A new coding method based on color Gray-code is proposed for measuring the three-dimensional (3D) shape of the isolated objects in space. This coded fringe appears to be a color coded sinusoidal fringe, which is used to record the information of object′s 3D shape. Firstly, a digital color coded sinusoidal fringe is projected onto the tested object′s surface to modulate the height information of the measured object into its phase distribution, then the color Gray coding is used to obtain the fringe order and the sinusoidal fringe is used to get the wrapped phase. With only one image, 3D shape of the isolated objects can be exactly reconstructed. An actual measurement is done, the results of the reconstructed shapes prove its correctness and feasibility.