Mostly anyone has access to a copy machine or a 2D scanner to reproduce documents and photos. But what if you could do 3D scans of objects and copy those too? With the decreasing cost of 3D printing, there’s a definite place in the market for 3D scanners. And these two from EinScan are the favorite tools of many artists and engineers. Let’s see which one is the best for you, too.
EinScan SE Desktop 3D Scanner
The EinScan SE is compact and matte black, a sleek harbinger of the future. It’s small enough that it fits on a desktop. And it doesn’t come with a tripod as the SP does, but you can purchase one separately. Out of the two models in this review, the SE is the less expensive, but it also comes with fewer features and extras.
For example, the SE comes with a foam calibration board instead of the more durable one that arrives with the SP. Also, its scan area is smaller in size, and its scans take longer. But it’s not all bad news. The SE requires only 8GB, or half the RAM that the SP does, which means you might not need to upgrade your Windows computer to use it.
Then, the SE lets you connect the scan head to the turntable without needing recalibration every time. And since the head comes with a standard tripod thread, you don’t have to buy EinScan’s tripod. You can use one you already have and save the money.
And when you scan an object with the EinScan SE, there is one important point to remember. Do the scan in the dark. Turn off the lights, and you’ll get a better image on the first try.
The SE needs 8 seconds per scan or 2 minutes for a 360-degree scan in automatic mode. Each shot is 200 by 150mm with a point distance of .017 to 0.2mm. The accuracy is 0.05mm for a single scan. And the maximum volume for a fixed scan is 700mm3 or 200mm3 for auto scan. Once you complete a scan, you can save it online with Sketchfab or other similar services.
In conclusion, the speed and function of the Einscan SE are less desirable for professionals in a production environment but should be reasonable for home users and hobbyists.
More features of the Einscan SE 3D scanner:
- Comes with a turntable and stand, calibration board holder, power cord and adapter, USB cables, and installation guide
- Covered by a 1-year warranty and lifetime customer support
EinScan SP Desktop 3D Scanner
The EinScan SP has features that make it desirable for professionals who perform frequent scans and want to work faster. It comes with its own tripod for the scan head as well as a durable calibration board. In the box, you’ll find a pack of optional marker stickers to put on objects you scan. And the included turntable also comes with 12-bit coded target points painted on it.
Next, the EinScan SP is twice as fast as the SE. Every single scan takes 4 seconds, and a 360-degree scan takes only 1 minute total. Of course, there are 8 scans for a complete cycle, so it can take up to 8 minutes to finish imaging an object. Capturing color as well as the object’s geometry takes longer, too.
The SP captures a larger area on each scan, too. It covers 120cm3 total. And the accuracy of each scan is less than 0.05mm, whether in fixed or auto scan mode. So you won’t be sacrificing precision for speed.
In conclusion, the EinScan SP might cost more at the moment, but it has worthwhile advantages over the EinScan SE.
More features of the EinScan SP 3D scanner:
- Requires a Windows PC with minimum 16GB RAM, 2GB video RAM, and i5 processor or faster
- Outputs OBJ, STL, ASC, and PLY object files
- Comes with turntable, scanner stand, calibration board holder, USB cable, and power cord with adapter
- Covered by a 1-year limited warranty and lifetime customer support
Recommendation
If you’re going to be scanning objects at home or in a classroom, the EinScan SE might be all you need to complete your projects. But if your work frequently requires 3D scans, the EinScan SP is faster and can image a larger area with each pass.