WHAT IS A 3D SCANNER

A normal definition of a 3D scanner is a device that is equipped with a laser beam to measure a distance from the device to an object   the laser beam is reflected from. The whole technology usually called LiDAR for short  or Light Detection and Ranging and this type of measuring is called Time of Flight which refers to how long it takes for the light to reach an object.

Since a speed of light is a known constant it becomes quite easy to figure out how far an object is by subdividing a time required to reach an object by a speed of light.  What is quite stunning that some 3D scanners have rotating  mirrors that allow to change an angle of a beam to let it hit different objects located in different planes(walls, floor/ceiling) and they do it with a frequency of a few dozen/hundred thousands and even million  times per second.

The Leica BLK360 is a professional entry level LiDAR scanner that can capture the world around you with full-colour panoramic 32 megapixels images overlaid on a high-accuracy point cloud. While a Matterport Pro 2 camera can do 134 megapixels images it only provides 1% accuracy. A BLK360 can deliver a stunning 0.1% accuracy and creates quite a dense point cloud collecting data with  speed of 300 000 pulses per second.

Do not be confused by an “entry level” definition because it is quite an expensive equipment with a price tag of $31 000. However in surveying and 3D world similar scanners can range from $15 000 to even over $1 500 000 so a BLK360 is an entry level by its cost and range  it can do.

The beauty of a BLK360 is that Matterport has collaborated with Leica and since 2019 a BLK360 can be used within the Matterport system as a fully supported device in order to create a Matterport 3D tour.

Another benefit of using a BLK360 is that it works in full sunlight which allows to create a Matterport 3D tour even for huge outdoor areas. Something like this done with a Matterport Pro2 usually takes much more time, requires scanning at civil twilight(30 minutes window) or using 3D conversion engine that sometimes ruins 3D dollhouse more that it helps with capturing a space in full Sunlight.

And it is absolutely worth to mention that a BLK360 has a range of 30m while a Matterport is limited to 5-7 meters under ideal conditions.

Please have a look at the 3D tour we have done for Panorama Apartments rooftop where most of areas are outdoor. All outdoor areas have been scanned with our BLK360. Once we collected all 3D data we switched to our Matterport Pro2 camera to provide high resolution 360 photos to enhance viewers experience with 134 megapixels 360 degree Matterport photos.

We have only left one BLK360 360 degree photo visible in the tour as a comparison with Pro2 camera capture.  It is a next spot forward to the one the tour start with.

 MATTERPORT /BLK360 QUESTIONS

How do I know whether I need a 3D tour with  BLK360 scanning or using a  Matterport Pro2 camera is enough?

Usually you need it if

• Your tour should provide a walkthrough for outdoor areas that are at least 100-200sqm in size.
• Your indoor areas are huge with long halls and big rooms
• You need accurate measurements and 1% accuracy delivered by a Matterport Pro2 camera is not enough

Does it cost more to do a Matterport 3D tour with aBLK360 scanning?

Unfortunately yes. Due to a cost of a BLK360  we usually charge 25-30% more anytime we are asked to do a 3D tour which involves BLK360 scanning.

Does it cost more to host a Matterport 3D tour with aBLK360 scanning?

No,  Matterport hosting fees do not depend on what camera has been used to create it.

I  quite like a BLK360 32MP photo resolution in the rooftop example provided and I do not want to overlap it with 134MP Matterport photos. Will it be cheaper?

Yes it will help you to save. Overlapping can take some time and we do not need to do it our scanning service fee will be less.  The same applies if you do not need 360 photos at all and only want scanning to be done to generate an accurate floor plan. In this case we will be using our BLK360 with HDR mode off and it usually saves about 20%  on scanning time.

I know that a  BLK360 can be used outside of Matterport system with Leica software to create different types of outputs for different purposes. Can you do it?

Not at this point, sorry. It is a different world with different skills. However we are planning to do it after we gain these skills . We have already working towards it.

I am a Matterport Service Provider located in Brisbane. I have a job where my client needs an accuracy of a BLK360 but I cannot find any place to rent it from. Can I rent  your BLK360 for 1-2 days?

If you can provide some an adequate security deposit to cover a cost of BLK360 replacement in case you damage it accidentally we are more than happy to help.
If you cannot provide an adequate cover we can consider coming to your job and do all scans to your device capture app.
Please Contact us for a further discussion.