I am wanting to scan some action figures to scale so I can print them so armor, weapons, clothes, etc. It seems like there are some software routes and some hardware routes to do this. I’d love to go a free route until I can afford a ~$800 scanner after my recent 1+ purchase.
I have a Sense scanner which was $400 and I think it sucks.
I think if you want truly usable results it’s going to cost much more but that’s the only one I have used myself.
I’d say try investigating photogrammetry. You’d have to take hundreds of photos but It’ll get you the best detail possible without having to invest in a professional machine.
AS for software the 123D Catch is the main free app but it does have a lot of limitations, so you can either go with the experimental project memento also from Autodesk or try getting the Python Photogrammetry tools working. Both of those will give you high resolution meshes.
All of this will require heavy editing later but all scanning technologies do.
I recently bought the Form one+ and am very impressed with the quality and ease of use. I have had a Nextengine scanner for a while and it is also a quality item and cost same as form 1+ ,but it is under utilized at the moment so if you want something scanned I would happy to.
I am not gonna lie $400-$800 for a scanner seems really really cheap, I am not sure of the total accuracy of those kind of scanners though. I am in more of an industrial setting using scanners and software but the scanners I use (Laser Line and WhiteLight) are very sensitive to surface finishes, ambient light, and geometry. I have a very hard time believing that the files scanned on a cheaper end scanner would ever come out close to correct dimensionally… I could be wrong but most of my files on an industrial system still took lots of correcting and analyzing the millions of data points to re-create CAD files that were usable for us in the design department.
Nothing cheaper than NextEngine (approx. $3k) will do the job with enough resolution.
That is, if you want an out-of-the-box solution.
If you’re willing to invest in some trial and error and DIY, this should work too:
http://www.david-3d.com/en/
I have a NextEngine UltraHD - their newest scanner - very amazing, and unbelievable resolution. Not cheap though, but the best desktop scanner available. I bought the multidrive accessory with it, and in my experience it’s way worth the $1000 extra.
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Could you post up a few examples of scanned objects? I feel like it’s the part of my set up that i’m missing atm and have been looking into various options. The objects i would be looking to scan could be fairly large (large car sized)
I’ve actually scanned my fingerprint with david: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9zoPiTh3IY
I did spend a few hundred on a point grey flea3 camera though - and another few hundred on two lens - one for close up detail work like the finger, and another for larger items, but still well under a $1000 all up.
I cannot post images of the scans I have done, unfortunately. I would not say the NextEngine is the best solution for car sized objects though.
Like i’ve said - for a turn-key solution, it’s at least $3k. I did suggest David as a low cost solution - if you’re willing to invest some additional effort and research.
Form1+ isn’t quite the best solution for car sized objects either 
For very large objects, photogrammetry and/or Kinect are probably the better option.
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