Motion Control System 2 (MCS2) is an automated photographic acquisition system designed to capture 360° images of archaeological artifacts or bas-reliefs, suitable for photogrammetry processing. MCS2 consists of a Cartesian motion system (X-Y-Z) with zenithal tilt (R) and a rotating platform (R2): the DSLR camera is mounted on the first, while the object to be photographed is placed on the second. The motion system is managed by a control unit that allows adjustment of the optimal shooting position and rotation of the object on the platform, fully synchronized with the DSLR shutter release.

The control unit is operated from a PC via the Motion Control software (compatible only with Nikon DSLR cameras—see https://sdk.nikonimaging.com/apply/ for further details), which enables setting of camera parameters and survey data (camera movements, number of shots, rotation of the turntable, etc.). During the acquisition phase, the system automatically associates each photograph with the geometric parameters of the shooting point (angles and positions), generating a file compatible with Agisoft Photoscan software.

In this way, Photoscan can receive a pre-alignment of the cameras, resulting in significant time savings in the processing phases and allowing a real-time low-resolution 3D reconstruction of the object (suitable for survey verification).