Buying Guide

PortalCam

A spatial capture camera that turns real spaces into navigable, photorealistic 3D environments. Walk through a building, then send anyone a link to walk through it themselves.

Mobile SLAM 3DGS Capture 96-Channel LiDAR Full Spherical Camera Coverage Free LCC Studio Basic Tier 2 cm Relative Accuracy

Overview

What the PortalCam Is Built For

The PortalCam is a visualization-driven mobile capture system. Its 96-channel LiDAR and four-camera array build a textured, photorealistic 3D model of everything around it as you walk through a space. The output is a 3D Gaussian Splat (3DGS) model that anyone can navigate in a browser without specialized software.

That output type changes how you communicate about physical spaces. A client who has never opened a CAD program can walk through a building before it exists, after it is built, or as it changes. The relevant tradeoff is that the PortalCam is built for visual fidelity, not for measurement. It does not produce point clouds in any configuration. If your work requires measured deliverables for BIM or survey, the K2 or L2 Pro is the right tool, and either can be paired with LCC Studio to produce visual walkthroughs from the same scan data.

Where It Performs Best

Building interiors, mixed interior environments with shaded outdoor transitions, and projects where the deliverable is a visual walkthrough rather than measured data. Real estate interior tours, architectural design context, construction interior progress documentation, facilities walkthroughs, and any project where stakeholders need to understand a space without being on site.

Outdoors, the PortalCam performs well in shaded areas, on overcast days, and during early morning or late afternoon when sun position is predictable. The device is rated for operation in indirect sunlight only. See Field Use Notes below for working approaches.

The PortalCam works exclusively with LCC Studio, and the software has no entry cost. The Basic tier is free with account registration and covers a complete single-session workflow from reconstruction through web publishing. Premium is an annual subscription that adds multi-segment and drone capabilities, and the PortalCam Premium package includes one year of it. Renewal applies to Premium only.

Accuracy

Understanding PortalCam Accuracy

PortalCam accuracy is described two ways. Both describe internal geometry, since the PortalCam does not output absolute georeferenced coordinates.

Relative Accuracy: Internal Geometry

How precisely the scan represents the actual dimensions of the captured space. This is what matters for spatial scale, navigability, and visual proportion in the resulting 3D environment.

2 cm

RMSE

Internal geometry within the captured scene

Repeat Accuracy: Session-to-Session Consistency

If you scan the same space on different days, the datasets will align within this tolerance. Useful for change documentation and visual progress comparison in interior environments.

5 cm

RMSE

Consistency across separate sessions at the same site

The PortalCam does not output absolute coordinates. Control points are used to connect scan segments during Map Fusion, not to place the model in a survey coordinate system. The output is a visual model intended for spatial understanding and presentation, not engineering measurement. For projects requiring dimensional accuracy, BIM source data, or coordinate-system registration, the K2 (indoor and short-range outdoor) or L2 Pro (indoor and outdoor) is the appropriate tool.

Specifications

LiDAR, Camera Array, and Field Performance

LiDAR

Specification

Value and context

Channels

96Higher channel count produces denser point geometry that feeds richer Gaussian Splat reconstructions

Working range

0.1 m to 30 m at 10% reflectivity; up to 60 m at 90% reflectivityOptimized for close-range, high-fidelity capture of interior environments

Field of view

180° azimuth × 180° elevationHemispheric LiDAR coverage. The camera array captures a full sphere; SLAM assembles complete scene geometry as you walk.

Scan rate

856,000 pts/sDense point capture for detailed reconstruction of small to medium spaces

Laser class

Class 1, 940 nm, eye-safeSafe for use around people without protective equipment

Camera Array

Specification

Value and context

Total cameras

4 (2 fisheye, 2 front)Combined fisheye coverage exceeds a full sphere; the front pair handles forward and close-range detail

Fisheye cameras

2 × 12 MP, 200° × 200° FOV eachOverlapping coverage for walkthrough fidelity in every direction

Front cameras

2 × 12 MP, 100° × 85° FOV eachBoth front cameras share the same published specification

Image capture

4000 × 3000 px, 1/2" CMOS, rolling shutterApplies to all four cameras

Field Readiness

Specification

Value and context

Weight

1.9 lbs (870 g) without tripodLighter than the L2 Pro and the K2; manageable for full-day handheld sessions

Dimensions

5.1 × 3.5 × 3.0 in (130 × 90 × 77 mm)

Protection

Not ratedXGRIDS publishes no IP rating for this device. Treat it as unrated: keep it out of rain, high humidity, and dust. The L2 Pro and K2 are both rated IP54.

