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Since 2003, Hathorn has manufactured and sold drain cameras, pipe inspection cameras and accessories. We do one thing and we do it very well. If you have a pipe, tube, hole or gap which is up to 12” in diameter and up to 500ft. in length, and want to look down it, you’re in the right place. ​

Yes, Hathorn’s durability is legendary in the industry. Hathorn cameras are the leading brand (under private label) to the American tool rental industry. These cameras are used and abused day in and day out while remaining the go-to camera in the rental industry. Our cameras are also trusted by the mining, natural gas and petrochemical industries because the Hathorn® brand stands up to the abuse those industries subject their tools to.

We always encourage buyers to purchase from a dealer in our North American /Australian network. This provides buyers with the best local after sales service. They will be more than happy to walk you through our product suite. However, if you'd prefer to deal with us directly you can order directly from Hathorn® here (inquire here) or by calling 1-888-HATHORN.

Hathorn was started in 2003 by two partners, one an electronics expert and the other a machining expert. They started by designing camera heads for other companies and a few years later graduated to designing and manufacturing their own full systems. From those humble beginnings Hathorn® has grown every year and is now known as one of the leading camera companies in the industry trusted to deliver quality, longevity and value with every camera system. While we are a leader in the space, Hathorn still prides itself on personal service. Feel free to call up and ask for the President of the company. He will take your call. Try that with the big brands!

Hathorn has always believed in doing one thing and doing it well. From our beginnings as a third-party camera head manufacturer to today where we now make the largest range of cameras in the world we focus on one thing, ensuring that our customers stay on the job for longer.

As with any industry technology has changed through the years. From black and white cameras, VHS tapes and large CRT monitors to today's live Wi-Fi streaming, HD cameras and USB recording the industry is always evolving. That said the most important thing is that our customers have a reliable tool that they can depend on above all else. We strive for exactly that outcome, so while we may not be the “sexiest” manufacturer out there we can honestly put our hand on our hearts and say we are the industry's most reliable.

Yes. At Hathorn we don’t believe in changing technologies simply to force our customers to buy the newest and fanciest products from us. While models do get phased out over time, we strive to ensure that our new models are compatible with our old ones. This keeps our customers loyal and allows them to spread their capital investments out over time. This allows customers to build a suite of tools that is interchangeable and tailored to their business.

Reel - Generally speaking a well built steel frame and cable basket will last much longer than one constructed out of plastic. Plastic drums will become brittle over time in cold environments and intense sunlight. If you intend on having your camera for over 5 years it is recommended that you purchase one with a steel camera reel rather than one made of plastic. You will never have to replace a steel reel/drum whereas replacing a plastic one will be a regular occurrence and likely be very expensive. ​ Monitor - Plastic items are simply less durable than ones milled from aluminum. Period. While other manufacturers have spent money on fancy plastic molded cases and plastic mounted for their internal hardware we have decided to stay municipal grade. All of Hathorn's monitors use a custom milled aluminum face plate inside a waterproof case. All internal components are then mounted to custom milled aluminum plates to the ultimate in durability. Add to this our patch cables use military spec connectors rather than cheap plastic ones. Aluminum vs. plastic? There is simply no comparison.

This all depends on how valuable your time is. If having your tools working and in the ground is important to you then your most important decision should be to buy a tool that you can get repaired quickly. Cameras from outside of North America are notoriously expensive or time consuming to repair, much like expensive German vehicles are. Cameras made in Asia are considered disposable and not repairable. It is also important to ensure that the camera you buy was actually made by that manufacturer and not by someone else that they then put their name on or “white label”. Most “white labelled” cameras will have supply chain issues as the parts will come from companies other than the claimed manufacturer. Always ask where the parts are made and how easy it is for you or the repair network to access them. 24/7 access to parts made in North America is an absolute must-have which is why Hathorn® leads the pack. We make our parts ourselves.

