I was debating on whether to post this in the Refraktor thread, or make a new one, but since there's some new stuff with this set, I decided to go ahead and make this. Delete/merge if need be.

Packaging:

This is one of the nicest box sets I've ever seen. It's not large, but it's incredibly nice and detailed, with several pictures and the text printed on an iridescent backing.

The window on the front is also a nice touch, as it's a 3D bubble and not a flat piece of plastic.







Refraktor is packaged in camera mode, with the guns and Kremzeek tucked away to the sides, all in a plastic tray with a second tray on top.

Instructions:

Normally I don't find instruction manuals worthy of mentioning in a review. However, the instructions with this set bear mentioning. They're presented a a sort of guide on how to be a good Decepticon spy, with tips on how to achieve the best shots for propaganda, blackmail, and so on. I really appreciate the extra step they went with it.







Camera Mode:

If you managed to track down three of the retail release, you know what to expect here, but the extra pieces for the flash cube, the viewfinder, and the shutter/grip portion help it stand out and look a lot more realistic.




Robot Mode:

Again, if you got the retail release you know what to expect from the robot modes. But the colouring and extra accessories really help them stand out. Now you can tell which one is Viewfinder, Spectro and Spyglass without thinking about it too much.



The flashcube is a solid piece, but the other two new pieces are a little more involved, with the shutter/grip piece unfolding to be removed and plugged in, and the viewfinder splitting in two, and some interior pegs swinging out to plug into the shoulders of the bot.

Comparison Shot:



All in all, I think this is a fantastic little 3-pack. It's a bit on the pricey side at £69.99 in the UK, but I'm happy with what I paid for. The camera and bot modes are distinctly different from their retail counterparts, and they're a wonderful homage to the first Reflector toys.

Still not sure what Kremzeek is doing with them, though...  

 

Would you mind taking a pic of the camera mode with the red guy on the other side? I'm curious to see if the camera mode looks more balanced with the grip piece covering the grey legs instead of the black ones.

 

Sure thing. Also, bonus shot of the accessories on the retail release.

 

I dig that camera mode so much; it really bums be out that they didn't retool their heads.

Thanks for the pics and the great review!!!

I've read that Kremzeek attaches by way of the Siege nubbins. Would you mind showing how that works? Is there a peg-hole on his foot?

 

He does indeed. One in each foot, in fact. There's a nub on top which is where the instructions show him sitting.

 

Agreed on the packaging. It’s compact and gorgeous. I almost don’t want to take it out of the box. But I will.

 

I like how the extra pieces look on the retail version’s camera mode.

 

Ok so quick review because the post at the top did a wonderful job. For me, this pack is one of the highlights (if not the absolute highlight) of Siege so far. I adore the detail and coloring. In fact, they are probably my favorite Deceptions released to date. Absolutely superb.

This is what I decided to do. Honestly, I might have skipped on the retail figures if I knew the set was coming, but this seems like an excellent compromise.

 

Sucks you had to spend $130 to get this look though.

 

Is Kremzeek squishy or hard plastic?

 

He's rubbery, like Siege effect parts.

 

Got mine from Pulse. I love this set! Really glad I waited on this mold, as I favor the toy version of this character, for some reason. Even though I never had or saw it in person, I always dreamed of getting one.
And thank goodness they waited until Siege, where everything seems to fit together nicely and the tolerances are all spot on. I can imagine this toy being a floppy mess if made during another era. I really appreciate what we got here.
Mine had a few paint scratches out of the box, but all in all I'm very happy with this set. The packaging really is special.

 

No fancy pictures, but I LOVE the camera mode. Even my wife (who hates TFs) thought the camera mode was really cool.

My daughter was was like "What is that? Just use your phone."  

 

Can CW Devy hold Refraktor in camera mode?

 

If anyone is interested I am selling the red and blue Refraktor bots. I would like to get $30 each for them. Red bot comes with camera accessory, and blue bot comes with flash cub as well as regular release parts. Also have the box, instructions, etc. Basically I just wanted the middle bot with the top camera parts out of this set.

 

Shame they skimped on proper heads for these guys - I would have definitely double-dipped on this if they’d bothered. As it is, I’ll just get the inevitable 3p camera parts add-on...

 

This set is super satisfying. I did get one of the retail figures, but immediately realized that I needed to wait for this version.
I'm not sure if the retail version would be as fun if you just swapped the upgrade parts.

But this was one of my fave figures back in the day as I had some "rich" friends who had more and bigger and better transformers than I did, but I was the only one with Reflector.
And the fact that he's not cartoon accurate was frustrating back in the day, but now, it is a value add.

The figure isn't perfect, all the camera bits feel like they should offer a lot more combination opportunities than they do.
The guns don't combine which otherwise seems to be a line wide feature.
The lens can only really go in one or two spots, and the black advance mechanism and hand guard (on the red guy) is one hinge away from being able to become a sweet riot gear shield, but as is, is just kind of an awkward chunk of plastic.

Also the instruction manual looks and feels like an old Camera Manual. It's not the cheap photocopy crap of typical Hasbro releases.
It reads and looks like the type of booklet you'd get with a piece of high end electronics equipment from the late 80s and 90's. (Granted it's providing faux information on how to become a Decepticon Spy)
So much fun!

 

In complete honesty, I'd rather have the original colors with those accessories. It looks much more cohesive.

 

I got this set in the mail yesterday and honestly haven't had the heart to take them out of the package. The pics are looking good, everyone.