Storage

512 GB internal eMMCStores approximately 6 to 8 hours of raw scan data. No external drives required in the field.

Maximum single capture

60 minutesA firmware limit on one recording, independent of battery state. It shares its number with battery runtime for an unrelated reason. XGRIDS separately advises against captures over 30 minutes in any mode, because longer captures tend to produce drift and layering artifacts.

Battery endurance

Approximately 60 minutes per batteryProjects spanning multiple batteries use Map Fusion: up to 10 segments and 200 minutes combined. LCC Studio sets no per-segment time limit; plan segments against the 30-minute guidance and your workstation memory instead. Map Fusion requires the Premium license.

Wireless range

66 ft (20 m) to the appWiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax and Bluetooth 5.2. Plan route breaks around this distance on large floorplates.

Operating temperature

-4°F to +113°F (-20°C to +45°C), indirect sunlight onlyCold weather reduces battery runtime by approximately 20% below 41°F (5°C). Do not leave the device in direct sun between scans.

Included and optional

Backpack with protective insert includedExtension pole (2 m / 6.6 ft) and external SSD are available as options

Included Software

LCC Scan and LCC Studio

The PortalCam uses LCC Scan as its mobile field app and LCC Studio as the desktop processing software. LCC Scan controls scanning, manages connection, marks control points, and provides real-time preview on iOS and Android. LCC Studio runs on Windows and processes raw scan data into 3D Gaussian Splat models for visualization, editing, and web sharing.

LCC Studio ships in two tiers from a single installer. Basic is free and needs only a registered XGRIDS account. Premium is an annual subscription, included for one year with the PortalCam Premium package and renewed annually after that. The two tiers share the same viewer, editor, publishing, and cloud tools. Premium adds five processing capabilities and three export formats.

License Tier

What it includes

BasicFree with account registration

Single Model reconstruction, the full viewer (first-person, Avatar, Collision, Portal), clip, crop and annotate, asset overlay for .fbx, .glb and .obj, one-click web publishing with cloud access management, camera path recording and flythrough video export, and export to LCC and LCC2. A complete single-session workflow at no cost.

PremiumIncluded for one year with the PortalCam Premium package; also sold as a standalone annual subscription

Everything in Basic, plus Map Fusion for combining multiple scan segments, Aerial-Ground Map Fusion for merging drone imagery with ground scans, Aerial Reconstruction, HD Enhancement for supplementary photo detail, Spatial Recognition for floor plan extraction, and export to PLY, USD, and 3D Tiles.

There is no dataset size limit tied to the license tier. Basic is not capped at a smaller scan or a simpler project. Premium is required for two reasons only: when a capture spans multiple battery sessions, because Map Fusion is the only way to combine segments into one model, and when the deliverable has to leave the XGRIDS ecosystem as a PLY, USD, or 3D Tiles file. A single-session capture delivered as a web link or an LCC2 file needs no subscription at all.

Field Use

Field Use Notes

Three normal considerations for getting the best results from the PortalCam in the field. None are unique to this device. Each comes with a working approach.

Consideration

How to manage it

Sun positionDirect sunlight in the camera frame produces lens flare. Affects all panoramic-camera scanners including the L2 Pro and K2.

Position yourself so the sun stays behind or to the side during outdoor segments. Plan routes that keep the front cameras away from the sun. Overcast days produce the cleanest outdoor results. On sunny days, schedule outdoor work for early morning or late afternoon when sun angle is low and predictable.

Lighting transitionsCamera sensors take a moment to adjust between bright and dim environments

Slow to 1.0 ft/s (0.3 m/s) through doorways between substantially different lighting environments, and pause 2 to 3 seconds at the frame itself. That is the published doorway speed; 1.6 ft/s (0.5 m/s) is the PortalCam ceiling anywhere, not a doorway figure. Turn the device sideways through the threshold so cameras capture both sides simultaneously, and turn on interior lights in destination spaces before scanning into them.

Weather exposureXGRIDS publishes no IP rating for the PortalCam

Use the PortalCam in interior environments and in covered or dry outdoor conditions. Treat the device as unrated: keep it out of rain, fog, and dust-laden environments. Standard reality capture practice already excludes scanning in rain because raindrops cause LiDAR refraction and scan artifacts.

