1297
- Contact:
Re: Inspection Camera / Bore Scope
Is it Mice or Elk in the walls ?
I would of thought you would be able to tell without a camera
I would of thought you would be able to tell without a camera
Alasdair
Activa, the Moose Rider
3x C5x7 Steering racks and counting
Activa, the Moose Rider
3x C5x7 Steering racks and counting
- Ben82
- Posts: 1086
- Joined: 03 Dec 2012, 07:47
- Location: Sköllersta/Örebro, Sweden
- My Cars: C5 V6 2004
- x 7
Re: Inspection Camera / Bore Scope
It's certainly something hard between the studs, but it doesn't move or make a noise, so want to have a nose around in there before the wall looks like swiss cheese from me making even more holes.Stickyfinger wrote:Is it Mice or Elk in the walls ?
I would of thought you would be able to tell without a camera
2004 Citroen C5 3L V6 Auto
Brit living in Sweden with an imported from Germany French Car!
Brit living in Sweden with an imported from Germany French Car!
- CitroJim
- A very naughty boy
- Posts: 49658
- Joined: 30 Apr 2005, 23:33
- Location: Paggers
- My Cars: Bluebell the AX, Polly the C3 Picasso, Pix the Nissan Pixo, Propel the duathlon bike, TCR Pro the road bike and Fuji the TT bike...
- x 6204
- Contact:
Re: Inspection Camera / Bore Scope
We used to have a family of possums living in the roof of our house in Darwin..
We let them be. The sound of them scrabbling around at night was somehow comforting and they didn't do any damage...
We let them be. The sound of them scrabbling around at night was somehow comforting and they didn't do any damage...
Jim
Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...