G1 Reflector

Robot Mode: Reflector actually consists of three different robots, each of them with their own name. The G1 cartoon was never quite certain on whether they had distinct personalities or where just one guy with three bodies. Most of the time the three spoke in one voice, but in one episode one of the three got sent to Cybertron alone and still managed to function. Anyway, let's take a look at the three. Worth mentioning: In the cartoon all three Reflector robots looked identical except that one of them had the camera lens on his chest. They were green and grey. None of the three toy robots look like that, though Viewfinder comes somewhat close.

Alphabetically the first is Spectro, the red one. He's surprisingly posable for a G1 robot, though most of that posability is due to his transformation requirements. He can bend his legs at hips and knees and swivel his shoulders. Not bad. He also carries a big black gun and looks pretty cool with very little clue as to what he transforms into (big surprise, as he basically transforms into a square). Anyway, a nice robot is Spectro.

Spyglass is next, the bright blue one. He has a nicer chest than Spectro, but is less posable. Or rather, he's actually even more posable, but because he transforms the other way around than Spectro, his knee joints go the wrong way. But he can turn his head as compensation, something Spectro can't. He, too, comes with a big gun and he can use the flashbulb of the camera mode as a missile launcher, too.

Finally there is Viewfinder, the dark blue guy with the lens on his chest. He's also very posable for a G1 toy with knee joints and all. His shoulder movement is a bit limited because of the grey shoulderpieces, but apart from that there is nothing worth complaining here. Just like the other two he carries a big black rifle and of all three he is the only one who offers a clue as to what he transforms into (even though he, too, basically just folds into a square).

All in all, three very nice robots, superbly posable when compared to other G1 figures, and desperately needed reinforcements for the season 1 Decepticons. Nicely done.

Alternate Mode: The three Reflector robots combine to form a camera. Viewfinder forms the center with the camera lens, a big zoom lens added for good measure. Spectro goes on the left side (as seen from the front), his head serving as the trigger. Spyglass goes on the right side and a big flashbulb goes on top. Both the zoom lens and the flashbulb can double as weapons. The flashbulb is a missile launcher, while Viewfinder's big rifle can be mounted in the zoom lens.

Overall the camera looks pretty good and as long as you're looking at it from the front, there is very little clue that it's actually a robot. The lens is functional, by the way. You can look through and you even get a bit of amplification. Nowhere close to a real camera, of course, but nice. Looking at the camera from the back betrays the robots, of course, as you can see Spectro's face, but all in all it's a very nice alternate mode. Just don't debate the common sense behind three robots having to combine to form a single camera.

Remarks: Despite appearing in quite a few season 1 episodes of the G1 cartoon the toy version of Reflector didn't see the light of day until 1986 and then only in form of a mail-away toy. Meaning that fans had to cut out the robot points found on the back of each Transformers package and mail them to Hasbro in order to receive a Reflector toy in return. As a result there aren't all that many Reflectors out there (unless you count the huge number of knock-offs). Reflector didn't pay that big a role in the cartoon series, but he (or they, rather) helped fill out the ranks of the Decepticons, who were ridiculously outnumbered by the Autobots in the beginning of the series.

I got this Reflector here as a Christmas gift from my beloved wife and I'm very much certain that it's the real deal, not one of the many knock-offs. The three robots are pretty well-made considering their age and have held up well. And while their camera mode is a bit dated (especially the flash-light), it still looks pretty good. So if you can get a (real) Reflector for a decent price, my recommendation is to snatch it as fast as you can.

Rating: A-