3Dsurvey vs MicMac

3Dsurvey is photogrammetry software for processing and classifying surveying data. It creates 3D models, orthophotos, digital elevation models, point clouds, and reports from sources including drones, cameras, GNSS, LiDAR, SONAR, geospatial data, and real-time telemetry. Its extraction tools cover CAD drawing, volume calculation, contour lines, profile lines, and cross sections. Listed formats include TIFF, JPG, PNG, KMZ, OBJ, PLY, E57, LAS, DXF, PDF, TXT, XYZ, DOC, XML, and MP4. Results can be uploaded to 3Dsurvey Cloud Viewer and shared by link for viewing on any device. The maker highlights construction, land surveying, and surface mining. A 14-day trial offers full functionality without data limitations, and a free student license is available for individual non-commercial use. Subscription pricing is €225 per month, billed monthly, or €187.50 per year billed yearly at €2,250, excluding taxes. A perpetual license costs €3,399 one time, excluding taxes.

MicMac is free, open-source desktop software for reconstructing 3D models from imagery. Developed at IGN and ENSG within the LASTIG lab, it runs on Linux, macOS and Windows under the CECILL-B license. It supports frame cameras, pushbroom sensors and scanned analogue images, along with camera calibration models and dense image matching for deformation studies. Outputs can include point clouds, 3D models and ortho-imagery in a desired coordinate system. Intermediate results in open formats let users work at different stages, and quality indicators include bundle adjustment residuals, covariance matrices, parameter sensitivity and correlation images. The C3DC command computes a point cloud from oriented images; AperiCloud creates a sparse cloud with camera positions and orientations for viewing in MeshLab, but does not support 64-bit PLY. MicMac is adapted to big datasets and was initially built for experts and researchers, with use also described in architecture, archaeology and forestry. Documentation, tutorials, a wiki and user forum are available. Building from source involves multiple dependencies, and the Mac guide cautions that a current revision may not compile or may be unstable on a given OS.