ATEX & IECEx Explosion Proof Cameras

Explosion Proof Camera Range for Documentation and Inspection

Photographic evidence is part of daily work in hazardous areas: inspection findings, corrosion documentation, insurance claims, handover reports. But a standard camera, with its battery, flash and hot electronics, is exactly the kind of ignition source that zoned areas exclude. An explosion proof camera solves this by being certified under ATEX and IECEx, so the images can be taken where the work actually happens instead of being described from memory afterwards.

Dedicated cameras

The Armadex OZC-3 is the flagship of this category: a 4K digital camera with true optical zoom, certified for Zone 2 and Zone 22. Optical zoom matters more in industrial photography than megapixel counts, because inspection subjects such as flange faces, weld seams and cable trays are often out of arm's reach. Its predecessor, the 20 megapixel OZC-2, remains available as a proven alternative. For work in Zone 1, where an explosive atmosphere must be expected during normal operation, the Pixavi Cam provides the higher protection level that those areas legally require. It also records and live-streams video, which turns a routine inspection into something a remote expert can join: the specialist watches from the office while the technician keeps both hands free in the field. For teams spread across multiple sites, that single feature often justifies the device on its own.

Thermal and combined imaging

Some inspections are about temperature rather than appearance. The FLIR Cx5 brings thermal imaging from -20°C to +400°C into ATEX zones, which makes overheating bearings, blocked heat exchangers and failing motor windings visible before they become failures. The TOUGHPIX DIGITHERM combines a digital and a thermal camera in one certified housing, so the same shot documents both what a component looks like and how hot it runs. A MET certified version covers North American sites that follow the NEC Division system.

Camera or Ex smartphone?

Not every task needs a dedicated device. The BARTEC SP9EX and i.safe MOBILE IS530 series are certified smartphones with capable cameras, and for teams that mainly photograph, annotate and send, a phone that is already in the pocket often beats a second device in the bag. The trade-off is optics: no smartphone offers the optical zoom of a purpose-built device, and thermal resolution on phones remains limited. Many of our customers standardise on both: smartphones for routine documentation, a dedicated camera for formal inspections. For recurring inspection work, the Armadex Ex-RIK kit pairs a certified camera with a carbon-fibre mast, bringing elevated pipe racks and tank roofs into reach without scaffolding.

Certification you can verify

Every camera here carries its Ex marking on the housing, stating the exact gas and dust groups, temperature class and equipment protection level. The certificates behind those markings are public: IECEx certificates can be checked free of charge in the official IECEx database, and we link the documentation on each product page. We encourage exactly that check, because a camera bought for the wrong zone is not a bargain, it is a liability. If your site classification is Zone 2/22, the OZC-3 is the natural starting point; if any of your work touches Zone 1/21, look at the Pixavi Cam or the IS530.1 instead, and when in doubt, send us your area drawing and we will match the device to it.

Orders from stock ship in 1-3 working days, across Europe and worldwide. Whether the job is a routine walk-down or a shutdown inspection, there is no longer a reason to leave the camera at the gate: with a certified explosion proof camera, the documentation finally goes where the findings are.