Full field technique guidance for the PortalCam is in the PortalCam Field Guide within the XGRIDS Pro Guide. Includes route planning, control point procedure, lighting handling, and connection troubleshooting.

Packages

Package Options

Both packages include the PortalCam camera, the same accessories, and a one-year warranty. Because the Basic software tier is free to any registered account, the LCC Studio Premium subscription is the difference between them, and Map Fusion is what that subscription buys.

PortalCam Basic

Single-session capture on the free software tier

The complete starting system for straightforward visual capture workflows that fit within a single scan session.

PortalCam camera
2 batteries
Charger
Tripod
Protective cover
Backpack with protective insert
LCC Studio Basic, free with account registration
1-year warranty

Best for: Single-property real estate, interior documentation, and capture sessions that fit within a single recording.

PortalCam Premium Popular

Multi-segment capture with Premium LCC Studio

Everything in PortalCam Basic plus a one-year LCC Studio Premium subscription. Unlocks Map Fusion for projects that exceed a single battery session, Aerial-Ground Map Fusion, Aerial Reconstruction, HD Enhancement, Spatial Recognition, and export to PLY, USD, and 3D Tiles.

Everything in PortalCam Basic
1-year subscription to LCC Studio Premium

Best for: Multi-floor buildings, large commercial properties, floor plan deliverables, and any workflow that needs Map Fusion or an open export format.

If your projects regularly exceed a single battery session, or if clients need a floor plan or a file in an open format, the Premium package is the right choice from day one. If every job is one continuous scan delivered as a shared link, the Basic package plus the free software tier covers it, and you can add a Premium subscription later if the work changes.

Choosing Your Tool

PortalCam, K2, or L2 Pro

The three XGRIDS scanners serve different deliverable types. Match the tool to the output your project requires.

PortalCam

Choose when the deliverable is a visual walkthrough rather than measured data. Best for interior environments and shaded outdoor work. Output is photorealistic 3D Gaussian Splat models for browser-based exploration.

Software: LCC Studio only. No point cloud output.

Lixel K2

Choose when you need point cloud output and your work is primarily indoor with short-range outdoor (131 ft / 40 m at 10% reflectivity; 328 ft / 100 m maximum). Same dual-software pipeline as the L2 Pro, lighter and more compact at approximately 2.65 lbs (1.2 kg). Built-in RTK for georeferenced output with no external module required. Real-time colorized point cloud during capture.

K2 Buying Guide →

Lixel L2 Pro

Choose for full outdoor capability, large-scale projects, mixed indoor and outdoor sites, or any work requiring measured point clouds with georeferenced accuracy. Range up to 984 ft (300 m) on the 32/300 model. Supports RTK and ground control workflows.

L2 Pro Buying Guide →

The K2 and L2 Pro can both feed LCC Studio as well as LixelStudio. If your work requires both measurement-grade point clouds and visual walkthroughs from the same site visit, either device produces both outputs from one capture session.

Processing Computer

What Your Processing Workstation Needs

The PortalCam captures data in the field. LCC Studio processes that data on your computer. LCC Studio runs on Windows only and requires an NVIDIA GPU with CUDA support. AMD graphics cards are not supported.

Component

Requirement

Windows 10 or Windows 11

GPU

NVIDIA RTX 3060 (12 GB) minimum. RTX 20 series or above, CUDA 11.6 or above, driver version 580 or above.RTX 3090 recommended for Map Fusion projects. RTX 4090 for optimal production throughput on Premium-tier workloads. HD Enhancement and Spatial Recognition both require more than 8 GB of VRAM to run at all. Multi-GPU parallel processing is not supported and the software selects a single card automatically, so a second GPU adds nothing to processing.

RAM

64 GB minimum128 GB for Map Fusion projects with total scan duration at or above 150 minutes. Memory, not the license tier, is what limits the size of job a workstation can process.

Storage

1 TB SSD recommendedSave projects to a dedicated SSD separate from the OS drive. Budget approximately 60 to 80 GB of storage per hour of PortalCam scan data. Process from a local internal disk: external drives, USB flash drives and network paths are a documented cause of post-processing crashes.

Full LCC Studio specifications, the complete Basic versus Premium feature comparison, processing time estimates, and laptop guidance are in the LCC Studio Buying Guide.