The idea behind this project is one worth exploring: there simply is no accessible way to scan really small objects, so the maker is developing a low-cost, open-source photogrammetry solution aimed at exactly that gap. The test subject says it all, since a tiny gold-colored charm of around 15mm is about as demanding as targets get for a DIY rig.
The hardware combines the OpenScan Mini with an Arducam imx519 Macro Addon, all sitting in a blue 3D-printed base housing labeled OPEN SCAN PI. The camera module carries an LED ring light connected by a flat ribbon cable, and the setup relies on cross-polarization together with the ringlight for even, reflection-free illumination. For processing, the free version of RealityScan handles the reconstruction.
The workflow details are what stand out. The maker coated the shiny piece in a fine mist of Aesub Orange before capturing 130 photos from evenly spread perspectives, and the camera arm visibly shifts position as the scan progresses. The finished results appear as digital models rotating on a dark grey background, alternating between the photorealistic textured version and the bare white geometry mesh, which makes it easy to judge what the software actually reconstructed.
It is not all solved yet. The maker points out that optics is an enemy at this scale, which feels like a fair assessment for anything involving a smartphone camera sensor pushed into macro territory. A build-guide is also promised to follow soon on GitHub, so for now the rig remains partly undocumented, and anyone hoping to replicate it will have to wait for those instructions before digging into the finer points of the setup.