Toy on a Budget: Perfect Effect Scouting Force X (Reflector) KO

Presenting a Knock-Off (KO) version of Perfect Effect's Scouting Force X AKA Reflector.

I have to admit that I really, really loved Perfect Effect's take on Reflector - PE 11 SFX Scouting Force X. It's just that Decepticons like Reflector and his ilk are not really a core part of my collection. So while I've considered getting him, but there are other priorities.

But I really wanted him.

So I did a double take when while doing the groceries one day that I saw what looked exactly like a miscolored Reflector set staring back at me. I thought "Nah! No freakin way would someone do a knock-off of an unauthorized 3rd party Transformer." So I left it. But it kept nagging me so I went back and realized that I was wrong. Someone had created a knock-off of an unauthorized 3rd Party Transformer.

Happily labeled in English, I give you: "The Deformation Camera Fit!"

I know. That makes no sense.

And you have to buy all three of them to make the camera. Alone, Deformation Camera Fit robots turn into... blocks.

Speaking of cameras, I need a better one. Forgive the photography.


As mentioned, you have to buy all three individually - though the three are not individually named. They're all marked "Robot Power - Super Change" They only differ cosmetically - save for the one with the gaping round hole on his chest - but technically you can rip their arms and legs off and interchange them.

There is also nothing written behind the blister pack save instructions on how to combine them, transform them, and store their weapons.

Unfortunately, while going through these instructions you will quickly realize that the Perfect Effect Scouting Force X (Reflector) Knock-off is missing a lot of internal integral parts that will allow you to store most of the weapons, and even perform some of the more basic functions that the Perfect Effect Scouting Force X can do.

What's NOT to like about the Perfect Effect Scouting Force X (Reflector) KO

Well they're knock-offs so we'll start with what we don't like about them.  Let's start with the plastic. The "Deformation Camera Fit" trio are made from really cheap plastic that is quite brittle and is probably giving me lead poisoning as I speak.

They look even worse from behind as you can clearly see here:

It would also be great if they had a uniformed paint-scheme - but we should note that the G1 Reflector team also did not have a uniformed paint-scheme. Unfortunately, other than Viewfinder, their leader, there really isn't any way in this case of telling which one is Spyglass and which one is Spectro. When you combine the three to form what is actually a pretty decent camera, it looks horrible because of the varying colors:

What's wrong with Viewfinder?

The leader of the Reflector trio and sinister spymaster well known for blackmailing other Decepticons.

You should see the size of his... "viewfinder". Maybe that's why he's so confident, smug and self-assured.

The blister card indicates that Viewfinder comes with a pair of shoulder pauldrons (the parts that form the top of the camera) and a pair of sub-machine guns. As with all of the members of the Reflector trio, they all have daggers that can be attached to their backs.

What you see here is the extent of the articulation - despite the ball joints - and balance of the Perfect Effect Scouting Force X (Reflector) Knock-off figures.

He really looks horrible from behind.

Here's Viewfinder with his... massive "Viewfinder":



Now let's note that the "Viewfinder" should be mounted on top of the shield. Unfortunately "Deformation Camera Fit" did not see fit to provide the mounting portion for the cannon, so the cannon is just propped up on the shield.



Viewfinder can also carry the cannon by himself, but none of the joints are strong enough to really carry the heavy burden of being so "gifted". In this case, the cannon is actually counter-weighted against the wall.

What's wrong with Spyglass and Spectro?

Well one of them i supposed to have these missile-launcher like pauldrons formed from the flash of the camera - really cool, let's call him Spectro. Unfortunately, the Chinese did not provide a means to lock them into place. There's only on his shoulders because of mounting-tack.

Now it gets worse. Spectro is supposed to be armed with a huge shield and a sniper-rifle.

The shield does not have a mount for his hand either. There's no way that he can grasp it. So again with the mounting tack to keep the shield in place - which, by the way, is too heavy for him to practically wield anyway.

Also, note his right hand and you'll see the remains of the sniper-rifle stuck there which tells you how brittle the plastic is.

Which leaves us with Spyglass who has the coolest weapon of all: A mini-gun.

He's the coolest of the three in my opinion given the jet-like backpack which seems mandatory for anyone carrying a mini-gun, and the mini-gun itself.

The jet-pack is mounted on ball joints so it's quite poseable and you can imagine that it's either a jet-pack or a source of ammunition for the chain-gun.

Unfortunately the mini-gun? It's kick-ass heavy and he can barely pose with it.

But with a little cajoling, it can be done. At least he doesn't need any tack to help him pose or do what he has to do. End of the day, the weight issue is not so bad.






What's to like about the Perfect Effect Scouting Force X (Reflector) KO

Well the camera mode really is a nice solid thing to look at. It really looks solid despite the weird colors. Maybe I should break out the spray-paint and fix that.

And the price. Each Deformation Camera Fit figure set me back PhP 100 (Roughly US$ 2.27). Though personally I think I should just have paid PhP 50 for each.

And with a little creativity:

You have a nice chain-gun for Springer: