The Creality Ferret Pro 3D Scanner is an accessible and budget-friendly option for hobbyists and makers looking to capture accurate scans of medium to large objects. With its reliable performance and ease of use, the Ferret Pro stands out as an ideal tool for those new to 3D scanning or working on projects that don’t require intricate levels of detail. However, it falls short when scanning objects smaller than 50 mm or for professionals who require high-resolution precision, making it less suitable for detailed tasks such as miniature figure scanning or industrial-grade applications.
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Has Wifi
- Very reliable thanks to anit-shake tracking
- Works with black and metal objects
- Works outdoors and is portable
- Full-color scanning
- Very accurate
- Good software
Cons:
- Can´t scan objects smaller than 50 mm
- Can´t scan very fine details
- Requires Wifi6 for wireless use
You can buy the Ferret Pro in the official Creality Store right here.
Features
The main features of the Ferret Pro according to Creality´s website are:
- Wireless Scanning
- Anti-shake tracking
- Scan black and metallic objects without special preparation
- Outdoor scanning
- 24-bit full-color scanning
- High-quality and fast scanning
- Easy to get started
- Compact and portable
We will test each of these features in the following section to see what they are all about.
Let´s start with wireless scanning.
Wireless Scanning
The Ferret Pro can be connected to a wifi box that makes is so that the Ferret Pro can be used remotely. This is useful when you want to scan bigger objects where it might be annoying to carry the entire laptop with you or when you want to use the Ferret Pro on the go.
I had no issues using the Ferret Pro wirelessly however there are things that need to be considered.
Firstly, the scanning speed is a little slower when the Ferret Pro is used wirelessly.
Secondly, the Ferret Pro requires Wifi 6 to function properly.
This feature worked very well for me and the stand, that comes with the Ferret Pro, has an integrated battery that allows you to easily use the scanner on the go outside with your phone.
Anti-Shake Tracking
The Ferret Pro makes it possible to scan 3D objects even with shaky hands, is what the official product page says. And it is absolutely true.
I lost tracking every now and then when I moved the scanner too quickly but the software quickly recovered once I moved back a little. Overall, I had no bigger issues with loss of tracking even when I moved the scanner above the object which is usually challenging for 3D scanners.
Scan Black and Metallic Objects
I scanned my heat gun to see if the Ferret Pro would be able to scan the reflective metallic part at the front of the heat gun. And while it was struggling a little bit initially it did scan it pretty well once I adjusted the lighting a little.
Black objects were no problem at all.
Usually, you have to use a spray that makes reflective and black surfaces matt to allow the scanner to capture the object properly but you don´t need to with the Ferret Pro if you have your lighting set up properly.
Speaking about lighting, you want a lot of light for 3D scanning and diffuse lighting is best.
Outdoor Scanning
A lot of 3D scanners have issues performing well in full sunlight outside. This is because the cameras often can´t adapt to the very bright sun outside. The Ferret Pro can scan outside but not during full sunlight. If it is too bright outside then the Ferret Pro will sometimes lose tracking especially if the sun is shining directly at the Ferret Pro.
To be fair, I don´t know any 3D scanner that would manage to do so.
You won´t have any issues, however, if you avoid direct sunlight.
24-Bit Full-Color Scanning
The Ferret Pro can scan in color. This feature is great but you should keep in mind that it will also scan any shadows that the object casts. So if you want a perfect, shadow-free scan then you have to use very good diffuse lighting. Something like a lightbox would be perfect.
The color scanning worked well for me but the colors always appeared a bit darker than in real life. But that´s nothing that can´t be easily fixed in later on.
High Quality and Fast Scanning
The scanning quality was decent.
You can see a scan of a bear toy and the original here.
The bear was about 10 cm long and 6 cm high and the scan lost a lot of the very fine details.
Here is another scan of my heat gun and as you can see the details are far from perfect. Especially the finer details are either not present at all or are very rough.
I also scanned this old picture frame and then 3D printed it to see how dimensionally accurate the scan was. To my surprise, the 3D scan was very accurate, as you can see here.
However, as you can see here, the details are also washed out and some of the very fine details are barely visible at all.
Overall, the Ferret Pro can be used to create a scan of an object that can then be refined in a 3D modeling software like Blender to read some of the finer details. The dimensional accuracy is nearly perfect, on the other hand.
Scanning with the Ferret Pro is really fast though. I was surprised when I was able to scan the heat gun in mere minutes.
Easy to Get Started
This is a feature that I can say Creality nailed. You can use the Ferret Pro with almost any platform including IOS, Android, and Windows.
It is easy and fast to get started and I had no issues during the setup of the Ferret Pro.
Just download and install the program, connect the Ferret Pro to your device, and start a new scan.
You can choose different settings like scan quality, size of the model, type of model (face, body, or object), type of scanning, and more.
All of these settings are either self-explanatory or well-explained in the settings itself.
The UI is also very easy to understand and graphical. So you can simply start scanning right away.
Even more complex things like fusing scans from the same object but from different angles are relatively easy to do.
Creality also has a lot of video tutorials that show how each feature works. The only downside to these video tutorials is that they have no voiceover which makes it a bit tedious to watch. You can find Creality´s official tutorial page for the Ferret Pro here.
Overall, it was very easy to get started with the Ferret Pro and there are a lot of resources that help you get started.
Compact and Portable
This is definitely a very portable scanner. The Ferret Pro comes with a box that holds the entire scanner with all of its accessories. So it can be easily transported anywhere.
The Ferret Pro comes with a battery that is integrated into the stand. The stand also allows for attaching the wifi box, the Ferret Pro scanner, and your phone.
So you can easily take it with you on the go and use it anywhere.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Creality Ferret Pro 3D Scanner offers an excellent entry point for hobbyists and makers who need a reliable and easy-to-use tool for scanning medium to large objects.
Its portability, wireless functionality, and ability to scan in full color make it a versatile option for casual projects. While it performs well with black and metallic objects and provides strong dimensional accuracy, the scanner’s inability to capture fine details and small objects, as well as its reliance on optimal lighting conditions, limit its appeal for professionals and those requiring high-resolution precision.
Nonetheless, for its price and ease of use, the Ferret Pro is a solid choice for everyday 3D scanning tasks.
