theuerkorn's Full Review: Milwaukee 2310-21 M-spector 12v Inspection Camera
Most men are drawn to power tools, like moths to light. This may be the easiest explanation for the M-spector camera, but it's much more practical if you ever got frustrated because there just wasn't enough room to adequately see anything. Snake lights have been there for a while to bring light in tight spaces, and it's just logical to go one step further and add a camera. (These tools were typically for industrial use or "espionage", until now.)
Milwaukee was a relatively unknown company to me despite the wide range of tools. On a recent trip to Home Depot there it was, the dream of any handyman -- a snake camera. The price of $250 is quite an effective deterrent against that impulse buy, and it wasn't until the online price dropped to $90 that I got hold of one myself.
Long story short, the M-Spector is a useful tool for those that really need to reach further (car mechanics, plumbers, electricians), and it will reduce the hassle to view difficult spots. The overall usability is limited by the very stiff neck portion and the lack of a focus adjustment. It's surprisingly useful in near dark confined areas due to the integrated LED lighting which can be adjusted in three levels. The camera can even zoom (1x - 2x) which might help making small detail more recognizeable.
The camera comes in a relatively large hard case which I initially wanted to toss, but with the stiff extension it appeared much better to keep it in its case. The included 4 AA batteries store in the grip and make for the main weight of the device (aside from the extension). The battery compartment is a bit difficult to disassemble when replacing batteries, though the assembly slides easily in and out of the handle.
The camera sits on the end of a 3 ft "flexible shaft", which can be extended by another 3 ft. So, reach isn't endless and the opening needs to be at least 3/4 inch big for it to fit through. The size of the camera head (stiff section) prevents usage in tight bends. The shaft and camera are waterproof (no word on what grade), though the monitor of course is not included.
The 2.4" color screen (320x240 px) came as a surprise since the images seemed to show only shades of Grey. The value of color is limited but has applications when trying to determine wire colors or similar problems where it matters. The muted colors will not be useful to distinguisch minor differences though and Red can easily look like light Brown and similar tones.
Overall, this turned out to be a great tool for the price ($90), though I would have been hard pressed to even consider it at normal MSRP ($250) as my usage wouldn't warrant that. You won't light up big rooms with it or see very far, but it works well in confined areas and up to roughly 1 - 2 feet distance from the camera.
Also known as: MLW2310-21, MLW231021, MWK-2310-21; With advanced digital imaging technology and a 2.4" high-resolution color LCD display, the Digital ...More at ToolTopia.com
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