Realistically there should be no difference in quality between the two cameras you’re comparing if the cameras are in the same price bracket and North American made. Also, the features should really be the same to make a good comparison between the brands. If they are, your main concern should be with after sales service. It’s very likely that the after sales service of the smaller company will be superior to that of the big brands. See how far you can get up the chain when speaking to people at the big brand vs the small brand. The big brands have 500+ tools and call centers with folks in far flung places trying to help you with your problems. With the smaller brand it’s more than likely you’ll get the vice president or even president on the phone to discuss your concerns. There’s real value there for small business owners who want answers to their questions rather than automated responses by some onscreen bot. The other thing to consider is repair network and timing. Hathorn’s repair times are designed to be less than a week including shipping if that’s needed. There are stories in the market of the big brands being backlogged 3-6 months for parts.

With 11 different camera heads, 5 distinct reel sizes and ultra-durable pushrod lengths up to 500ft - we can offer over 400 different reel combinations to fit your precise needs. At Hathorn, we have the largest suite of inspection cameras in the world - contact us for expert guidance to help you customize the right sewer inspection camera!

Using Hathorn’s free app available for Apple and Android users can record video in MP4 format as well as audio through the phone’s microphone. Files are stored the same way a video taken with the phone’s camera are stored ready to be uploaded and shared.

Some parts yes, some parts no. The camera head and push rod of any system of reasonable quality should be 100% waterproof down to at least 60ft of water pressure. Imported brands and cheaper systems off Amazon aren’t typically waterproof. Do not buy these. ​ The reel itself and the control monitor are what you would describe as water resistant. These products have grommets and gaskets to stop rain and splashes from getting into areas around the moving parts. However, it is important to remember that these are expensive electronic devices that offer USB recording, speakers, microphones and other features. The availability of these features and the nature of the devices means that they will never be 100% waterproof. It is always best to treat your expensive equipment with the respect it deserves and to shield them from heavy rain and never use a hose or pressure washer to clean them. Electronics and water simply don’t mix.

Yes, but it really depends on the depth of the well and how you intend to use the camera. Quality push camera heads are typically designed for up to 60psi of pressure which equates to about 135ft of water pressure. That’s not a great help if your well is 200ft+. The other limitation is that well cameras don’t use a stiff push rod but rather a flexible cable on a winched drum. This means that on well cameras you can turn a crank to wind the cable back on to the drum whereas push cameras need their rod fed back onto the drum by hand due to its stiffness. Well cameras and push cameras, while they do look alike, are very different tools.

The number one thing to consider is “can I get my camera repaired”? There are a ton of different manufacturers out there and some are better than others, but what is a real differentiator is the ability to quickly get your tool repaired. Everything breaks eventually, so in our opinion, nothing else matters as a tool only makes you money when it’s in the ground. Hathorn has the industry’s leading repair times so while others are waiting for their cameras to be repaired owners of Hathorn cameras are back on the job and in the ground making money.

Yes. At Hathorn we don’t believe in changing technologies simply to force our customers to buy the newest and fanciest products from us. While models do get phased out over time, we strive to ensure that our new models are compatible with our old ones. This keeps our customers loyal and allows them to spread their capital investments out over time. This allows customers to build a suite of tools that is interchangeable and tailored to their business.

All Hathorn camera systems come with a built-in sonde transmitter that operates at 512htz and is easily locatable with any industry standard receiver (locator). Don't have a locator? Buy one from Hathorn, all USA made. ​ New to Hathorn! Our new H12+ and H7 monitors are now equipped with 512Hz and 640Hz frequencies.

This depends on the size of the pipe, the number of bends, the thickness of your push rod (cable) and the angle (up/downhill) of your pipe. Usually the maximum is anywhere from 200 to 300 feet but in straight runs of unobstructed pipes it can be possible to push beyond 400ft.

Under no circumstances should you ever attempt to clean a drain with your camera head. The camera head is an expensive and sensitive piece of technology. Using it to clear a drain is risky and can cause damage to the camera head that is not covered by your 1-year warranty.

Generally the answer is no to both of those questions. Camera heads are precision tools that are sized to fit down a certain range of pipe sizes and must be paired with the appropriately sized push rod (cable). Naturally a large camera head will not go down a small pipe and a thick push rod will not go around tight bends. Similarly, small camera heads won’t light up a large pipe effectively and small diameter push rods can’t be pushed down large pipes without them snaking or kinking. So logically it makes no sense to attempt to screw a large camera head onto a system designed for a small head and vice versa. In addition the connection used in “quick connect” or “exchangeable” camera heads is prone to water ingress and failure resulting in thousands of dollars worth of repairs on a regular basis. For these reasons almost no manufacturers have gone down the road of “quick connect” heads and those that have are moving away from them in favor of more reliable and more sturdy connections. It is better to buy the right tools for the job than to attempt to have one tool that will work for every instance.

