3D Scanner 101: Field of view

​Every once in a while, it’s important to revisit the basics to understand how 3D scanners work. In this blog post, we’ll cover the Field of View (FOV) of a 3D scanner and how it affects the 3D scan results. The key takeaway is that different 3D scanners have different FOVs, and choosing the right model is crucial to getting the right output depending on the size of the object you want to 3D scan.

What is Field of View (FOV)?

Like how humans can see a certain range (you can't see behind you) at a given moment, different 3D scanners have a different viewable area at one time from a specific distance. The larger the FOV, the larger area the 3D scanner can 'see' thus capture at once.  With the EinScan 3D scammer models, there is a variety of scanning range among different 3D scanner models that scan something as small as a coin to something as large as a car.  Therefore, it is important to understand what you are scanning and what FOV is most suitable to capture the details of the object.

FOV of Different EinScan 3D Scanner Models

The FOV of a 3D scanner can determine which model is best suited to 3D scan your object depending on its size. Choosing the right field of view is about finding the right balance between capturing enough detail of the object you want to scan and appropriate coverage for each scan. This balance is important so you can achieve a smoother scanning experience, complete scans in a shorter amount of time as well as reduce computer crashes that happen when the software is overloaded.

Target Object Size and Suitable 3D Scanner Models

​Relationship between FOV and object size

What happens when you use a 3D scanner with a small FOV to scan large objects?

When you scan a large object with a 3D scanner optimized for scanning small objects, you will have to do more scans to reconstruct a complete 3D digital model than you would with a scanner with a large FOV. Look at the theoretical diagram on the left.  If you have a large FOV, you only need 3 scans but with a small FOV you need 12 scans.  In reality there are overlaps so this is just an illustration.

Now let's see what happens when I use a 3D scanner with a large FOV to scan small objects. 

When you are scanning small objects with complex details and texture information, the 3D scanner with a large FOV will not be able to see the fine geometric details.

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Some scanners have dual FOV like the Transcan C and the eviXscan 3D Quadro+ so it can scan small and medium size objects.  On the TranScan C, you can slide the cameras out to increase the FOV, while on eviScan Quadro there are 4 cameras installed - the inner cameras and the outer cameras.​

Transcan C

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eviXscan 3D Quadro+

It really depends on the simplicity and versatility you require for the project.  Naturally, having multiple FOV is a bit more complex due to having varying settings.

Now let's dig a little deeper and look at the difference in FOV of Einscan Pro HD vs. Einscan Pro 2X 2020.

Comparing Einscan Pro HD vs EinScan Pro 2X 2020

You can see that these 2 scanners have a different FOV.  Guess which one is better suited for large objects?  You probably guessed it right if you followed the logic so far - it's the EinScan Pro HD. Objects that are not very large like within the 3-100mm range, EinScan Pro 2X 2020 is better and it's cheaper too!  ​

Of course, this is not absolute as there are other factors like whether the texture is reflective or not. If reflective, Pro HD works better unless you can powder coat the object. 

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So, keep in mind that there is no one-FOV-fits-all 3D scanner if you want a great 3D scanning output. The first step in choosing a 3D scanner is to confirm the size of the object you need to scan so it can help you determine the FOV of the scanner required. In the next blog, we will help you narrow it down further and together we will look at how the material on the surface of the object can affect your purchase choice.

Watch this webinar on how to select a model if you want to learn further!  

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Growshapes the official U.S. distributor of Shining 3D EinScan 3D scanners. We now carry the eviXscan 3D scanner from Evatronix as well!

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