To form an image with a simple method by rotating a scanning means around an object in order to scan the contour and the shape of the object during scanning.

In a scanning process, a rotary arm part 110, that is, a vertical arm part 112 and a scanning device 116 thereon, rotates, while a platform 108 is fixed as it is, around an axial line L-L coincident with an axial line in the longitudinal direction of a shaft 106. In the respective scanning processes, the train of data samples is taken vertically along the reflection of a line and is stored as the range of its point from a reference face. Such data show the contour and the shape of an object. As the scanning device 116 is moved in relating to the object, a set repeating the data sample capable of mechanically reading out is formed and is inputted to a computer owing to be stored as a grid of the range value. Accordingly, the scanning device 116 can carry out the very fine scanning of the object such as hair/wrinkle of a human.