142. Five Reasons to Be Among the First to Buy a Matterport Pro3 Camera | AEC | MSP | As-Builts | Facilities Management | Outdoor

Five Reasons to Be Among the First to Buy a Matterport Pro3 Camera

Commentary and Analysis by

Dan Smigrod
Founder and Managing Editor
We Get Around Network Forum
WGAN-TV Podcast
WGAN-TV Training U (in Matterport)

If you are a Matterport Service Provider thinking about buying a Matterport Pro3 Camera, but are holding off either because you have concerns about the accuracy of the Matterport Pro3 Camera versus the Leica BLK360 scanner – or other concern, here are five reasons to go ahead with your purchase of the Matterport Pro3 Camera.

1. Accuracy of the Matterport Pro3 Camera versus the Leica BLK360

The Matterport Pro3 Camera is significantly more accurate than a Matterport Pro2 Camera and “good enough” when compared to a Leica BLK360 Scanner.

► The accuracy of the Leica BLK360 (1st generation) is 6mm at 10 meters using the settings: High/Very Slow, according to Matterport Support.
► The accuracy of the Matterport Pro3 Camera is +/- 20mm (0.2%) @ 10 meters, according to Matterport Support. [Range is +/- 20 meters (Matterport model)
► The accuracy of the Matterport Pro2 Camera is +/- 54 mm (1%) at 5 meters

If these numbers make your eyes glaze over, that’s okay. I could imagine that 80 percent (or more) of the Matterport + Leica BLK360 jobs can now be handled by a Matterport Pro3 Camera. I say this because I could imagine that Matterport Capture Services On-Demand likely weighed in heavy on the the requirements of the Matterport Pro3 Camera:

► The accuracy of the Matterport Pro3 Camera needed to be “good enough” to scan 80 percent (or more) of existing jobs where the BLK360 was required (versus a Matterport Pro2 Camera). [I could imagine that Matterport Capture Services On Demand had difficulty sourcing enough MSPs with a BLK360 resulting in either: Matterport clients paying a travel fee or not going forward with potential projects because of the cost of travel.
► The accuracy of the Matterport Pro3 Camera needed to be “good enough” to scan 80 percent (or more) of potential new jobs where the BLK360 would be required (versus a Matterport Pro2 Camera).
► The Matterport Pro2 Camera needed to be affordable by 80 percent (or more) of Matterport Service Providers: a trade off of accuracy versus price versus value.

For a deep-dive discussion of Measurement Accuracy in Matterport Spaces, please see Matterport Support.

2. First Mover Advantages of Buying a Matterport Pro3 Camera

While you may be hesitant to lay out $6,000 for a new Matterport Pro3 Camera or $8,000 for a Matterport Pro3 Camera Acceleration Kit (plus, adding a new Matterport Cloud account, if you are on Matterport Classic Pricing), how many new jobs - that could only be possible because of the Matterport Pro3 Camera should weigh-in in your thinking.

For example, during WGAN-TV Live at 5, on Thursday, September 29, 2022, my guest, greater Atlanta-area Southern 3D Tours Founder and Matterport 3D Imaging Specialist Larry Gamel shared with us that an architect engaged Southern 3D Tours to do an outdoor elevation shoot (that required either a Matterport Pro3 Camera or Leica BLK360 Scanner).

3. Competitive Advantage (versus other Matterport Service Providers)

If you are in a market that has multiple Matterport Service Providers, you may already be experiencing a downward spiral in price: particularly for virtual tours of residential real estate. Buying a Matterport Pro3 Camera will help make your competitors irrelevant - regardless of price - when you are able to do outdoor scanning (where spatial data matters versus Matterport 360 Views); high ceilings (such as a theater, gym or atrium) and large spaces (where accuracy of measurements matter).

Plus, I could imagine that those that are first with the Matterport Pro3 Camera may “box out” those that buy the Matterport Pro3 Camera later (rather than sooner). Think first-mover advantages.

4. Matterport Capture Services On Demand, IFTI/Provision Solutions (and More)

I could imagine that Matterport Capture Services On Demand, IFTI/PROvision Solutions and other agencies that engage Matterport Service Providers will actively be seeking Matterport Service Providers with Matterport Pro3 Cameras.

We Get Around Network curates THE List: a list of Matterport Service Providers with at least one Matterport Pro3 Camera and/or Leica BLK360 Scanner to help grow multi-market Matterport scanning business for MSPs where a Matterport Pro3 Camera or Leica BLK360 Scanner is required.

5. New Verticals Likely Made Possible by the Matterport Pro3 Camera

The Matterport Pro3 Camera likely enables new verticals for your Matterport Service Provider business, including:

1. As-Built Surveys
2. Construction Documentation
3. Outdoor Elevations
4. Facilities Management
5. Space Planning

I discuss these five verticals at length in my We Get Around Network Forum post on Thursday, September 1, 2022:

► Matterport Pro3 Camera Solves 10 Problems & Helps MSPs with 5 New Use Cases

Bonus Reason to Buy the Matterport Pro3 Camera

If you frequently experience misalignment errors when using a Matterport Pro2 Camera, misalignment errors virtually disappear with the Matterport Pro3 Camera resulting in faster scanning and less frustration, according to Larry Gamel during our WGAN-TV Live at 5 show:

► Matterport Pro3 Camera: First Impressions

What’s (still) holding you back from buying a Matterport Pro3 Camera?

Please share your thoughts in the We Get Around Network Forum (www.WGANForum.com).