Industrial Endoscopes & Borescopes

Endoscope is a term generally used to describe medical tools used to perform minimally invasive surgery or other medical procedure, but the term has been adopted to describe a device used to look inside other things as well. Endoscopes can look inside walls, engines, HVAC controls, rifle barrels or anywhere else that a visual inspection of a small area is needed. Here are our most frequently asked questions about endoscopes answered.

An endoscope camera is a tiny camera attached to the end of a long cable, that enables people to look inside hard-to-reach areas that otherwise would not be visible to the human eye. The endoscope was traditionally used for medical purposes only, but it proved to be so useful that industrial endoscopes were developed to look inside of many other places that needed a visual inspection. Without an endoscope, oftentimes inspectors are forced to do a painstaking disassembly or a destructive inspection. Endoscopes are great problem solvers for mechanical inspection, car repair, plumbing fixes, electrical installs, house DIY, wall upgrades, HVAC maintenance, and more. Many endoscope cameras are compatible with Android and or IOS operating systems so that they can be viewed directly through a smartphone, either using WiFi or with a USB cable.

The cost of endoscopes varies greatly depending on the complexity of the equipment, ranging anywhere from $50 to over $1,000, though you’ll typically find them for $50 - $500. A simple USB endoscope, for example, that you plug into your phone or computer is a lot less expensive than an endoscope with its own high-resolution screen and battery.

That depends on what you consider cheap! In general, affordable endoscopes are good for a wide range of applications, and you’ll only need to spend a bit more if you’re looking for something with specialized features. Endoscopes are often cheaper when you use them plugged into your own device, such as a smartphone or laptop. However, just because they are less expensive doesn’t mean they won’t work perfectly well for basic applications, such as looking for plumbing leaks. In fact, many smartphones will be able to display high-resolution video from an endoscope and many tablets or iPads work fantastic as a large screen for a high-resolution digital endoscope.

Teslong makes a broad range of endoscope inspection cameras. You will find a range of prices and applications within the Teslong product line. When you are shopping for an endoscope ask yourself: What you plan to use it for. Whether you want to use it with your own device or choose one with a screen. Whether you need a WiFi, USB, or stand-alone design. Your budget. Whether you want the probe to have some flexibility, have controllable articulation or be rigid. The resolution of the image you want or need. Whether you want a fixed (near) focus or autofocus lens design.

Most of the endoscopes available for rent are very expensive and are made for specialized applications like sewage inspection cameras for plumbers. That is great if you are a plumber, but for basic home and mechanic DIY use it’s usually less expensive to just buy a USB or WiFi endoscope as your first endoscope and see how it works for you - they really aren’t that expensive.

When it comes to choosing an endoscope, there are several factors you need to consider:

COMPATIBILITY

Endoscopes can work with a smartphone or laptop either via WiFi or through a USB connection, otherwise, you can select a stand-alone endoscope that works without the need for any other device.

If you require your endoscope to be as mobile as possible you are going to want to choose one that works with a smartphone or on its own, rather than having to carry around a laptop.

IMAGE QUALITY

Most endoscopes will now offer a HD image quality or at least 720p, so this shouldn’t be an issue. However, if you require a very high image quality for your application, keep that in mind as you do your research.

CABLE LENGTH

Although you may think that longer is better, you are likely to find that having too much cable simply gets in the way. With this in mind, it is recommended that you choose the length depending on the specific application you wish to use it for. You might find that just a few feet are all that you need.

FLEXIBILITY

You also need to think about the flexibility of the cable. If you are looking to use an endoscope to explore pipework or similar installations, you are going to want to choose a flexible endoscope that will allow you to feed the camera around bends with ease.

On the other hand, if you need your endoscope to hold more of a structure you will want to choose either a rigid endoscope or at least a semi-rigid endoscope.

BATTERY LIFE

If you choose an endoscope that works with its own battery power, rather than through a smartphone or laptop, you will need to select an endoscope with an appropriate battery size.

Some endoscopes will have a battery size of around 1000mAh or less, which is likely to only give you up to two hours of battery before it needs to be recharged.

Others, however, will have a battery size of 2000mAh or more which will last for around 5 hours or possibly more. This means that it will last for the majority of a working day before it needs to be recharged again.

To use an endoscope camera on your computer, you should be able to simply connect the endoscope using a USB cable and view the captured video on the camera software of your computer, such as PhotoBooth for MacOSX or Windows Camera, although this may depend on your operating system.

A WiFi endoscope will be equipped with a WiFi adapter that will allow you to connect your mobile device to the endoscope wirelessly and view the images picked up by the camera through an app installed on your mobile device.

An endoscope camera uses a digital camera sensor and lens at the end of a long camera probe (flexible or rigid) to capture video and photo images in hard-to-access areas. Wires transmit the imaging data along the length of the camera probe to the monitor, USB cable, or a WiFi transmitter.

Endoscopes can be used for many applications to enable you to see areas that would otherwise be left unseen. Common uses for endoscopes include car repair work, HVAC maintenance, plumbing, rifle cleaning and many other uses. Endoscopes are invaluable for performing visual inspections of hidden areas without disassembly or destructive means. If you need to see an inaccessible area, an endoscope will be a great tool to have at your disposal.

