Description and evaluation of the high quality photogrammetric scanner UltraScan 5000

Scanning of analogue images has become a key hardware technology specific to modern digital photogrammetry. Since specialised photogrammetric scanners have been introduced in the late 1980s, a gradual development and improvement of their performance regarding hardware, software and functionality, and productivity has been observed. Originally, geometric accuracy of scanners was the overriding specification for scanners. This is increasingly being augmented by a concern for good colour and radiometric performance. This article describes the UltraScan 5000, a modern photogrammetric scanner manufactured by Vexcel Imaging Austria, and its features, assesses its radiometric and geometric performance with various well-founded tests, and discusses its versatility and use in production. The UltraScan 5000 was introduced in November 1998 and since then, a surprisingly large number of systems has been installed worldwide. Their successful operation illustrates on a daily basis the validity of the technical solution and tests at user sites have confirmed a good to excellent Ž . performance regarding geometric accuracy and resolution, radiometric performance noise, dynamic range and colour rendition. q 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.