MicMac vs Trimble Inpho

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.

Trimble Inpho is a Windows desktop aerial photogrammetry suite for producing dense point clouds, true orthophotos, orthomosaics, and 3D meshes. It accepts aerial imagery from single-camera or multi-camera systems with low or high overlap and can combine image and lidar data. Workflows cover city modeling, rural mapping, and topographic mapping for projects of any size. Buyers can select one module or the full suite, spanning aerial triangulation through final deliverables. MATCH-AT handles aerial triangulation and camera calibration; MATCH-3DX and MATCH-T generate dense point clouds for high- and low-overlap imagery. OrthoMaster and OrthoVista support orthophoto and orthomosaic generation, while DTMaster Stereo and SCOP++ provide point-cloud editing, interpolation, filtering, and analysis. Interactive and automatic quality tools assess imagery and results and create a project report. High-performance engines and distributed processing tools support production scaling. Pricing is paid and available on request. Licensed customers can request the latest version; demo mode has output restrictions.