diff --git a/src/aliceVision/depthMap/RefineRc.cpp b/src/aliceVision/depthMap/RefineRc.cpp
index e687f79b3a..2f100f45d8 100644
--- a/src/aliceVision/depthMap/RefineRc.cpp
+++ b/src/aliceVision/depthMap/RefineRc.cpp
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ bool RefineRc::refinerc(bool checkIfExists)
         ALICEVISION_LOG_DEBUG("Refine CUDA (rc: " << (_rc + 1) << " / " << _sp->mp->ncams << ")");
 
     // generate default depthSimMap if rc has no tcam
-    if(_refineTCams.size() == 0 || _depths == nullptr)
+    if(_refineTCams.size() == 0 || _depths.empty())
     {
         _depthSimMapOpt = new DepthSimMap(_rc, _sp->mp, 1, 1);
         return true;
diff --git a/src/aliceVision/depthMap/SemiGlobalMatchingParams.cpp b/src/aliceVision/depthMap/SemiGlobalMatchingParams.cpp
index d62b4ff07a..ade55a4a6f 100644
--- a/src/aliceVision/depthMap/SemiGlobalMatchingParams.cpp
+++ b/src/aliceVision/depthMap/SemiGlobalMatchingParams.cpp
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ std::string SemiGlobalMatchingParams::getSGM_depthsFileName(IndexT viewId)
 
 DepthSimMap* SemiGlobalMatchingParams::getDepthSimMapFromBestIdVal(int w, int h, StaticVector<IdValue>* volumeBestIdVal,
                                                            int scale, int step, int rc, int zborder,
-                                                           StaticVector<float>* planesDepths)
+                                                           const StaticVector<float>& planesDepths)
 {
     long tall = clock();
 
@@ -142,9 +142,9 @@ DepthSimMap* SemiGlobalMatchingParams::getDepthSimMapFromBestIdVal(int w, int h,
             Pixel pixScale1 = Pixel(pix.x * scale, pix.y * scale);
             float sim = (*volumeBestIdVal)[y * volDimX + x].value;
             int fpdepthId = (*volumeBestIdVal)[y * volDimX + x].id;
-            if((fpdepthId >= zborder) && (fpdepthId < planesDepths->size() - zborder))
+            if((fpdepthId >= zborder) && (fpdepthId < planesDepths.size() - zborder))
             {
-                float fpPlaneDepth = (*planesDepths)[fpdepthId];
+                float fpPlaneDepth = planesDepths[fpdepthId];
                 Point3d planen = (mp->iRArr[rc] * Point3d(0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f)).normalize();
                 Point3d planep = mp->CArr[rc] + planen * fpPlaneDepth;
                 Point3d v = (mp->iCamArr[rc] * Point2d((float)(pixScale1.x), (float)(pixScale1.y))).normalize();
diff --git a/src/aliceVision/depthMap/SemiGlobalMatchingParams.hpp b/src/aliceVision/depthMap/SemiGlobalMatchingParams.hpp
index bef96124f4..ad0d3791c3 100644
--- a/src/aliceVision/depthMap/SemiGlobalMatchingParams.hpp
+++ b/src/aliceVision/depthMap/SemiGlobalMatchingParams.hpp
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ class SemiGlobalMatchingParams
     ~SemiGlobalMatchingParams(void);
 
     DepthSimMap* getDepthSimMapFromBestIdVal(int w, int h, StaticVector<IdValue>* volumeBestIdVal, int scale,
-                                                int step, int rc, int zborder, StaticVector<float>* planesDepths);
+                                                int step, int rc, int zborder, const StaticVector<float>& planesDepths);
 
