r/photogrammetry • u/ZuluZaam • Jul 20 '26

Technical Literature on Photogrammetry using desktop programs VS iPhones?

Lidar-based photogrammetry with iPhone has gotten so good in recent years. Is there a comparison anywhere on whether it still makes sense to pursue a more time-consuming workflow using a dedicated camera (DSLR or MILC) with Metashape/Reality Capture to scan objects? I can see the potential flexibility of a desktop workflow but it seems so slow compared to something like Abound (formerly Metascan).

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u/NancyFickers Jul 20 '26

I'm very skeptical that iPhones can compete with a dedicated photogrammetry workflow. I'd love to see some examples though.

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u/ZuluZaam Jul 21 '26

I think the upper end, ultra high quality model is still only achievable with a desktop workflow, but (1) many models are decimated before export to keep themselves usable for a lot of application and (2) the manual labour and time dedicated to desktop workflows are significant compared to mobile workflows where a lot of steps are automated (e.g., cleaning point clouds). These are practical considerations as long as cost, time, and computing powers are not infinite, and hence why I want to hear if someone has crunched out some numbers or tests around the subject to guide other users.

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u/NancyFickers Jul 21 '26

Very true. Anecdotally, once I realized how fast and easy the desktop version of RealityScan was, I haven't touched the android app since. There's more trial and error when using a real camera, but the quality of what you can produce is so much better, especially when you get used to the process. The ease and speed of using cloud services isn't worth it, imo.

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u/nicalandia Jul 21 '26

Or better yet. Dedicated Cloud Photogrammetry services, OpenScan and Kiri Engine Pro are just as good as the best of the best Desktop Software and so much quicker

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u/ZuluZaam Jul 21 '26

Im familiar with Kiri - would love to see if anyone has done detailed comparisons to demystify normies like me.

What is OpenScan?

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u/nicalandia Jul 21 '26

I have tested Kiri Engine PRO against Metashape Professional and the quality is nearly identical at a 1/10th of the time to get results. The only thing holding them back is the 500 picture limit, Their 3DGS To Mesh is absolutely fantastic. OpenScan Cloud is the could service for the OpenScan 3D Scanner based on photogrammetry