Still figuring out my Inspire. Takes a lot of learning to figure out what it can and can’t do. One thing I found pretty quickly is that on my many cow figurines/models/plush toys, the white scans fine, the black spots… not so much. Any tips to capture my bovine besties at their most beautiful?
Some materials are made from black synthetic materials that include oil in production , it absorb the infrared light that why sometimes it don’t capture it well , it is not much the color but the material itself .
For example some resin and waxes will not scan well as the materials absorb infrared light or scattering it .
It has nothing to do with INSPIRE but with the scanning technology that it uses .
What you can do ?
You can use some brush with some transparent makeup powder and slightly dust the dark hair area …it will temporary stop infrared light absorption , you can also try to scan all white areas first then pause , after that change the depth exposure to much higher and try to scan the dark areas.
Structure light scanners are not Photogrammetry based so they relay on a perfect surface and features of the scanned objects .
It’s not just synthetic materials - some of these figurines are made of glass and I’m still just getting holes wherever they have black spots. (And don’t worry, I know you can’t invent a scanner that breaks the laws of physics. Although if you do, let me know and I’ll be first in line)
I’ve heard the “baby powder” and “dry shampoo” suggestions (I think they’re in the manual), but never the transparent makeup one… unfortunately I’m not a fan of makeup so I wouldn’t have any around. I know there’s also 3D scan spray but I’d have no idea where to look for it (well, I had one idea, but there’s none on Amazon, at least not amazon.com.au).
I will try your suggestion for adjusting the exposure. If that doesn’t work then I might have to break out the baby powder and my air duster… and probably do the “after” step of that pairing outside.
Well it is better than baby powder and much safer to use since it is mineral transparent powder and much finer …you can find it everywhere also on Amazon .
Nothing really to do with make up , it is to cut on the shining oils that creates actually micro noises while scanning … unless you like to throw some baby powder on your face but the color scan will be bad 
It is just much better alternative that produces better results .
For the other issues you have use zinc oxide with rubbing alcohol and small brush to cover the areas that absorb the infrared light .
That are some 3D scanning rules that need to be avoid . Most important is capture of the volume for that reason it need to be proper prepared .
Regarding 3D spray it would be most useful for you
Just search on Google to see what they offers in your area …
And if you use baby powder and duster wear a mask pls and glasses …you don’t want to damage your lungs …better mix it with rubbing alcohol and use brush to paint your objects much safer this way.
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Totally feeling your pain here black surfaces are notoriously tricky with structured light scanners. I ran into the same wall trying to scan a glossy black dachshund figurine, and it kept coming out looking like it had holes chewed in it. Like others mentioned, it’s less about color and more about how those surfaces absorb or scatter light. That said, the black-and-white combo on cow figurines really does present a unique challenge.
A tip that worked for me: I used a super light coat of dry shampoo on the black areas (baby powder clumped too much for my liking). I also scanned under diffused lighting instead of direct, which helped reduce shadow artifacts. Pairing that with a higher exposure setting seemed to strike the right balance.
If you’re ever looking to expand your bovine collection and maybe test your Inspire’s range on different materials, I stumbled across some really charming hand-painted pieces over at https://camphollow.com/collections/tiny-collectibles. Some of their tiny animals cows included have more matte finishes, which might be easier to work with.
Good luck capturing your cow crew in all their glory! Looking forward to seeing how your scans evolve.
You know what I do in case of a “black and white cow ?”
I mix zinc oxide with 69-70% alcohol and use a small brush to paint over the black areas only , and if objects are delicate like electronics or can’t be handled with alcohol I use vanishing liquid 3D spray with a brush and do the same.