want to scan objects to enlarge and to shrink

Hi guys. I want to make custom action figures and models. I have a 1:6 scale (12 inch) Iron Man figure and I want to 3D scan it, so that I can digitally shrink it down to 1:12 scale (6 inch) and 3D print a 1:12 (6 inch) scale Iron Man. In the reverse, I would like to use the 3D scan of this 1:6 scale figure and enlarge it so that I can make a life size Iron Man statue.

What kind of scanner do I need for this kind of work? I've read that Digital SLR camera photogrammetry works well, as long as you dust the object to be scanned with flour or baby powder. Do you agree with this? If true, this is wonderful since I already own a Canon Rebel DSLR. Thanks!

Scanning something large and reducing it will sharpen the details. Doing the reverse will make the thing look like it was dipped in wax. There are photogrammetry programs that approximate the function of a 3D scanner, but I've never found one that really works as well. You shouldn't have to coat your parts with flour to use them, though. Actual 3D scanners that can do this sort of thing will cost upwards of $3000.

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com

Andrew thanks for the reply. Regarding shrinking and enlarging, I figured as much. I don't mind sharpening the detail when shrinking, but I don't want to make it look like it was dipped in wax, when enlarging. But I was thinking that if I'm enlarging, once I have the base 3D scan from my figure, I could just manually sharpen the details.

I was researching low cost 3D scanners. You don't think the following 3D scanners can do what I need?
BQ Ciclop 3D Scanner
Cubify Sense 3D scanner
Matter & Form MFS1V1

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Originally Posted by caunyd

I was researching low cost 3D scanners. You don't think the following 3D scanners can do what I need?
BQ Ciclop 3D Scanner
Cubify Sense 3D scanner
Matter & Form MFS1V1

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All these scanners have a resolution around 1mm, and is way to low to get an accurate scan, you would need 0.1mm or higher resolution,
even then the details will be a bit soft due to the scale of the object.
Scaling the scan smaller will sharpen the detail, but you would need a printer that can print at that detail,
enlarging the scan will probably not get you usable detail, but it will give the basic shape to work from.

There are already a lot of Ironman 3D files around, maybe you could start there ?

Scanning in high resolution will also create large files, a simple figure could be 250MB STL, and you would need a more then average PC to work with those file sizes :)

This is a scan I made with the Einscan-s and scans around the 0.1mm accuracy, while the detail is great, the file-size is more then 600MB, with all the body parts scanned separately.
the Rancor is also about 12"high

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...Rancor%202.jpg

This, very nice scan of the Rancor.

I know there's lots of Iron Man models already, but I want to do this for many figures, not just Iron Man. I have a pretty decent computer with enough hard drive space. The Einscan S is $1200. I was hoping to spend less, but I guess that's the price of quality. Any other recommendations for a low cost scanner? Thanks!

The Einscan-s is, as far as I know, the best 0.1mm scanner for the lowest price,
if you look around, you might even be able to buy it below $1000,-

Check ebay for used models.
Usually they'll be for sale because the person just couldn't get any joy from the software.

Also the matter and form scanner does 0.25mm resolution scans.

Not as good as 0.1 but a helluva lot better than 1mm

Design your monster look like real. tks.