OSS / DIY 3D Scanners

Build your own scanner. The open-hardware path: a photogrammetry rig that automates capture (turntable + camera + arch), or a structured-light rig with off-the-shelf projectors. Cheaper than commercial handhelds, infinitely tweakable, and a great fit for makers who already own a 3D printer. Pairs with Photogrammetry Software for processing, Handheld 3D Scanners for the commercial alternative, and Scan Capture Hardware for the camera side.

Open-hardware photogrammetry rigs

• ★ OpenScan — open-hardware (CC-BY-SA) automated photogrammetry rig. 3D-printable frame, Raspberry Pi controller, smartphone or DSLR mount, motorised turntable + arch. The dominant DIY photogrammetry rig in 2026; large active community.
• OpenScan Mini / Classic / Midi — printable variants for different object sizes.
• OpenScan Cloud — paid hosted processing for OpenScan rigs.
• OneShot 3D — DIY single-shot multi-camera rig; printable; smaller community.
• Phipscam — DIY photogrammetry rigs and Raspberry Pi camera arrays.
• Multi-Pi camera arrays — community projects using 6–24 Pi Cameras to capture humans / faces in a single shot; see "fullbody scanner" forums.

DIY structured light

• DIY3DScanner / FabScanPi — older OSS structured-light rigs based on a laser line + camera + turntable; sub-millimetre on small objects.
• OpenScan + projector — community fork; uses OpenScan's turntable with a structured-light projector.
• Slicer-based volumetric scan — niche.

Turntables (DIY + branded)

• ★ OpenScan motorised turntable — open-hardware; the default DIY turntable.
• Generic Bluetooth turntables — Foldio360, Ortery, Photomechanics PhotoMaster; ~$100–500.
• Manual lazy-Susan + camera trigger — works fine for small budgets.

Controllers / firmware

• OpenScanner control firmware — Pi-based; integrates camera trigger, stepper motor, lighting.
• Arduino + stepper + camera trigger — generic; many community builds.
• OctoPrint plugin precedents — some DIY scanner builders reuse OctoPrint-style host architectures.

Lighting / scan tents

• Foldable softbox / scan tent — diffuses light; $30–100.
• DIY ring lights / LED panels — colour-balanced (CRI > 95) recommended.
• Polariser + cross-polarised flash — kills specular highlights on shiny objects (advanced).

Camera choice

• DSLR / mirrorless — best quality; see Scan Capture Hardware.
• Raspberry Pi HQ camera — popular in OpenScan builds; cheap, scriptable.
• Smartphone (mounted) — free if you have one; lock exposure via Pro mode.
• Industrial USB cameras (FLIR / Basler) — pro builds; deterministic capture timing.

Why DIY

• Cost: $300–600 for a fully-automated photogrammetry rig vs $700+ for a Revopoint POP 3.
• Object size flexibility: scale the rig up; commercial scanners have fixed sweet spots.
• Reproducible captures: fully scripted; perfect for product catalogues, museums, batch jobs.
• Hackability: swap cameras, change lighting, add a projector for SL.

Why not DIY

• Time: a weekend or two of building + tuning.
• Software stack: you provide the photogrammetry app (Photogrammetry Software); commercial scanners ship with capture + meshing in one.
• Featureless / shiny / dark objects — same photogrammetry limits as any photo workflow.

Pick this if…

• Default DIY pick in 2026: OpenScan (Mini for small objects, Midi/Classic for medium).
• Already have a Raspberry Pi and a printer: print an OpenScan, save $500.
• Want sub-mm structured light and don't mind tinkering: FabScanPi or DIY laser-line rigs.
• Need full-body / human capture: multi-Pi-camera array (research-grade builds).
• Budget for commercial hardware instead: see Handheld 3D Scanners.