How to choose a borescope or videoscope
By Grant, Inspection Tool Specialists. Reviewed November 2026.
Three things decide which borescope or videoscope you need: the opening you can get into, how far you must reach and whether you must look around a bend or sideways, and whether you need to record images. Measure the opening before you look at any product.
This guide covers borescopes, endoscopes and videoscopes for inspecting inside machinery, engines, tanks, castings and other confined spaces. Pipe endoscopes for drains and sewers are covered in our pipe camera guide.
Fibre-optic, video or articulating?
| Type | What it is | Typical in our range |
|---|---|---|
| Fibre-optic borescope | The image travels down a bundle of fibres to an eyepiece or screen | Fibre Borescope YW Series |
| Video endoscope | A camera sits at the probe tip and shows the image on a screen | Video endoscope K18 series; Industrial Endoscope LA60 Series |
| Articulating videoscope | The tip bends so you can look around an obstruction | Articulating Videoscope PCE-VE 180; 6 mm 360° HD endoscope VS-LA60; handheld VS-GK60 |
Access opening and probe length
The probe has to pass through the opening with room to spare. Narrower probes, such as 6 mm or 6.2 mm units, fit smaller openings, but they often give a smaller image, so the detail you can see may be less. Probe length matters just as much. A 1 m unit suits shallow access, while 10 m units reach along longer runs or down into tanks and ducts. Check the access diameter and the reach you need before you choose.
Looking around a bend
A rigid probe only shows what is straight ahead. An articulating tip bends, so you can look at the side of a joint, behind a baffle or into a pocket. Dual-direction units give a forward view and a side view, which is useful for checking welds and junctions without moving the probe. Decide which view you need before you pick the model.
Lighting, screen and recording
The light at the tip decides how well you see in a dark space. Screen size matters for long inspections, and recording matters if the results go into a report or are shared with a client. Ask whether the unit stores photos and video, and where, before you buy.
Which borescope should I buy?
| Application | Suggested starting point |
|---|---|
| Quick look inside machinery, tight budget | Y400 borescope with 4.3-inch screen and 1 m cable |
| Looking around obstructions | PCE-VE 180 articulating videoscope |
| Small opening with a 360° articulating tip | VS-LA60 6 mm 360° HD endoscope |
| Handheld with a 5-inch screen and 360° articulation | VS-GK60 handheld endoscope |
| Long reach, dual-direction view | 10 m dual-direction videoscope |
| Fibre-optic inspection | YW Series fibre borescope |
| High-end video endoscope | K18 video endoscope |
As a guide to our current range, including VAT: borescopes from about R7,900; articulating videoscopes from about R10,200; handheld and long-reach units from about R14,600 to R102,000; fibre-optic units from about R51,500; video endoscopes from about R165,000. Prices change, so check the product pages before ordering.
Questions we will ask you
Tell us what you need to inspect and what is inside it, the access opening diameter, how far the probe must reach, whether you need to look around a bend or sideways, whether the space is wet or dry, whether you need photos or video recorded, and whether the results go into a report. With that we can recommend a model and provide pricing.