3D digitizing describes the variety of methods by which “digital copies” of physical objects can be made. These techniques can also be used in cultural heritage preservation and digitally archiving physical objects. Images play an important role in many ways in 3D digitizing processes, especially when the real visual appearance of the object should also be stored.This document describes the meanings and possibilities of image usage in 3D digitizing. It is based on studies made in “Viva3” project at Mikkeli University of Applied Sciences. The project was about testing and developing 3D digitizing processes for different kinds of cultural heritage subjects. Image based solutions and other usage of images in 3D processes were tested with several pilot cases.