1. An apparatus configured to generate a digital image configured to facilitate measuring at least one physical dimension in the digital image, the apparatus comprising: at least one light source configured to project a plurality of substantially parallel light beams onto at least one physical object spaced away from the at least one light source, the light beams forming a reference pattern on the at least one physical object, the reference pattern comprising at least one feature defining a physical dimension having a predetermined magnitude; and a digital camera configured to store a digital image of at least a portion of the at least one physical object and the at least one feature, the digital image comprising an image data file comprising a plurality of pixels and metadata, at least a portion of the metadata indicative of a conversion factor relating the predetermined magnitude of the physical dimension with a pixel distance corresponding to the predetermined magnitude of the physical dimension, wherein the digital camera is configured to consecutively acquire two digital images and to store the two consecutive digital images, the two consecutive digital images comprising the digital image of the at least the portion of the at least one physical object and the at least one feature and a second digital image of the at least the portion of the at least one physical object without the at least one feature, and wherein the digital camera is configured to derive the conversion factor only from the digital image and to include the conversion factor in the metadata of the second digital image.