At Teslong we have several endoscopes available for purchase depending on your individual needs and budget. Many of our models are equipped with their own screen and, along with long-lasting battery life, are perfect for inspections no matter where you are. Most of our models are even waterproof (IP67) so that you can use your endoscope no matter the weather or application. Teslong cares about quality, and that is why we offer both a 12-month warranty and a 30-day money-back guarantee on every one of our products. Check out our full range of endoscope inspection cameras here.

An industrial endoscope is essentially a camera at the end of a cable that can record images or video of something that is difficult to access. The camera is manually controlled by someone looking at what the camera is capturing through a screen either on the industrial endoscope itself, or via a smartphone, tablet, or laptop. Technically, the term “endoscope” is only used in the medical profession, and so the term “borescope” is more correct. However, the terms are often used interchangeably, and so an industrial endoscope is much larger than a medical endoscope and much more affordable. They’re used in a range of industries but are often used to identify mechanical, plumbing, and building issues.

In the medical field, an endoscope camera is used to see the inside of someone’s body. During a surgical process a tiny camera is inserted via a flexible tube and a small light illuminates the patient’s insides, which are then viewable on a screen. This allows doctors to identify issues like ulcers, cancers or tumors, reflux, and unusual changes in the esophagus or digestive tract. An industrial endoscope (also known as a borescope) is used to see inside anywhere that’s difficult to access. Places like inside the walls of a house, aircraft wings, vehicle engines, plumbing pipes, and so much more.

At Teslong, we offer the highest quality borescopes and industrial endoscopes at prices anyone can afford. Our state-of-the-art technology makes examining and diagnosing issues a breeze, whether you’re an avid DIYer or use your industrial inspection camera daily at work. We offer fast worldwide shipping and 30-day free returns, so should you decide your borescope isn’t right for you, you can return it to us unused.

Prices vary, but they are surprisingly affordable, especially compared to medical endoscopes! We make household, DIY and industrial endoscopes to fit in almost any budget, from a $50 introductory model to our top-of-the-line options closer to $250. There are more expensive industrial endoscopes on the market, but they are only necessary for extremely specialized work. For most projects and industries, our affordable industrial endoscopes will give you incredible results.

Industrial borescopes, as the name suggests, are designed to solve problems and perform examinations in manufacturing or other industrial environments. They’re typically used to perform inspections in engines, in building walls, or in plumbing pipes - places that are not easily seen with the human eye. Also, let's not forget inside the barrel of a rifle. Medical endoscopes that are used in surgical applications to look inside a patient’s body are built to extraordinary standards. They have been designed to be extremely maneuverable and hygienic so they don’t harm the patient, which also makes them much more expensive than the typical industrial borescope.

There are a few key things to look for in an industrial endoscope. These are:

Quality of Picture – All of our endoscope probes capture photos and video with a resolution of at least 720p, several models capture at 1080p. Unless you are watching the video on a very large screen though, it will be hard to tell the difference. These days, good image quality won’t cost you a lot more, usually when someone is selecting a probe to buy, it’s more important to select one that is small enough to perform the inspection job you need done.

Field of View – Not all industrial borescopes offer the same field of view. Most of Teslong’s camera probe lenses have a 70-degree field of view, which is a wide-angle view ideal for a close-up inspection. Some of Teslong camera probes double their field of view by including two camera lenses in the probe oriented at 90-degree angles to one another. Some of our lenses also allow the installation of a right angle mirror on the end of the camera to look sideways or around a corner.

Maneuverability – If you are inspecting a straight pipe, or a rifle barrel, you might be well served by a rigid camera probe. For most inspection jobs however, a flexible probe is better to push the camera through something like the bend in a plumbing pipe or an exhaust manifold. If you need more control, consider shopping for an articulated borescope, which will give you a wider field of view and the ability to look around complex corners and shapes.

Budget – You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a great borescope. Teslong makes household, DIY and industrial endoscopes to fit in almost any budget, from a $50 introductory model to our top-of-the-line options closer to $250. There are more expensive industrial endoscopes on the market, but they are only necessary for extremely specialized work.

Length of Cable – If you’re only going to be inspecting your rifle or car engine, you don’t need a cable that’s 15ft long. Longer probe lengths are better for things like looking inside the wall of a house or a long pipe installation. Consider what you’re going to inspect and choose a borescope with an appropriate cable length.

Diameter – Make sure the diameter of the borescope is not too big for the application you need it for. Generally, a smaller diameter will give you better maneuverability, and a larger diameter will give you better image quality, so that is why Teslong offers so many camera probe options.

A wireless industrial endoscope is called so because it communicates with your handheld mobile device via a wireless network—instead of being plugged into it via a USB or other cable. The image from the endoscope is displayed on your phone or tablet and you use an app to capture photos or record video from the device.

If you’re looking for an industrial endoscope or rifle borescope we’ve got a huge selection in a range of affordable prices.