REVIEW – When I was a kid, I was a DIY kid. As an adult, I have continued that passion and skill. Over the years, I have learned that having the right tool for the job is very important if I want to get the job done right and if I don’t want to waste time. Having the right tool also saves a whole lot of frustration. Being able to see into hard to reach areas including when I drop a screw and don’t have a clear view of where it is, has been a repetitive occurrence for years. This Ancel WF100 Wireless Endoscope Camera should be the answer to this problem as well as a great tool for many other tasks and fun explorations.
What is it?
The ANCEL Flaw Detection Tool Wireless Endoscope features a tiny camera attached to the end of a long flexible hose. The hose can be fed into places that are otherwise hard to reach and see. It supports both IOS and Android, and we can access the video feed through the free application. Video is transmitted to your smartphone using a WiFi direct connection.
What’s in the box
1 x Ancel WF100 Wireless Endoscope Camera
1 x Micro USB Cable
1 x Lens Ball Attachment
1 x Hook Attachment
1 x Magnet Attachment
1 x Mirror Attachment
1 x User Manual
Design and features
Specifications
Lens: 90° wide-angle lens
The diameter of the head: 8.5mm
Probe length: 11.5ft
Focal range: 3.15inch – 5.91inch
Camera: 2-megapixel camera, 30fps frame rate video quality.
Cable: semi-rigid cable, stiff enough for shaping.
Accessories: aluminum lens ball, magnet, hook, mirror.
Waterproof capabilities: IP67 waterproof rating, the snake and camera can be underwater for a maximum 30mins within 3.3ft depth.
Compatibility: Android 2.3+, iOS 6.0+
Features
- 1080p HD Camera: The WiFi endoscope camera can take up to 1920*1080P video, equipped with 4X digital zoom, and 90° wide-angle technology.
- 11.5ft Long Snake Cable: The Ancel WF100 WiFi snake camera has 11.5ft long cable to enable viewing from a distance.
- 6 Adjustable LED Lights: The probe head is surrounded by 6 adjustable led lights.
- Waterproof Inspection Camera: The IP67 waterproof design allows you to use it in a pool, for plumbing in the drainage pipe and even in an aquarium.
The Ancel Endoscope is made up of a control box and an 11.5′ probe with a camera on the end. The following diagram and pictures show the functionality of the control box.
Ancel includes 4 accessories that can be attached to the end of the probe on the camera.
Performance
The first thing that you have to do right out of the box is to charge the device via its micro USB port. When the LED turns green, it is fully charged.
Once you power on the control box, there are 2 LEDs that light up. The red LED is the power indicator and the blue LED is the wireless indicator. The camera also turns on and the 6 LEDs around the camera light up.
Once you download and install the HD WiFi app, and go to the wireless settings in your smartphone, the endoscope shows up as a Jetion device.
The app main screen immediately shows up with the live camera. You are able to review photos and video from within the app as well as adjust some settings. Here is a screenshot of the settings screen:
At the end of the probe, there is a small threaded cap that you unscrew revealing threads that allow you to screw on the attachments (Lens ball, hook, magnet or mirror):
Lens ball:
Hook:
Magnet:
Mirror:
The IP67 waterproof rating allows you to use this unit in damp and wet places and the probe/snake and camera can be underwater for a maximum 30mins and up to a depth of 3.3ft. The camera has a 2-megapixel CMOS camera sensor and offers three resolution options (1280×720, 640×480, 320×240).
The following are a couple of example videos using the endoscope at a 640×480 resolution:
This video shows the probe viewing the inside of a computer by accessing that space through a hole in the computer case.
The next video shows the use of the zoom in/out and the LED brightness adjustment.
What I like
- The length of the snake/probe cable
- The ease of connectivity and use
- The ability to shape the probe cable
- The quality of the picture/image and the ability to record video and take pictures
- The build quality
- The included accessories
- The waterproof design
What I’d change
- A built-in screen on the control box with onboard recording capability
- Include a protective case
Final thoughts
The Ancel WF100 Wireless Endoscope Camera works very well and is a great tool for looking to places and spaces that would be otherwise very difficult to reach and see into. It is also a great tool just for fun and for its intended purpose. Its use is limited only to your imagination. It is great that is it waterproof so that I can see if/when my kids throw a toy down the drain. It can also be used in learning and scientific ways like recording fish from within their own environment. Then there are the scenarios when I need to find screws that I dropped either in the engine compartment of my car or something else small that I dropped under the car seat, etc. Nice product for a reasonable price.
Price: $49.29
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Ancel.
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my son uses a similar/same camera for troubleshooting aquarium systems (from 20 gallons to 1000s of gallons) and loves it
it came in handy when one my grandson’s lizards escaped into their home’s ductwork, it was used to check wall spaces before fishing cables, etc.
apparently a very useful tool
I won an IDENTICAL unit (only under a different brand label) on amazon giveaways. I have yet to actually use it myself past playing with it. A coworker however did use it to snake a cable between house floors. I probably will use it in the upcoming future to see what is in the “secret” area of my house. We have roughly a 2’x11′ “room” that was isolated when basement was drywalled. Hope I don’t find any bodies. 😀