     std::string getREFINE_photo_depthMapFileName(IndexT viewId, int scale, int step);
     std::string getREFINE_photo_simMapFileName(IndexT viewId, int scale, int step);
diff --git a/src/aliceVision/depthMap/SemiGlobalMatchingRc.cpp b/src/aliceVision/depthMap/SemiGlobalMatchingRc.cpp
index 80075445af..6444bac177 100644
--- a/src/aliceVision/depthMap/SemiGlobalMatchingRc.cpp
+++ b/src/aliceVision/depthMap/SemiGlobalMatchingRc.cpp
@@ -48,20 +48,19 @@ SemiGlobalMatchingRc::SemiGlobalMatchingRc(int rc, int scale, int step, SemiGlob
 SemiGlobalMatchingRc::~SemiGlobalMatchingRc()
 {
     delete _volumeBestIdVal;
-    delete _depths;
 }
 
 bool SemiGlobalMatchingRc::selectBestDepthsRange(int nDepthsThr, StaticVector<float>* rcSeedsDistsAsc)
 {
-    if(_depths->size() <= nDepthsThr)
+    if(_depths.size() <= nDepthsThr)
         return true;
 
     StaticVector<int> votes;
-    votes.reserve(_depths->size() - nDepthsThr);
-    for(int i = 0; i < _depths->size() - nDepthsThr; i++)
+    votes.reserve(_depths.size() - nDepthsThr);
+    for(int i = 0; i < _depths.size() - nDepthsThr; i++)
     {
-        const float d1 = (*_depths)[i];
-        const float d2 = (*_depths)[i + nDepthsThr - 1];
+        const float d1 = _depths[i];
+        const float d2 = _depths[i + nDepthsThr - 1];
 
         int id1 = rcSeedsDistsAsc->indexOfNearestSorted(d1);
         int id2 = rcSeedsDistsAsc->indexOfNearestSorted(d2);
@@ -78,32 +77,31 @@ bool SemiGlobalMatchingRc::selectBestDepthsRange(int nDepthsThr, StaticVector<fl
             votes.push_back(0);
     }
 
-    StaticVector<float>* depthsNew;
-    depthsNew->reserve(nDepthsThr);
+    StaticVector<float> depthsNew;
+    depthsNew.reserve(nDepthsThr);
 
     const int id1 = votes.maxValId();
     const int id2 = id1 + nDepthsThr - 1;
 
     for(int i = id1; i <= id2; i++)
-        depthsNew->push_back((*_depths)[i]);
+        depthsNew.push_back(_depths[i]);
 
     std::swap(_depths, depthsNew);
-    delete depthsNew;
     return true;
 }
 
 bool SemiGlobalMatchingRc::selectBestDepthsRange(int nDepthsThr, StaticVector<StaticVector<float>*>* alldepths)
 {
-    if(_depths->size() <= nDepthsThr)
+    if(_depths.size() <= nDepthsThr)
         return true;
 
     StaticVector<float> votes;
-    votes.reserve(_depths->size() - nDepthsThr);
+    votes.reserve(_depths.size() - nDepthsThr);
 
-    for(int i = 0; i < _depths->size() - nDepthsThr; i++)
+    for(int i = 0; i < _depths.size() - nDepthsThr; i++)
     {
-        const float d1 = (*_depths)[i];
-        const float d2 = (*_depths)[i + nDepthsThr - 1];
+        const float d1 = _depths[i];
+        const float d2 = _depths[i + nDepthsThr - 1];
         float overlap = 0.0f;
 
         for(int c = 0; c < alldepths->size(); c++)
@@ -117,17 +115,16 @@ bool SemiGlobalMatchingRc::selectBestDepthsRange(int nDepthsThr, StaticVector<St
         votes.push_back(overlap);
     }
 
-    StaticVector<float>* depthsNew;
-    depthsNew->reserve(nDepthsThr);
+    StaticVector<float> depthsNew;
+    depthsNew.reserve(nDepthsThr);
 
     const int id1 = votes.maxValId();
     const int id2 = id1 + nDepthsThr - 1;
 
     for(int i = id1; i <= id2; i++)
-        depthsNew->push_back((*_depths)[i]);
+        depthsNew.push_back(_depths[i]);
 
     std::swap(_depths, depthsNew);
-    delete depthsNew;
     return true;
 }
 
@@ -172,14 +169,14 @@ void SemiGlobalMatchingRc::computeDepths(float minDepth, float maxDepth, StaticV
         }
     }
 
