Eye Spy

How many times have you found yourself in a situation where you needed to see around tight corners, into inaccessible engine compartments or just about anywhere where vision is obstructed? Too many, I’m sure. Do-it-yourselfers typically reach for a mirror on a telescoping rod and a strong flashlight. In most cases, finding your way through dark and close quarters — even with a mirror — is downright frustrating, if not impossible.

The other day, I was assisting a friend locate a potential leak behind the water manifold in the utility bay. To get there, he needed to not only remove the stuff in the storage compartment but also a panel that was attached to a dividing wall. It was a big project — only to discover there was no leak in the area where we were looking.

A few days later, my neighbor brought over a newly purchased endoscope and a big smile on his face. It was a Depstech DS590 inspection camera that was perfect for plying inaccessible areas where bodies, hands and eyeballs simply can’t go. Mechanics have been using endoscopes, or borescopes, for years, but unless you were prepared to spend big bucks, the images usually generated few bragging rights.

The Depstech DS590 changes the paradigm and can be purchased on Amazon for less than $80 (I bought mine on sale for $71.98). It’s Amazon-officially called, “Depstech 5” IPS Endoscope, Dual Lens Inspection Camera with Light,” and it’s loaded with features only made possible by camera miniaturization and advances of video technology.

Beyond the split-lens system that allows vision forward and to the side is a 2.0 megapixel CMOS image sensor and a Bluart 3.0 Tech borescope camera, tied into a comfortable handle with a built-in 5-inch color screen and easy-to-navigate controls. The screen presents clear images (1920 x 1080 resolution), which were beyond my expectations for such an inexpensive tool. It’s comfortable to hold and can be viewed in the sun, which is a big benefit for those who make repairs outside.

A 16.5-foot detachable cable allows “exploration” into non-reachable spaces; if more rigidity is needed, the cable can be attached to a fish tape or solid wire to allow for routing without bending the cable. The split screen will show both camera images and there’s a light for working in dark areas.

It takes some acclimation to navigate with the 7.9mm camera cable but it gets easier in short order. The footage can be stored in a 32GB microSD card that comes with the device and is capable of capturing video and still images. Figure on around two hours of scoping on a single charge via the USB-C cable. All the parts are packaged in a nice hard case.

This tool is incredibly versatile and can be used for countless “search missions.” It’s perfect for finding dropped tools and/or fasteners in engine compartments, finding leaks or broken pipes, finding wayward items that fell off the counter and scooted under the slideout floor and locating pipes and wiring behind walls (like the one we had to remove for access to the water manifold in the utility bay). Since the cable and camera are waterproof, it’s also possible to diagnose holding tank/pipe/valve/toilet and other plumbing problems, but there will be an “icky” factor.

We never did find the water leak (one of those mysteries when there are no longer wet spots to visualize) but it was fun to find spare change in the washer and a wrench that had hidden out in the engine bowels for months. Trust, me you’ll never run out of places to check out.