Nobody “needs” a self-leveling camera head except for those who are inspecting perfectly clean pipes without contamination or water and also need to know which side is up at all times. Most folks inspect pipes with some level of contamination which tends to lie on the bottom of the pipes thus indicating the direction of gravity. The advantages of a self-leveling camera are that it makes inspections easier to view and mapping the direction of inflows/connections more simple, especially on recorded video. The disadvantages of self-leveling camera heads are that they are heavier because they have many more moving parts in them such as weights and bearings. Also, over the long term they are likely to require more maintenance because of all those moving parts.

Black and white cameras are obsolete. You should only buy a color pipe camera. Hathorn does not sell black and white cameras.

This is rare but if it happens there are only a few ways to extract it. Pull really hard Dig it out Fish it out with another tool from either direction

This comes right back to the design of the camera itself. You should be choosing a camera with a robust and tight camera spring made of heavy gauge stainless steel. A tight spring is less likely to get caught on obstructions as opposed to a cheaply made, spaced out, low gauge spring. The next things to look for are quality aircraft grade lanyards linking the cable (push rod) and the camera head itself that run inside the spring. There should be two lanyards made of aircraft grade stainless steel that are rated at 500lbs each. This means that the user will able to pull with ~1000lbs of force to retrieve the camera before the lanyards break. This is usually enough to retrieve the camera as the pipe will give way before the camera does. The camera and/or cable will likely be damaged, but this is likely to be cheaper to repair and less embarrassing than digging up a customer's driveway. All Hathorn cameras come standard with two 500lb+ stainless steel lanyards.

The reality is that 1080P HD technology is overkill for sewer lines under 12” in diameter. 1080P technology was designed for TVs in excess of 60”. The human eye cannot see the difference between 1080P and 480P on a standard 12” or smaller screen. In addition, a poorly focused camera lens, scratches on the camera glass, and the presence of contamination/water in the pipe will render the definition of a 1080P camera pretty much useless. When choosing a camera it is more important to focus on the durability of the camera itself. An HD picture sounds great but if it’s in the shop being repaired because the designer has focused on pixel rates rather than durability of the system it will cost you more money in the short term. The other thing to think about is that 1080P videos take up enormous amounts of storage. Typically >1Mb per second as opposed to compressed MPEG4 which is 5-10Mb per minute. Those files are not easily transferred or stored and thus fairly useless to the majority of users.

Truthfully the only difference is how the signal is transmitted down the cable into the monitor. Once in the monitor everything is translated to digital anyways because only digital can be recorded to USB or HDD. Where it matters is in terms of latency or lag. Analog has traditionally been used because it has very low latency over long distances. Digital cameras can produce “lag” between an action you make on pushing the cable and what is shown on the screen. This gets worse the longer your cable is and can be very irritating. Most manufacturers in the industry are sticking with analog for the foreseeable future. Digital cameras can also be much more expensive to repair because of the complications around the designs and retermination (repair) of the cable. One manufacturer has moved to a fiber optic push rod which costs thousands of dollars to ship back to Europe and repair when a slight kink occurs. It is recommended to stick with analog if you have a choice. You won't know or see the difference.

To help the user control the spinning of the cable drum when pushing the camera down a pipe. Without a brake the drum can uncoil the push rod because of its stiffness resulting in a bird’s nest. Always use your brake to control the speed of the drum. Also, the brake is used to stop the reel from moving around in transport. A total positive lock is not required when you lay the camera head inside the basket during transport. Alternatively lay the camera on its side. Push cameras are ruggedized tools after all and can stand up to some abuse especially when stored and transported inside a van or pick-up truck.

The short and definitive answer is NO. A camera that is small enough to navigate 1.5” elbows will not be bright enough or big enough to light up a 8-10” pipe adequately. The picture will be dark and distorted as a 1.5” camera will be 9.5” from the top of the 10” pipe. In addition, to navigate 1.5” bends the camera will need to be placed on a thin flexible push rod. Rods of this size will not allow the user to push the camera down pipes over 4” effectively or with any reliability. In fact, attempting to do so will likely result in the user kinking the cable because thin rods do not have enough stiffness for the job. If you need to be able to do 1.5” pipes and pipes over 6” then do yourself a favor and buy two cameras. No hammer or screwdriver will ever work for all jobs nor will any camera. Anyone that says otherwise is blowing smoke up your pipes for a commission check.

