Range data is gathered by the laser beam.

Advantages:

• Very accurate (2 mm or better resolution)
  
  
• Automatic == Fast. Little user intervention required.
  
  
  

Disadvantages:

• Multiple views may be necessary to view the entire object, increasing the complexity of merging the data.
  
  
• Reflective materials can cause problems
  
  
• Expensive
  
  
• Automatic == uncontrolable. When you remove the artist you are likely to get a mesh that is not dense in the right places.