This is a very interesting thread for me. It was started in 2014 and it has been stated, that technological advance of handheld scanners will render complex and expensive photogrammetry systems with many DSLR cameras obsolete.
Now 5 years later how do things look like? I am very interested in this as I am looking into getting into commercial 3D scanning to produce 3D printed figurines. I am considering what system should I get to start this kind of business. There are different systems available on the market right now. One can custom build a photogrammetry system (which is what I was looking into originally), or buy 'off the shelf' system like Twinstant or Artec Shapify or get a portable scanner like Artec Leo.
Of course every system has it's own strengths and weaknesses, however I would like to know where the market is going these days. Does it still make sense to build a big and complex photogrammetry rig with a lot of postprocessing involved or one could get faster, better results with one of the latest hand held scanners, in particular Artec Leo (big plus, it is mobile)?
Hi Volteco.
the type of scanner you choose depends on what type of business you want to set up. If you aim at lowish quality, low price, mass market then a handheld might fit your needs. As long as you can actually complete the scan. It takes long minutes and if the subjects moves odds are that the scan has to be restarded from scratch.
Therefore you cannot scan dogs, kids and therefore family groups. Then the printing costs will probably increase the figurine price above the mass-market threshold anyway.
A photogrammetric scanner can scan any kind of subject, no market accessibility restrictions.
Another disadvantage of handhelds is the quality/resolution of the scan. Sometime ago I scanned a local popstar and his staff asked a textureless print. They explained me that they wanted to compare my scan with that produced by one competitor of mine (operating handheld or even ipad based scanner) and did not want to be deceived by the textures. Result: they admitted that you could recognize the guy in my print but you could not in the other one. I only have a raspberry based photogrammetric scanner, not even a DSLR...
In short, a photogrammetric scanner gives far better models and opens you interesting side businesses, such as producing models for VR/AR industry.
Pricewise the investment is higher, for a DSLR scanner, but definetly on par for a Raspberry scanner, compared to professional handhelds. Kinetcs / ipads and the likes are not professional, are toys. May fit your goals but remain toys.
The only real advantages of handhelds are portability and that they return a finished scan right away, while with photogrammetry you still need to process the photos.
