Revopoint Pop 2 3D Scanner Review

Revopoint was conceived in 2014 when a contingent of researchers and doctors at MIT came together to create high-quality and affordable 3D devices for the masses. Its flagship is the Revopoint Pop 2 scanner, which began life as a Kickstarter campaign.

When looking at the Revopoint Pop 2 vs Pop 1, the new edition uses the latest in micro-structured light technology and now boasts upgraded hardware. 

It supports shape, marker point, and color feature alignment. Moreover, its auto-alignment and data collection systems let you map surfaces to a precision of 0.1mm, resulting in high-resolution 3D digital models.

The Pop 2 is both durable and portable, and you can begin scanning automatically with a press of a button. Its versatility makes it suitable for both the artist at home and large corporate manufacturers.

What’s in the Box?

This Revopoint Pop 2 3D scanner review focuses on the base product, though there are a lot of useful accessories you can purchase separately. Here’s what’s in the box by default:

• Portable scanner
• Tripod
• Quick setup kits
• USB A/C cables
• 2-in-1 mobile cable
• Phone holder
• Calibration board
• Markers
• Blu Tack
• Sample sculpture
• Plastic sheet
• Warranty card and Inspect certificate

There’s also a premium package that introduces a power bank, carrying case, and a portable turntable for rotating scans.

Revopoint POP 2 Specs

Let’s take a closer look at the device’s core specs and features.

Dual IR Sensors

The Pop 2 has two infrared sensors on either side of an IR projector that beams a pattern onto your object to aid scanning precision. Meanwhile, a color camera collects data for the texture map. It uses binocular micro-structured light technology for speed and accuracy.

This results in professional-grade precision. It goes as high as 0.05mm for a single frame and 0.15mm for the 3D point cloud. Altogether, its average accuracy is 0.1mm. So, if you’re dealing with complex objects or difficult textures, the Pop should still be able to create a like-for-like model.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find this level of precision elsewhere when considering the Revopoint Pop 2 price. However, it’s not without some minor drawbacks. Testing reveals a tendency to miss details on overly shiny or transparent objects. Furthermore, accuracy drops with larger complex objects that require a lot of rotating and handheld scanning.

The sensors do work outside, but direct sunlight can cause issues.

10 Frames Per Second

The framerate is impressive, delivering a fast 10Hz/frames per second. This applies to both static, turntable, and handheld scanning. Its 6 Dof Gyroscope also improves operational flow and shape performance.

RGB Color Sensing

Gone are the days of colorless models or having to choose the best colors via software. The Pop 2 uses an RGB high-res global exposure sensor to accurately reproduce the colors it detects – even with complex multi-colored objects.

These vibrant models are then ready for 3D printing, animation, and AR/VR. 

If color is not important to your project, you can turn off color data collection altogether. 

Handheld and Turntable

The scanner can function stationary, or you can freely move around your subject in handheld mode. To do a stationary scan, you affix it to the tripod and place it on a table or similar surface. To consistently scan every angle of an object, you use the turntable and then manually reposition the object when needed.

Handheld mode requires you to close the tripod legs and hold the scanner in front of you, targeting an object and moving around it to cover it in its entirety. 

The Revopoint Pop 2 scanner supports iOS and Android mobile devices via WiFi or USB-C. The phone holder connects to the tripod grip, so you get an excellent display as you go about scanning. Ideally, you would use this in handheld mode, but you can still do fixed and turntable scans using the app.

For a larger display (more suitable for stationary scans), you would connect the USB to your laptop or computer.

Three File Formats

You can save your 3D scans in one of three common file formats – PLY, OBJ, and STL. These allow you to open the model file in other software for further manipulation or send it to a 3D printer.  

Volume and Distance

You’ll have no trouble scanning small objects as the minimum volume is set at 20×20×20 (mm). The scanner functions best when you’re between 15cm and 40cm from the subject. In other words, you don’t need a great deal of space unless your object is particularly large. 

This makes the Pop 2 especially suitable for home users with just a regular table or computer desk.