-    _depths = new StaticVector<float>();
-    _depths->reserve(maxNdetphs);
+    _depths.resize(0);
+    _depths.reserve(maxNdetphs);
 
     {
         float depth = minDepth;
         while(depth < maxDepth)
         {
-            _depths->push_back(depth);
+            _depths.push_back(depth);
             depth += getMinTcStepAtDepth(depth, minDepth, maxDepth, alldepths);
         }
     }
@@ -238,14 +235,14 @@ void SemiGlobalMatchingRc::computeDepthsTcamsLimits(StaticVector<StaticVector<fl
         const float d1 = (*(*alldepths)[c])[0];
         const float d2 = (*(*alldepths)[c])[(*alldepths)[c]->size() - 1];
 
-        int id1 = _depths->indexOfNearestSorted(d1);
-        int id2 = _depths->indexOfNearestSorted(d2);
+        int id1 = _depths.indexOfNearestSorted(d1);
+        int id2 = _depths.indexOfNearestSorted(d2);
 
         if(id1 == -1)
             id1 = 0;
 
         if(id2 == -1)
-            id2 = _depths->size() - 1;
+            id2 = _depths.size() - 1;
 
         // clamp to keep only the closest depths if we have too much inputs (> maxDepthsToSweep)
         id2 = std::min(id1 + _sp->maxDepthsToSweep - 1, id2);
@@ -286,9 +283,9 @@ void SemiGlobalMatchingRc::computeDepthsAndResetTCams()
         {
             std::string fn = _sp->mp->getDepthMapsFolder() + std::to_string(_sp->mp->getViewId(_rc)) + "depthsAll.txt";
             FILE* f = fopen(fn.c_str(), "w");
-            for(int j = 0; j < _depths->size(); j++)
+            for(int j = 0; j < _depths.size(); j++)
             {
-                float depth = (*_depths)[j];
+                float depth = _depths[j];
                 fprintf(f, "%f\n", depth);
             }
             fclose(f);
@@ -326,9 +323,9 @@ void SemiGlobalMatchingRc::computeDepthsAndResetTCams()
         {
             std::string fn = _sp->mp->getDepthMapsFolder() + std::to_string(_sp->mp->getViewId(_rc)) + "depthsAll.txt";
             FILE* f = fopen(fn.c_str(), "w");
-            for(int j = 0; j < _depths->size(); j++)
+            for(int j = 0; j < _depths.size(); j++)
             {
-                float depth = (*_depths)[j];
+                float depth = _depths[j];
                 fprintf(f, "%f\n", depth);
             }
             fclose(f);
@@ -358,9 +355,9 @@ void SemiGlobalMatchingRc::computeDepthsAndResetTCams()
     {
         std::string fn = _sp->mp->getDepthMapsFolder() + std::to_string(_sp->mp->getViewId(_rc)) + "depths.txt";
         FILE* f = fopen(fn.c_str(), "w");
-        for(int j = 0; j < _depths->size(); j++)
+        for(int j = 0; j < _depths.size(); j++)
         {
-            float depth = (*_depths)[j];
+            float depth = _depths[j];
             fprintf(f, "%f\n", depth);
         }
         fclose(f);
@@ -401,7 +398,7 @@ void SemiGlobalMatchingRc::computeDepthsAndResetTCams()
     }
 
     if(_sp->mp->verbose)
-        ALICEVISION_LOG_DEBUG("rc depths: " << _depths->size());
+        ALICEVISION_LOG_DEBUG("rc depths: " << _depths.size());
 
     deleteArrayOfArrays<float>(&alldepths);
 }
@@ -412,7 +409,7 @@ void SemiGlobalMatchingRc::getSubDepthsForTCam( int tcamid, std::vector<float>&
 
     for(int i = 0; i<_depthsTcamsLimits[tcamid].y; i++ )
     {
-        out[i] = (*_depths)[_depthsTcamsLimits[tcamid].x + i];
+        out[i] = _depths[_depthsTcamsLimits[tcamid].x + i];
     }
 }
 
