What is Reality Capture? Reality capture is the process of turning a physical space into digital data. This can range from a 3D model to a set of 360 images, or to a point cloud captured with your phone, a camera, or a scanner instead of a tape measure. In this guide, we'll go over two of the most common reality capture tools used on construction sites today, Polycam and OpenSpace, and how each one works on its own, and how many GCs run them together on the same project.
What each tool actually captures
OpenSpace offers several products. One of their popular products is OpenSpace Capture. OpenSpace Capture captures 360 video and turns it into a navigable photo-based record. A field team member attaches a 360 camera to their hard hat and chooses between a 360 photo and a 360 video. You can then select an existing floor plan for that site, drop a pin to determine your location, and start your walk. The output is something you can walk through: a series of timestamped images, plus AI-driven progress tags that flag what's changed between walks.
Polycam captures and outputs multiple types of assets for your needs: a mesh, and 2D and 3D floor plans that you can measure and export to AutoCAD, Revit, or other CAD/BIM software. Polycam has its own 360 capture feature called 360 mode that stitches together a full panorama by rotating the phone in a guided circle. It isn't built to auto-map a continuous walking path across a whole site the way OpenSpace is. If frequent, mapped, site-wide 360° walkthroughs are the goal, that's OpenSpace's core use case, not Polycam's.
Polycam closes part of that gap through Virtual Walkthrough. It lets you retrace your exact capture path and step through the original photos, positioned at the spot where each was taken and overlaid on the 3D capture itself. Since a mesh can miss fine details, this is built specifically to let you cross-reference the geometry against the source photography, such as reading a label, checking a model number, or confirming a thin pipe or conduit without a return site visit.
| Capture type | Photogrammetry, Gaussian splat, drone photos, Space mode | 360° video (camera mounted to hard hat), smartphones, drones, 3D scan if using a LiDAR enabled iPhone. |
|---|---|---|
| Output | 3D detailed mesh, point cloud, 2D/3D floor plan, Gaussian splat | Stitched 360° imagery pinned to floor plan, AI-tagged progress. Orthosmasiac |
| Best for | BIM/CAD prep, measurements, | Frequent progress documentation, remote stakeholder walkthroughs |
Workflow comparison
Time on site: How much time a capture actually costs you depends on setup and attention, not just the walk itself. On both tools, a little planning up front is what separates a clean capture from a wasted one.
Both Polycam and OpenSpace allow you to create assets, but they differ in how you execute. OpenSpace is designed to add minimal effort to a normal site visit. You can upload a floor plan of the site and pin the location of the area you are starting from before starting the walk, allowing you to accurately capture the space based on your path optimization.
Polycam allows you to start scanning your site immediately. For Space and Floorplan modes,your location is set during the scanning process so it can accurately stitch together your capture. A deliberate path around the perimeter of a space, taken at a measured pace, allows the LiDAR sensor or photogrammetry algorithm to build accurate geometry.
Processing time:
Sharing model. Both Polycam and OpenSpace's outputs are built to be viewed by anyone with a link. For OpenSpace, a stakeholder can click through and virtually walk the site in a browser with no software required, and compare a given location across multiple dates to see what's changed. Polycam's captures can be shared as public or private links depending on plan, and the underlying 3D model or point cloud can also be exported for use inside other software rather than only viewed as a walkthrough.
Output and integration
Where the file can be used is as important as how it looks.
OpenSpace integrates directly with Procore (two-way sync for Punch Items and Observations, plus an embedded viewer in Procore) and Autodesk Construction Cloud (BIM 360 and Autodesk Build, including model import and two-way issue sync). Field Notes captured in OpenSpace can generate RFIs and Issues directly within those platforms, removing the need for manual re-entry.
Polycam's output is built for CAD and BIM software: mesh exports (OBJ, FBX, DAE, STL, USDZ) and point cloud exports (PLY, LAS, geo-referenced LAS, PTS, XYZ, DXF) are compatible with AutoCAD, Revit, Civil 3D, MicroStation, and CloudCompare, among others. It doesn't have native two-way sync with Procore or Autodesk Construction Cloud, unlike OpenSpace. Its integration path runs through the file itself, not a live platform connection.
Pricing
Use cases: where you'd pick each
Use Polycam when:
- You need a floor plan generated automatically from the same capture, not built separately.
- The deliverable has to open in AutoCAD, Revit, or another CAD/BIM tool.
- You're documenting existing conditions before a renovation or retrofit, where geometry matters more than a progress timeline.
- A single team member or small firm needs to capture a site without an enterprise software contract.
Pick OpenSpace when:
- You want frequent, low-effort progress documentation across a large, ongoing job without adding a task to the field team's day.
- Multiple stakeholders — owner, architect, subs — need to remotely walk the site without opening a 3D file or installing software.
- You want OpenSpace's dedicated Progress Tracking product layered on top of your visual record.
- Your existing stack is Procore or Autodesk Construction Cloud and you want two-way sync for RFIs and Observations.
- You're managing site risk and want a defensible, timestamped visual record in case of a dispute or claim.