The Best Photogrammetry Software For All Levels

When it comes to 3D printing, one of the most critical steps is obviously having a 3D model to print. There are a number of different ways these can be obtained including CAD and other modeling software and scanners, but one that has been increasing in popularity in recent years is photogrammetry. Similar to 3D scanning, photogrammetry software allows users to obtain reliable data from real-world objects in their natural state by recording, measuring, and interpreting in this case photographic images. It is often used by surveyors, architects, and engineers to create topographic maps, meshes, points of clouds, or drawings based on the real world. In 3D printing, it is especially useful for capturing large objects and is considered to be more accessible and affordable than 3D scanning as it can be even done with a smartphone camera. In the following ranking (organized in no particular order), we will introduce some of the most well-known photogrammetry software currently available!

ReCap Pro by Autodesk

Developed by the well-known software company Autodesk, ReCap Pro is a program capable of converting photographs into 3D models or 2D drawings. With a name derived from the abbreviation of “Reality Capture”, the software has been designed to meet the needs of all types of projects in surveying, planning, as well as the construction, and renovation of buildings and infrastructures. On the technical side, it allows you to easily generate a point cloud or mesh ready to be used with other software or CAD tools. Worth noting is the fact that the new 2023 ReCap Pro version includes a number of improvements and updates for users. Among them, users can find the import and indexing of raw scans, automatic terrain classification for infrastructure projects, or an improvement in rendering quality by increasing the number of points depending on the user’s memory, among others. As for the price of the software, Autodesk several paid subscription options.

3DF Zephyr

3DF Zephyr is a software solution by 3DFlow, it deals with the automatic 3D reconstruction of an object no matter what sensor, drone, or laser scanner device you are using. In other words, with this professional photogrammetry software, while it generates 3D scans with ease, experienced users can make extensive alterations to optimize the result. A user can also export the model into many file formats. Moreover, you can combine photogrammetry data with laser scans for more precision in your model, and working with your model in another CAD program is facilitated thanks to 3DF Zephyr. A free version exists, however you are limited to 50 images for a 3D reconstruction. Though there are also a number of paid versions with different features.