While most individuals are not skilled 3D designers, the one thing that’s so great about the 3D printing space is that you don’t need to be able to model your own products in order to make a 3D printer a worthy purchase. There are over 1 million available models online for anyone to download, most which are absolutely free. If, however, there is something you can’t find on the various model repositories, or you wish to replicate a common object or even a person, it may be time to purchase a 3D scanner. (We’ve also updated this list for 2016!)
There are numerous 3D scanners on the market. In fact it seems as if every week or two another product is announced. The sheer number of scanners that are becoming available can be incredibly overwhelming, especially if you have no idea what you really need. We’ve decided to make things a bit simpler for all of you, taking some of the guesswork out of the purchasing process. Below, with the help of the writers and editors at 3DPrint.com, and in a similar fashion to the 3D Printer Buyer’s Guide we published earlier this year, we have curated a list of some of our favorite 3D scanners based on price, usability, and quality of scan. This list will be updated on a consistent basis to reflect what we feel are the top devices on the market at any given time.
Matter and Form MFS1V1 3D Scanner
If you are looking for an affordable, accurate, stationary 3D scanner, there are few products which compete with the Matter and Form MFS1V1 3D Scanner. Don’t let the price of under $575 fool you. This device is an incredible addition to
Pros: Price, Scan quality, Portability, Ease-of-use
Cons: Limit on object size, Quality of construction
DAVID Laserscanner – SLS2 High Speed & Resolution 3D Scanner
If you can afford the rather steep price tag of $2995, this is an incredible buy. Produced by David Vision Systems, the Laserscan device will allow you to scan objects in 3D at 1280 x 800
Pros: Quality scans, Reliability, Bang for the buck, Scan speed
Cons: Installation/setup time, Image processing time
Fuel3D Scanify Scanner
This is one of the more remarkable handheld scanners. Instead of requiring a user to move the scanner around an object, this device works just like your
Pros: Incredibly fast, Accurate, Simplistic
Cons: Diminished viewing angle will not permit entire 360 degree scans
Occipital Structure Sensor
Like the 3D Systems’ iSense Scanner we have mentioned below, the Structure sensor by Occipital works in a similar fashion by attaching to one’s iPad. Priced under $380, this scanner is the most affordable on our list.
Pros: Price, Ease-of-use, Reliability
Cons: iPad required, Scan quality of smaller items
3D Systems’ iSense 3D Scanner
This scanner fits snugly onto your iPad, turning its 2D camera into a fully functioning 3D scanner. Made in the United States, this scanner is backed by one of the world’s largest 3D printer manufacturers, 3D Systems. While it may not have incredibly high resolution, this scanner is great for the beginner.
Pros: Price, Size/weight, Versatility
Cons: iPad required, Battery life, Scan quality
XYZprinting Da Vinci 1.0 All-in-One 3D Printer
If you don’t have a 3D printer yet, then this is the perfect product for you. Although the printer is not the best of quality, the price of $600 for both a 3D scanner and printer make the Da Vinci All-in-One machine a no-brainer if you are a beginner looking for an affordable scanning and printing
Pros: Price, Easy to use software, Two technologies for the price of one, Scan quality
Cons: Calibration issues, Speed
Artec Eva 3D Scanner
You may have noticed that all of the scanners we have mentioned above are priced under $3,000. We’ve
Pros: Scan quality and accuracy, Weight, Portability
Cons: Price
There you have it! Let us know if you have any feedback on any of these devices, or if you think another scanner should make this list. Discuss in the Best 3D Scanners of 2015 forum thread on 3DPB.com