

In fact, I advice to get experience with both approaches so you’ll get a good feel of which technique is best suitable for each project you encounter. Using a depth sensor or going for photogrammetry is not an easy choice to make. And I’ve taken the time to search for the best deals, so you don’t have to.īut if you haven’t done so already, you should first choose which 3D capture technology you’re going to use.

My definition of affordable for this post is using hardware and software that won’t exceed an investment of $1000 (not counting a computer of tablet you probably already have).įurther down this post you’ll find a selection of essential products that I actually use myself to make many of the 3D captures you see on this website. Luckily, these can be found for prices that match the affordable scanning hardware and software. If you want to make 3D scans for professional purposes, you need to invest in some extra equipment to populate your (mobile) 3D scanning studio. While professional grade 3D scanners are still expensive, two technologies that are commonly used for 3D scanning on a budget are Depth Sensor based 3D Scanning and Photogrammetry, which uses a regular camera and special software.īut like Photography, buying just a scanning device and software might be enough for hobbyists but won’t give the best results. Like Photography years ago, 3D Scanning - or, more broadly known as Reality Capture - has become affordable for consumers and small businesses. Bellus3D Face Camera Pro (IR Sensor, Android).
