If you’re in the market for an inspection camera, you’ve likely seen there are many inspection cameras to choose from. There are plenty of cheap products available that are sure to break after a few uses, but you’re looking for a tool you can depend on, so odds are you’ve come across the inspection cameras from DeWALT, Milwaukee, and Klein. These are legendary names amongst tool manufacturers, and each produces excellent products, so it’s only natural to include their products in your consideration. Yet, while there are areas where these products may excel, they fall short in certain key categories where the Ferret Plus performs best. Let’s explore their features and capabilities to see which inspection camera is best for you.
| Overview | ||||
| Inspection Camera | Ferret Plus | DeWALT
5.8mm Inspection Camera |
Milwaukee
M12™ M-Spector Flex™ |
Klein Wireless Borescope |
| Model | CFWF50P | DCT412S1 | 2315-21 | ET20 |
| Overall Rating | ★★★★★ | ★★ | ★★★ | ★★★ |
| Cost | $$ | $$$$ | $$$$ | $ |
| Resolution | 1280 x 720 | 320 x 480 | 640 x 480 | 640 x 480 |
| Viewing Length | Up to 50 feet | 3 feet | 3 feet | 6 feet |
| Camera Width | 32mm | 5.8mm | 12.5mm | 9mm |
| Viewability | Wirelessly connect to your smart device | Wireless screen | Wireless screen | Wirelessly connect to your smart device |
| Storage | 8GB on-board memory, save photos & video to smart device | Up to 16GB micro SD (not included) | SD card included | No on-board memory, save photos & video to device |
| Non-Contact Voltage Detector | Yes | No | No | No |
| Suitable for Cable Pulling | Yes | No | No | No |
| Yes | No | No | No | |
| Case | Compact Padded EVA | Bulky Hard Case | Bulky Hard Case | Cloth Carrying Case |
| Charging | Internal Battery, charging cable,
USB-C |
External battery, charging dock | External battery, charging dock | Internal Battery, charging cable,
Micro USB |
Ideal Use Cases of the Ferret Camera Vs. The Competition
The biggest differences between the Ferret camera and the others in this comparison are the use cases for which each is most useful. With its features and functionality, the Ferret Pro is a great tool for an extremely wide variety of uses, often beating out the competition as the most efficient and capable tool for the job. It’s great for use in open air and in hard-to-reach areas with access greater than 32mm. From general home inspections to your DIY projects, the Ferret Pro is your best choice.
Borescope cameras such as the DeWALT, Milwaukee, and Klein tools in this comparison, work best for visual inspections with very narrow access (smaller than 32mm) such as inside pipes or inside small components. They are used to examine areas where the flexible probe can be supported and directed by the item being inspected. That makes them great for inspecting tight areas like turbines, mechanical components, and structural components.
| When To Use Which Inspection Camera | ||
| Use Case | Ferret Pro | DeWALT, Milwaukee, & Klein Cameras |
| General Visual Inspection | ★★★ | ★ |
| Cable Pulling | ★★★ | N/A |
| Home Gutter Inspection | ★★★ | N/A |
| Leak Discovery | ★★★ | ★ |
| Home Inspections | ★★★ | ★ |
| Pest Inspections | ★★★ | ★ |
| Marine Inspections | ★★★ | ★ |
| Building Inspections | ★★★ | ★ |
| Plumbing Inspections | ★★★ | ★★ |
| DIY Projects | ★★★ | ★ |
| Storing Photos & Videos | ★★★ | ★★ |
| Automotive Inspections | ★★ | ★★ |
| Viewing Inside Pipes >32mm ID | ★★ | ★★ |
| Viewing Inside Pipes <32mm ID | N/A | ★★★ |
| Machinery Inspections | ★★ | ★★★ |
| Combustion Chamber Inspections | N/A | ★★★ |
| Turbine Inspection | ★ | ★★★ |
| Hydraulic Cylinder Inspections | ★ | ★★★ |
View Remotely with a Wireless Screen
While the DeWALT 5.8mm inspection camera and Milwaukee M12™ M-Spector Flex™ inspection camera have wireless screens, they need to be charged in addition to the battery pack used to power the camera. They receive charge from the battery pack, but it’s yet another batter to keep charged.
Since the Ferret camera connects to your smartphone (which you’ll already have charged anyway), it’s easy to keep a Ferret inspection camera charged up and ready to go. The Klein 9mm inspection camera also has an internal battery and connects to your smartphone, but it falls short with its wireless range of just 30 feet. The Ferret Plus has a wireless range of 50 feet, allowing you to keep an exceptionally safe distance and reach areas with limited access. The Milwaukee M12™ M-Spector Flex™ is limited to a 15-foot wireless range with its screen, and the DeWALT inspection doesn’t list a wireless range for its screen in the product manual or specifications. For confidence in your reach, opt for the Ferret Plus inspection camera.
Inspection Camera Maneuverability
Both the DeWALT and the Milwaukee inspection cameras in this comparison feature similar form factors, that being a handheld tool with a battery at their base, a viewing screen, and a camera probe. The Klein inspection camera is similarly a handheld tool with a camera probe but instead uses your smartphone as the viewing screen. This makes these tools great for easy-to-reach areas and inspecting in narrow areas like inside drains, but that also makes these tools less than ideal for hard-to-reach areas.
What’s more, the Ferret Plus attaches to your glow rods or the available Ferret Stick to allow you to place the inspection camera exactly where you need it. The DeWALT, Milwaukee, and Klein inspection camera probes will bend under their own weight when extended, making them more challenging to work with when not inspecting things like pipes or drains. For a maneuverable inspection camera that can see and reach where you can’t, opt for the Ferret Plus.
The Ferret Plus Takes Up Less Space
Whether you’re a weekend DIYer or a tradesperson who spends each and every workday surrounded by their tools, you have a finite amount of space in which to fit all of your tools. Not only that, but if you’re lugging around tool bags, minimizing the weight of your tools can make carrying them around job sites laborious. The Ferret Plus weighs in at just 33 grams and is 3 ⅕” long & 1 ¼” wide. The included padded EVA case is also compact while still fitting in all of its attachments, ultimately taking up far less space than the hard plastic cases you’d get for both the DeWALT and Milwaukee tools while remaining much sleeker than the Klein’s cloth carrying case.
Non-Contact Voltage Detector – Exclusive to Ferret Plus
Your safety on the job supersedes all else. A real safety concern when working in difficult-to-access/navigate areas is whether or not live wires (50V-1000V AC) are present. There can be wires that you don’t see, and even if you have the breaker off, wires may still happen to be live. With the Ferret Plus, you can confirm whether or not there are live wires present from a safe distance. So, instead of being limited by a handheld voltage detector and having to lug around two separate tools during your inspections, the Ferret Plus gives you more features in a more compact package.
Why Buy a Ferret Inspection Camera Instead of a DeWALT, Milwaukee, or Klein Inspection Camera
The DeWALT 5.8mm inspection camera is a commendable tool with its own best use cases, but there are plenty of applications where the Ferret Plus is a better fit for your needs. Likewise, the Milwaukee M-Spector Flex and Klein ET20 are both great tools in their own right, but the Ferret Plus is simply more capable. The Ferret Plus can see further, travel easier, and by all accounts, do more than a DeWALT 5.8mm inspection camera, Milwaukee 12.5mm inspection camera, or Klein 9mm inspection camera. Better yet, the Ferret Plus does it for the most attractive price considering all of its features. So, when it comes time to see and reach into cramped spaces, send in the Ferret.
