This is it, the long awaited side by side comparison shots. I'll be completely honest here and state that would prefer a straight up comparison of my Tennant season 3-4 sonic with the MFX but I have been bugged stupid by some of you that I thought I'll compare my Season 1-2 version with it just to give you an idea as to what an utterly different beast it is to the MFX and also to lend the lie to Gorton's laughable claim that I have copied his (which I completely shotgunned anyway, after posting a video of mine in action 24hours before the first MFX's shipped).
Anyway, here are the contenders...
In the blue corner, we have the MFX. Ludicrously inaccurate, mis-sold, expensive and reliability issues. No sound and shit packaging to boot. Claimed to be a faithful replica of the filming but is anything but. However, it is officially licensed by the BBC so you get a nice colour printed cardboard tag and hologram sticker :-)
In the red corner, we have me and my sonic. Arrogant, abrasive and with a healthy dose of madness with an eye for detail. My sonic has been cooking for three years and is a true 1:1 replica of the Season 1-2 prop (in truth it is bang on to Season 2). Cheaper, better machined, sound and light and with a nice presentation box. This has been better engineered and made using superior equipment and materials but is unlicensed.
The intro's over, LET'S GET READY TO RUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUMBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let's start with some straight forward comparison shots:
As you can see, the differences pointed out in my previous blog become readily apparent. The end bulb, finish and lens cap immediately stand out. The MFX just looks 'wrong'.
Let's take a close-up comparison of the head:
The finish is completely wrong on the MFX and the proportions and dimensions are all over the place. The head should look elegant and slender yet on the MFX there is a squatness and cylindrical look. Compare with my head which looks more balanced, more slender due to the correct window placement and thicker struts. Overall detail in the MFX is incredibly low with dull edges and lack of definition especially in the struts which need to stand proud of the main body in order to avoid the flat cylindrical shape the MFX exhibits.
The lens cap is also the wrong shape and colour. The prop possessed a shiny gloss cap of dark blue yet the MFX has a dull matt finish and the incorrect colour. The shape is also wrong in that it is a partial hemisphere. The prop possessed a straight cylindrical side topped with a hemisphere as does mine. It also varied in height depending on who assembled the prop so therefore the lens cap sometimes sits quite high up in the emitter head showing more of the straight sides and sometimes low. I have adopted a mid position often seen during Season 2 as seen here:
Following on from this, take a look at this shot:
The MFX lens aperture and lens cap are too wide. The difference in strut profile is also painfully apparent.
The final comparison is with the end caps:
The MFX endcap is substantially incorrect. It looks too boxy and squat. The original props had some degree of variance in their dimensions but the overall shape still fell within certain parameters of a millimeter or so. All exhibited a noticeable and distinctive taper. The MFX endcap is just plain wrong bears little to no resemblance to any filming prop.
Compare to the original filming prop MFX claimed to have copied:
And the 2005 Season 1 prop:
Here's what the MFX endcap should remind you of:
Yes, your eyes deceive you not, it does look very similar to a CO toy endcap!
So there you have it. Knockout I think.
Last Friday evening I had the rare honour to handle and inspect, very closely, one of CT's Sonic Screwdrivers.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to point out at this juncture that I have been a Dr Who fan since the age of 5 and that was way back in 1968 when one of my favourite toys was a Dalek money box. I don’t remember much of Patrick Troughton but in later years I hung on every word uttered by Jon Pertwee and subsequent Drs. Anyway I digress, onto the matter in hand.
I have read quite a fair amount of the online criticism and praise for CT, and I will admit that I’m not so much of a “merchandise monster” nor am I a “cos-player” and I’m a girl, but I do know fucking good craftsmanship when I see it, and I saw it last Friday when I was handed CT’s Sonic. For something that is regarded as a “toy” in some circles or merely an accessory by others, this is a piece of true engineering genius worthy of the hard work and dedication CT has obviously put into this.
It comes apart with ease, the screw threads are finished as precisely as the outer, visible parts. The head is astonishingly precise and well tooled. The colours, finish and machining are amazing. Everything has attention to detail and quality stamped all over it. Moreover it has “weight” and “solidity” to it. It feels as though it should really work to open doors, reset bombs, program computers, cut chains etc.
CT said that he is a “stubborn bastard” who is “arrogant, abrasive with a healthy dose of madness and an eye for detail” and that he is just as harsh about his own work being accurate and it shows. There’s nothing wrong with raising the bar to its highest level, striving to achieve it or even to excel it in some cases. However, there is neither glory nor achievement in doing a half baked, half–arsed job and being satisfied with that. Set your goals high and you’ll always have something to aim for. Well done CT and carry on with your next projects. Not that you need my, or anyone else’s, permission of course because China will eventually take over the manufacturing world anyway !!!
...You know what...i just realized what the MFX sonic is like. It's like a guy they make up to look like the real actor, but he isn't quite right. Like a bad caricature. I mean, sure, it looks like a sonic screwdriver. You can point at it and see the blue lens, the thing slides and lights up....but it's juuuuust not quite right.
ReplyDeleteFunny thing is the CO toy end cap is more accurate to me than the one ON the MFX version. I'll give them one thing though, their crackle paint finish does look nice. Just as nice as yours actually CT. Man though those proportions and that head cage...For the price the level of inaccuracies that the MFX sonic has is just not worth it to me. I actually think with this level of inaccuracies I would have preferred that spring loaded number they were taking about at that SDCC show. If you're not going to actually make it a perfect copy of the filing prop then why NOT make the fantasy version that the production designers had come up with. I would have paid $400 or so for THAT version.