Weight and Dimensions

As for its physical specs, the Revopoint Pop 2 is only 195g, so your arm won’t get tired during lengthy sessions. It’s also compact, measuring at 154.6×38.2×25.6 (mm). This is smaller than your average smartphone, and even when used together with the tripod, everything feels light and portable. Still, if you’re looking for something even smaller, you can go with the MINI version of Revopoint’s scanners. 

Use Cases

If you’re new to 3D scanning, you might be wondering what you might actually use it for. The Revopoint Pop 2 precise 3D scanner is versatile enough to cover almost all common scanning applications.

Digital Artwork

It’s ideal for those who create digital artwork and want to use real-world models as the base for their designs. Scanned models can later be manipulated in various software to create something completely unique. 

3D Printing

Of course, 3D scanning goes hand in hand with 3D printing. Your artworks don’t have to remain digital, as the Revopoint Pop 2 software can output in OBJ and STL. You can create a unique design and print it into the real world or replicate an existing object and marvel at how close it is to the real thing. 

Whether you’re a hobbyist creating fun figurines for yourself, an artist selling professional designs, or reverse engineering on an industrial scale – the POP 2 can play an integral role.

Pets

Among its unique features is the ability to accurately model pets and animals. You can create “digital twins” or take it a step further and 3D print a scale model as a keepsake or toy. 

The scanner is small and quiet, so it won’t scare away living subjects.

VR and AR

You can also import 3D characters and objects into augmented and virtual reality systems. So, making a video game or scanning artifacts for a virtual museum tour is right up its alley.

Revo Scan

The official Revopoint Pop 2 software is called Revo Scan. It provides a real-time scanning preview on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. It tells you if you’re in good range or if the object is too near or too far. Then, you simply press play to start scanning and pause to allow for model rotation.

If you dig into the settings, there are a bunch of different modes to suit different objects. First, you can pick between fast or high accuracy scanning. Then there are specific modes for features when using markers or scanning the face, head, or body. The Revopoint Pop 2 Dark mode is for capturing detailed black or dark objects. 

Here you also choose whether to collect color data or not.

As soon as scanning is finished, it will automatically create the mesh model.

Overall, the software is easy to use, and you get simultaneous video and infrared feeds. 

On the downside, it's quite resource-hungry. During our tests, it used up to 10GB of RAM, which could be a problem if you are using a low or mid-range machine.

Revo Studio

During this Revopoint Pop 2 review, I also tested the “Studio” editing suite for Windows. The main takeaway is that this is a basic program, and you’re better off using a third party if you want to accomplish complex modeling. 

Its most important feature is the ability to fill holes that were missed during scanning and smooth over the surface. If the scan went mostly well, this is a quick and easy way to tidy up the model.

Unfortunately, even if you aren’t attempting anything advanced, the software has the tendency to crash. Moreover, there aren’t any hints or explainers, so beginners may not know where to start. 

Scan Quality

The Pop 2 achieves three million points per second and outputs high-resolution models. You can even change the accuracy settings to achieve faster and more efficient scans. For example, if you’re scanning a simple object that lacks details, the fast scan is sufficient.

On the other hand, “high precision mode” ensures the slowest but most detailed scan.  

We did a couple of scans of the bust that came with the package and of a human face. Here are the results:

The only time quality that can be called into question is with particularly large and complex objects that need a lot of handheld precision. In these cases, misalignment can also occur sometimes. 

Nonetheless, scan quality is exceptional overall.

Pricing

The Revopoint Pop 2 scanner price depends on the package you choose. The standard one is $699 and has all the necessary equipment to scan stationary or handheld. However, you must pay $799 for the premium package to acquire the portable turntable. This pack also includes a power bank and a case.

These prices don’t include shipping, which is calculated during the checkout process and may change depending on your location.

You get a 14-day money-back guarantee in case you change your mind and also a one-year manufacturer’s warranty to protect against defects.

Moreover, customers get lifetime technical support.

Revopoint Pop 2 3D Scanner Review – Verdict

As our Revopoint Pop 2 review showed, this device certainly stands out. Yes, there are some minor hiccups with the software, and capturing larger objects requires a bit of effort. However, scanners ten or more times its price have similar issues.

The Pop 2’s portability, quality, and precision make it suitable for just about anyone who wants professional-grade scans at a home user price.