Image-based 3D digitizer

A system for digitizing a three-dimensional object as a three-dimension model, comprising:

• a turntable for placing the object;
• a plurality of cameras;
• a plurality of texture lights configured out of the view of the plurality of cameras;
• a plurality of shape lights configured in the view of the cameras;
• means for acquire a first set of images and a second set of images while rotating the turntable to a plurality of positions, the first set of images illuminated by the shape lights and the second set of images illuminated with the texture lights, there being a one to one correspondence for images in each set for each position of the turntable;
• means for extracting object shape data from the first set of images;
• means for extracting object texture data from the second set of images;
• and
• means for correlating the object shape data with the object texture data to construct the three-dimensional digital model stored in a memory of a computer system.