Your camera reel will require a repair called a reterm. The push rod from the kink to the camera head is removed and then the camera head is reattached. This is why it’s a good practice to buy a longer camera reel than you typically need. It’s much easier and less expensive to do a reterm than to replace an entire reel of push rod.

Push rods are typically constructed using a solid fiberglass core to give the cable its stiffness. That core is then surrounded by a number of copper or coaxial electrical conductors along with some Kevlar packing. This is all then housed in a plastic outer armor made from polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) or in the case of high-quality push rods, high-density polyethylene (HPDE). Hathorn only uses top quality HPDE jackets for our rods because it offers better stiffness and higher abrasion resistance. PP and PE rod jackets are considered inferior by comparison.

The industry standard for video communication protocol is analog because it has lower latency than digital and provides a superior picture in tough conditions. The drawback of analog video is that it is limited in transmission to ~330ft of push rod because most manufacturers don’t use a coaxial cable. Hathorn is the only brand of push camera in the world that is able to deliver the same picture on a 100ft rod as we do on a 500ft push rod giving Hathorn the largest selection of cameras in the world. This matters when you’re using a crawler or jetter to propel your push camera down a line and you want to view up to 500ft of pipe.

Push rod thickness determines the stiffness of the push rod and thus how much force you can push down the line. This matters because as you get into larger pipe sizes smaller push rod will “snake” or “noodle” down the pipe limiting your ability to push the camera and significantly increasing the likelihood of kinking your cable. The thickness also determines the camera's ability to go around bends. The thicker the rod the harder it is to push around a series of bends. So there is a balance to be struck between too thick and too thin. ​ Most manufacturers offer a 1/4" and a 3/8” push rod to cover their entire range of products. Hathorn offers 1/4", 3/8”, 0.400”, 1/2" and 5/8” push rods in lengths from 100ft to 500ft. This gives customers a very broad range of push rods to choose from for their exact project or need. Hathorn genuinely has the largest selection of push camera options on earth.

No not all systems come with recording. We offer basic systems without recording, Wi-Fi based systems which record to a mobile device, and higher end systems which offer recording to USB sticks and other features. Gas controller systems also offer recording to an internal solid state hard drive. Only systems that offer recording to USB drives or hard drives offer the ability to pause while recording. ​ New to Hathorn! Our new H12+ and H7 monitors come standard with onboard hard drives. Choose the standard hard drive or upgrade to massive industry leading storage. Ask your sales rep for options.

Yes and No. If you opt for a system with USB and HDD recording then yes you can pause recording during your inspection. If you choose a Wi-Fi based system that allows recording you cannot pause during recording. For most people this is not an issue as you can simply stop the first recording then start a new one when you want to resume. You will have two recording files which you can splice together using online software.

MPEG4 is industry standard and has been for almost two decades. MPEG4 offers the best resolution to compression profile and is playable by most media players. Older systems and off-brand systems may record to AVI files. AVI files are typically of good video quality but take up much more memory and aren’t typically payable with most media players as it's a video format from the mid-1990s. AVI files are also not typically accepted by municipalities in North America as they don’t conform to NAASCO standards. All Hathorn systems record in MPEG4 format.

No format is “better” but rather it’s a matter of convenience. SD cards are going obsolete and typically have smaller memories while being more expensive to buy. Furthermore, USB keys are better for passing an inspection to customers and can have your company’s name written on it. Most customers won’t know what to do with an SD card and won’t be able to access the files without some form of adapter. It is recommended that if you need recording choose a camera that records to USB or directly to your mobile device in MPEG4 format.

