EasyCAM’s new M5200 inspection camera has many of the key features of the company’s other models, namely a modular design for easier repair and less downtime. The main difference — and advantage — on the M5200 is its smaller size, which allows it to negotiate pipes as small as 2 inches in diameter.

“It’s kind of our all-in-one model,” says Rick Joy, company owner. “It’s meant to be a camera that can do anything residential, from 2-inch to 6-inch pipe.”

With a camera head of 1 1/8 inches, it’s about 3/4 the size of EasyCAM’s larger-sized cameras, Joy says. It weighs 33 pounds.

“It’s basically the same machine we’ve had since 2007 except a little bit smaller,” he says. “Our other cameras can handle 3-inch pipe, but you get into 2-inch and they can’t negotiate turns. They’re too big. That’s why we came up with a midsized option, the M5200. It can negotiate turns in 2-inch pipe.”

The M5200 comes with features that are the standard on EasyCAM’s entire product line: a color camera with sapphire lens, 200 feet of heavy-duty pushrod, 512 Hz transmitter, HD daylight-readable monitor with built-in anti-glare film and sun shield, 12-volt battery operation that provides up to 12 hours of continuous use, and powder-coated aircraft-aluminum frame.

The camera head, transmitter, spring and pushrod are separate components. It’s that modularity that is at the core of the design of EasyCAM’s cameras, including the new M5200 model.

“Being a plumber of 33 years when I decided to get into this, I designed the cameras from a plumber’s perspective,” Joy says. “I designed them with plug-and-play features, so if there’s a problem, we simply send the needed part to the user. They use simple hand tools and do their own repair, which eliminates the length of time and the labor fees there are when you have to send a camera in to fix it. The entire camera, including the electronics, can be replaced by the owner.”

The monitor can also be easily swapped out if there’s a problem.

“Some machines will only work with the monitor that comes with them because the monitor has a power pack that supplies power for the entire unit. But I designed EasyCAM cameras to be stand-alone units,” Joy says. “Of course they come with a monitor that records and does voice-over and everything you need it to do, but if the operator happens to break the monitor or it gets lost, you can finish the job with any type of off-the-shelf monitor. It will also work with a standard laptop.” 239/260-2056; www.easycamllc.com.