Like CSS said pretty cheap, however you will likely get no support and when it breaks dont expect to be able to find any parts for it.
Just like anything, they have come a long way and the new generation scanners are so much more user friendly. The software side is still/can be a killer though.
By the way, the best advice that I can give you is to learn the software (there are quite a few choices now depending on the application) and then rent the scanner. There are several companies around the US that rent them out per day, week, etc. If you need some sources feel free to email me.
The new Leica Scanstation 10 is unbelievable, however the unit alone is around $105,000 and to get the fully loaded software options will push you to around $150,000.
Unless you are going to use it every week or even month, I would suggest renting until you can build up a client base.
Which by the way is not just an easy market to get into. While it is new to most surveyors, there are firms out there that have been doing it since the beginning and have perfected the process.