@@ -436,7 +433,7 @@ bool SemiGlobalMatchingRc::sgmrc(bool checkIfExists)
 
     const int volDimX = _width;
     const int volDimY = _height;
-    const int volDimZ = _depths->size();
+    const int volDimZ = _depths.size();
     float volumeMBinGPUMem = 0.0f;
 
     StaticVector<unsigned char>* simVolume = nullptr;
@@ -483,8 +480,8 @@ bool SemiGlobalMatchingRc::sgmrc(bool checkIfExists)
 
     if(_sp->exportIntermediateResults)
     {
-      svol->exportVolumeStep(*_depths, _rc, _scale, _step, _sp->mp->getDepthMapsFolder() + std::to_string(_sp->mp->getViewId(_rc)) + "_vol_afterReduction.abc");
-      svol->export9PCSV(*_depths, _rc, _scale, _step, "afterReduction", _sp->mp->getDepthMapsFolder() + std::to_string(_sp->mp->getViewId(_rc)) + "_9p.csv");
+      svol->exportVolumeStep(_depths, _rc, _scale, _step, _sp->mp->getDepthMapsFolder() + std::to_string(_sp->mp->getViewId(_rc)) + "_vol_afterReduction.abc");
+      svol->export9PCSV(_depths, _rc, _scale, _step, "afterReduction", _sp->mp->getDepthMapsFolder() + std::to_string(_sp->mp->getViewId(_rc)) + "_9p.csv");
     }
 
     // filter on the 3D volume to weight voxels based on their neighborhood strongness.
@@ -496,8 +493,8 @@ bool SemiGlobalMatchingRc::sgmrc(bool checkIfExists)
 
     if(_sp->exportIntermediateResults)
     {
-      svol->exportVolumeStep(*_depths, _rc, _scale, _step, _sp->mp->getDepthMapsFolder() + std::to_string(_sp->mp->getViewId(_rc)) + "_vol_afterFiltering.abc");
-      svol->export9PCSV(*_depths, _rc, _scale, _step, "afterFiltering", _sp->mp->getDepthMapsFolder() + std::to_string(_sp->mp->getViewId(_rc)) + "_9p.csv");
+      svol->exportVolumeStep(_depths, _rc, _scale, _step, _sp->mp->getDepthMapsFolder() + std::to_string(_sp->mp->getViewId(_rc)) + "_vol_afterFiltering.abc");
+      svol->export9PCSV(_depths, _rc, _scale, _step, "afterFiltering", _sp->mp->getDepthMapsFolder() + std::to_string(_sp->mp->getViewId(_rc)) + "_9p.csv");
     }
 
     // for each pixel: choose the voxel with the minimal similarity value
diff --git a/src/aliceVision/depthMap/SemiGlobalMatchingRc.hpp b/src/aliceVision/depthMap/SemiGlobalMatchingRc.hpp
index 12226b6ff2..e1bf1d1578 100644
--- a/src/aliceVision/depthMap/SemiGlobalMatchingRc.hpp
+++ b/src/aliceVision/depthMap/SemiGlobalMatchingRc.hpp
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class SemiGlobalMatchingRc
     StaticVector<int> _sgmTCams;
     StaticVector<Pixel> _depthsTcamsLimits;
     StaticVector<IdValue>* _volumeBestIdVal = nullptr;
-    StaticVector<float>* _depths = nullptr;
+    StaticVector<float> _depths;
 
     SemiGlobalMatchingParams* _sp;