Inspection cameras
4 products
Buying an inspection camera means being able to see where your head won't fit: behind the washing machine, in a drain, under the floor, or deep inside an engine bay. Strex endoscope cameras deliver sharp 1080P images with LED lighting on the camera tip — available with a 5 or 10-meter cable, and with your own 4.3-inch screen or connected to your phone.
With a screen or via your phone: what works better?
The version with its own LCD screen is a standalone tool: turn it on and look, no app, no pairing — the choice for those who regularly pick up the camera as a work tool. The phone version is more compact and uses the screen you already have with you: you view images on a larger scale, and you can share photos or videos of your findings immediately — useful for showing a blockage or leak to the plumber before they arrive. Both versions are available with a 5 or 10-meter cable.
5 or 10-meter cable?
Longer always sounds better, but let's be honest: 5 meters covers almost all jobs in the house — drains, cavity walls, behind kitchen cabinets, engine bays. The 10-meter version is for sewer and pipe work over longer distances, crawl spaces, and everything outdoors. The cable is semi-rigid: sturdy enough to push forward through a pipe, flexible enough for corners. More length also means more cable to maneuver — so choose based on your longest realistic job, not just "to be safe."
What should you look out for?
- ✔ Image quality — 1080P with an 8mm lens shows hairline cracks and blockages, not vague spots
- ✔ LED lighting — adjustable in brightness; inside a pipe, the light on the tip is your only light
- ✔ Water resistance (IP67) — the camera head can get wet: drains and pipes are rarely dry
- ✔ Attachments — magnet (fishing back a lost screw!), hook, and mirror expand its use
- ✔ Photo/video recording — save to an SD card, evidence for landlord or plumber
The underestimated hero among the included attachments is the magnet: the screw that falls into the engine bay, the nut behind the radiator, the key in the drain — with the camera, you can both see it and retrieve it. That one retrieved part often pays for the device itself. For permanent mounting on the back of a car, a reversing camera is the right tool — the inspection camera is specifically for everything that is temporary, cramped, and dark. You can find the full camera range in the camera collection.
Frequently asked questions
Is an inspection camera waterproof?
The camera head and cable are IP67 waterproof and can therefore be used in wet drains, pipes, and pits. The control unit — screen or phone connection — must stay above water. After use in a drain, simply rinse and dry the head, and it is ready for the next job.
Does the phone version work on iPhone and Android?
The camera connects to common smartphones; via the accompanying app, you can see live images and take photos and videos. Check your phone's connection before purchasing — modern devices with USB-C connect directly.
Can I find a blockage with an inspection camera?
Yes, that is what it is most often bought for: feed the head into the drain and you can see exactly where and what the blockage is — grease, hair, or a dropped object. That saves you from blindly pulling with a plunger and gives the plumber the right information immediately if they are still needed.
How do I see something in a dark pipe?
The camera tip has its own LED lighting that you can adjust in brightness: in a narrow pipe, a little light is sufficient; in a crawl space, you turn it to full power. Too much light on a shiny pipe wall causes glare — dimming it actually provides more detail.
Check out the Strex inspection cameras — with a screen or via your phone, 5 or 10 meters — and see for yourself where the problem lies from now on.