The best way is to buy a system that includes straight recording to USB like Hathorn®'s H12+ or H7 systems. For those users who own a Wi-Fi based system there is also a solution. Users can plug their phone into their computers the old-fashioned way and transfer files to the computer and then onto USB. Or, for the tech savvy amongst us there is another solution. Simply buy a USB dongle off of Amazon that allows you to connect a USB key directly to your phone. Then transfer the files off your phone to the USB using the below instructions. Apple: You will need an Apple to Lighting to USB adapter then follow these instructions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcwIv7zZ7J8 Requires IOS13 and above for phones and tablets. Android: You will need either a USB to Micro USB (older phones) or USB to USB-C (newer phones) dongle. All available on Amazon for a small price. Then follow the instructions here: https://www.tomsguide.com/us/connect-usb-drive-to-android,news-21213.html

You must use USB 2.0 sticks formatted in FAT format. Typically these USB sticks are 32Gb or less in size and will allows the user to record over 25 hours of video to thee removable drive.

With the 128Gb drive you can record over 100 hours of video. With the 500Gb drive you can record over 400 hours.

Text overlays allow the user to physically type text overtop of the video. These overlays are then saved onto the video recording permanently. You can type in the name and address of the customer or company. You can also type in the faults seen in an inspection. These then show up when someone watches the playback of a recorded video inspection. This feature is only valuable if text overlays are recorded onto the final video. Hathorn® only offers text overlay on that new H12+ and Keyhole Gas monitors.

The technical definition of a daylight is one which has over 500 cd/cm2 or “nits”. The importance is being able to view the screen and video in direct sunlight on a bright day. If you’ve ever used your phone or laptop outside in sunlight you know how hard it can be to view. No one “needs” a daylight readable screen but it does make life a lot easier when working outside. If you work predominately inside then daylight readable screens are less important. Always ask your sales rep how many “nits” or “candles” the screen has and buy one with a higher number. They are more expensive though so be ready for that. ​ Hathorn's H12+ monitor has almost three times the brightness of monitors made by other big brands while having a 40% lower price tag. With specs like these, it's easy to see why Hathorn is gaining market share with the H12+ monitor!

Yes, you should be able to reset your footage counter at any time. This will allow you to more accurately measure the distance between two points during an inspection. Yes all Hathorn cameras that come with a footage counter (all except the M2) allow the user to reset the footage counter at any time.

The entire industry of plumbing cameras uses what are known as internally mounted "encoders". These encoders are mounted within the reel hub and do nothing more than count rotations of the reel in either direction. The software within the system then multiplies those reel rotations by the circumference of the reel. However, the circumference of the reel changes when there are multiple layers of cable within the reel. Thus, the software uses an average measurement for the circumference of the reel and thus measured distances are always imprecise to a certain degree. Over time as the cable is cut due to kinks and reterms the distance measurement becomes more inaccurate as the circumference or layers of cable changes. It also changes as users respool their cable back onto the reel in a bird's nest fashion. This is unavoidable and generally accepted within the industry as the best solution. External rotary encoders that measure precise inches of cable are generally not used because of their initial expense and their need for repair especially when used in dirty sewer environments.

Most users will either use their locator to locate the camera head and more precisely measure the distance on the surface. Or, some creative folks will use colored tape on the cable itself to indicate precise 5-10ft lengths.

Hathorn’s free app will work with Apple and Android phones only. For Apple users you must be running iOS 15 or above and the phone must be no older than an Apple XR. Android users must be running at least Android 12.

Consult your owner's manual located here Manuals & Tutorials | Hathorn (hathorncorp.com) or watch this video.

Answer for Android Users Always make sure to stop recording before shutting down the app. The app will say “Saved Successfully” when the file has been saved but it's always best to wait a few seconds before closing the app. You can then shut down the app and turn off your camera. There are many Android phone manufacturers, and each operating system is different as is each update. Some of these updates and systems can cause the files to be saved in different locations or buried in a different file folder. If you can’t find your video files, try these steps: ​ Delete the app and reinstall. This will pair the app to the phone’s new updated OS. Upon reinstallation always give the app permission to access your photos folder when asked. If you don't it cannot save anything. Download and install “VLC Media Player”. This is a free video viewing app. Installing this app will gather all the video files on your phone and make them easily accessible to you, including Hathorn videos. If this doesn’t work, delete your app and reinstall from the Google Play Store. ​ Finally, if nothing above works then give us a call as you may have a hardware issue. Call Hathorn on 1-866-HATHORN to discuss. ​ Answer for Apple Users We have recently upgraded our app to Hathorn V4 though V3 is still available on the app store for owners of older phones and cameras. To use this app make sure your iOS is on version 15 or greater and then download the new app “Hathorn V4” from the App Store. Next, always make sure to stop recording before shutting down the app. The app will say “Saved Successfully” when the file has been saved but it's always best to wait a few seconds before closing the app. You can then shut down the app and turn off your camera. If you can’t find your video files, try these two things: ​ Delete the app and reinstall. This will pair the app to the phone’s new updated OS. Upon reinstallation always give the app permission to access your photos folder when asked. If you don't it cannot save anything. ​ Finally, if nothing above works then give us a call as you may have a hardware issue. Call Hathorn on 1-866-HATHORN to discuss. ​

