Abstract: A digitizer comprising electromechanical and optical components arranged to provide a precision metrology aid for sensing, displaying, recording, and ultimately "playing back" the coordinate values of selected features or locations of all or parts of two dimensional contours taken from drawings, pictures, and other two dimensional media. Data pertaining to a third dimension may also be entered into the digitizer. Precision is achieved from a combination of factors including the inherent rigidness of the structure, built-in mechanical force control, and the inclusion of apparatus for the elimination of input vantage point parallex.