Need suggestions for affordable 3D scanner

[JSenior]

What are you actually looking to do with your body part scans?

You won't be doing any detailed work with a sense scanner. It's good for demonstrations/classrooms/wedding cake figurines? and that's about it. You can't trust it's accuracy.

The only thing that I would recommended within your budget is a David SLS-2 but it's the rep-rap of the 3d scanning world and will take a lot of tinkering to get your ideal results.

Your main problem you'll find with whichever system you use is the software. Geomagic/Rapidform/Polyworks are £10k's but they are so far ahead of the included/free/cheaper software in the usability and what results you are able to achieve with them.

I'd strongly recommend you take some data (I can probably provide if there's something specific you need,) download the software you're hoping to use and see if you can actually get out the results you require.


If the David doesn't work for you then I would probably be looking at Photogrammetry. There aren't too many scanning options available in your price range currently.

[OVersliders]

If you want one of the most accurate scanner look into NextEngine Scan studio.
I use to have one of these babies at my previous job and it works great.
The scanner is $3000 though and it's a bit steep but the results are well worth it.
I have not come to anything close at that budget.

[Hugues]

If you want one of the most accurate scanner look into NextEngine Scan studio.
I use to have one of these babies at my previous job and it works great.
The scanner is $3000 though and it's a bit steep but the results are well worth it.
I have not come to anything close at that budget.

Very interesting, looks very precise.
The only drawback is that you need to be able to place your object on a turntable
I wish for the same price we could get a hand-held scanner.
I just can't put my motorbike on a turntable.

[OVersliders]

Very interesting, looks very precise.
The only drawback is that you need to be able to place your object on a turntable
I wish for the same price we could get a hand-held scanner.
I just can't put my motorbike on a turntable.

No, No! don't be fooled, you do not have to place the object anywhere specific.
The scanner has a threaded mount underneath which can be mounted onto a tripod.
We used the scanner to scan body panels back into solidworks for the motorcycle we were building.
http://travertson.com/

[MALEK95120]

I'm torn between Sense or Kinect. Any advise which one is better and worth the price.

[Papa Steve]

Sense is plug and play and with a little patience and practice does a good job
Turn over a few rocks and a used kinect can be found for low cost
New they are in the $100 range
trial software for kinect is free
both will benefit from some form of third party software (Blender) to clean and detail the scan

A couple pieces of interesting software to try
http://www.vi3dim.com/
http://www.trnio.com/

[awerby]

With the Sense, all you need is a laptop; it gets its power through the USB connection and the software's included in the price. With the Kinect, you're tethered to a power cord. Skanect can be used as scanning software for the Kinect, but the pro version that actually works costs some money.

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com