This usually results from a connection not being made between the phone and the Wi-Fi hub. A little patience is required when connecting to the camera. Follow these steps: ​ Close other apps including the Hathorn app. Go into settings, then available Wi-Fi networks to find the dedicated network your camera is broadcasting over (eg. Hathorn12345) Log into that network and enter the password when prompted (Tip: password is always 12345678) Wait until the phone is paired with the camera. A check mark should appear next to the network name when the password is accepted. Once connected, close out of settings and open the Hathorn app. When prompted, press connect and you should see video. If you do not, repeat the above steps to ensure you camera is pairing with the phone’s Wi-Fi Lastly you can try to delete and reinstall the app ​ If the issue persists, check your phone’s software for updates and delete/reinstall the app after updating. Then repeat the above steps. Finally, if nothing above works, give us a call as you may have a hardware issue. Call Hathorn on 1-866-HATHORN to discuss.

Yes, all cameras and parts come with a full one-year warranty. Unlike other players in the industry, our warranty means something both to the customer and to us. We stand behind our quality North American design and workmanship that we put into everything we build and sell. We don’t hide behind gimmicks such as a “limited lifetime warranties” which implies that everything is the user's fault. We work with our customers to ensure their problems are solved promptly by interacting one-on-one with a actual decision maker, not some help desk in a foreign country. We understand that tools only make you money when they are in the ground so we work tirelessly to ensure that you aren’t waiting to get your tool repaired.

Cameras can be repaired at our factory locations in Toronto, Canada and Columbus, Ohio, or at one of our network of dealers and repair centers throughout North America and Australia. We are working tirelessly to maintain our industry leading repair turnaround times. We understand that tools only make you money when they are in the ground. For the repair center nearest you, please click here.

Push rod is a wear part with a life span, similar to a set of tires on your car. The more mileage your tires do, and by extension your push rod does, the more they’re going to wear out. Over time your push rod gets subjected to severe abrasion inside piping which essentially thins out the jacket of the cable. Cast iron and concrete pipes are particularly harsh on push rod. In addition, tight bends take a toll on push rod over its life causing wear. Eventually your push rod is going to soften and this tends to occur fastest in the areas closest to your camera head as those areas take the brunt of the wear. Push rod that stays inside the drum and doesn’t get used will not suffer wear. The solution is, at your next service, have them cut off the entire length of push rod that is softened, rather than just the part which has kinked. This is like replacing the tires on your car. This may shorten the length of your push rod but will likely lead to less repairs over time. The only other solution is to replace the push rod entirely.

Push cameras are electronic devices and the push rod is part of that system. A push rod has 5-8 electric wires in it all carrying electrical voltage and/or video signal. The kinking of a push rod might cause a simple electrical failure that needs to be fixed with a retermination but it may also cause more severe damage. If a severe kink happens it may result in the wires carrying voltage to short circuit sending raw electrical current up/down the wrong line. While unlikely, this could result in burning out a camera head or a circuit board in your control module. It is very important to be careful with your system and to avoid kinking the rod wherever possible.

At Hathorn we genuinely make our own parts, in house, in North America which is why we never have a shortage. Almost no one else can claim that which is why we have the industry’s quickest repair turnaround times. That translates to money in our customer’s pockets due to less downtime waiting for repairs.

Hathorn drain camera systems are typically over 30% cheaper while being of better quality than other well-known tool companies. We achieve this by manufacturing everything right here in North America, in house, to save the customer money while maintaining top quality. We truly are North American made and Municipal Grade. ​

Yes you can. Please contact one of our financing partners by clicking here.