Every sewer inspection camera gets a score from 0 to 100% built from five factors, which maps onto the 5-point rating shown on the site (a 0% score would be 1.5 stars; a perfect score, 5). Each factor is scored against fixed reference points, not against the other products in the list, so adding a new model never moves another model’s rating. Cameras are grouped by cable length: 100 ft or less, and over 100 ft. A 30 m cable sold as 98 ft counts as up to 100 ft. Features, monitor and warranty use the same scales in both groups; price and cable use a scale for each group.
| Factor | Measures | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Price | price of the kit as sold | 25% |
| Cable | length times diameter of the push cable | 15% |
| Features | self-leveling, sonde, distance counter and included locator | 35% |
| Monitor | monitor size and video recording | 15% |
| Warranty | warranty length | 10% |
Where the numbers come from
Cable, camera, locating features, monitor and warranty come from the maker’s product page, spec sheet or manual, or the maker’s own copy on a retail listing. Prices are checked at Amazon and other stores that sell the camera new, and the lowest price at a store the page links to is used.
The factors
Price is the current price, on a log scale, so halving the price always counts the same. For cameras up to 100 ft, $1,200 scores zero and $220 full marks. For cameras over 100 ft, $1,600 scores zero and $330 full marks.
Cable is the cable’s length times its diameter, in foot-millimeters, so 100 ft of 7 mm cable counts as 700. A longer cable reaches further and a thicker one is stiffer, so it pushes further through bends. For cameras up to 100 ft, 300 scores zero and 700 full marks. For cameras over 100 ft, 500 scores zero and 1,600 full marks.
Features is 30% for a self-leveling camera head, 30% for a sonde, 25% for an electronic distance counter and 15% for a locator included in the kit.
Monitor is 75% for screen size and 25% for recording video. A 4.3 in screen scores zero and a 10.1 in screen full marks. A kit sold without a monitor, which you view on your own phone or tablet, gets only the recording share.
Warranty is the maker’s warranty: no warranty scores zero and 2 years full marks.
What isn’t scored
Camera resolution, head diameter, sonde frequency, lights, battery size, memory card size, audio recording, length marks on the cable and weight are listed but not scored. Budget listings almost all claim 1080P, which is often the video output rather than what the sensor resolves, so resolution can’t be compared fairly.
Missing data
If a figure isn’t published, that factor gets the neutral middle score (50) and the product page marks it as estimated. Features score neutral only when none of the four is published; a feature the maker doesn’t mention otherwise counts as absent. The exception is warranty: a maker that doesn’t publish one gets no warranty counted, so that factor scores zero and is marked estimated.
Ties and discontinued models
Products are ranked by score within each group. Discontinued models stay listed but rank below every current model and can be hidden with the “Hide discontinued” filter.