PlaymoFriends
General => Report & Review => Topic started by: Ismene on September 24, 2012, 01:04:25
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Ras requested a review, so here goes.
This is a set I've wanted for a looong time, and it's been in a box for about as long, so we'll do this gently.
Before I crack it open, let's take some time to admire our beloved pink-purple box.
- Price tag is still attached. That's about what I paid... for the shipping. :lol:
- :lens: "Made in West Germany" That certainly dates it.
- Lovely side view, complete with a language lesson. I secretly enjoyed those as a kid. Kind of still do.
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Of course, the best side of all, the back! Sadly, I don't have most of the klickies posing for the camera.
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So you're going to open it? I assume that's what you're doing now - opening it and taking pictures. :lol:
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Of course!
But... we have a problem. There's no instructions, so I'm assembling by the picture. I put the lens in the camera before the accordion piece, but I didn't realize the shutter cord needed to be attached to the camera body before popping in the accordion piece, which is now doesn't want to come back out. Argh!
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You could try to stick something to it and try to pull it out that way. If it's really stuck in, you might try a pin or something if you're careful.
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One side has a snap in tab, and the other snaps onto the lens. After many tries, I finally was able to get the tab out with my nail and the piece pulled up with the other hand. I've jammed that side with a plastic needle, so it won't pop back in. Now trying to snap it off the lens. Geobra, these things need instructions! :wall:
ETA: SUCCESS! So after a bit of a search to find my hook and needle bag for a 2nd needle, I jammed the other needle under the other side, and together they lifted off the black piece. :yippee: We now have a fully assembled camera.
I have to go eat dinner. Will be back with pics!
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I'm glad you managed to get the camera assembled, and I look forward to the pictures! You could have taken detailed "this is what not to do" pictures and formed visual instructions for the archives. :lol:
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I was too frustrated to take photos of the mistake. But if anyone runs into the same issue, plastic needles are a lifesaver, er camera-saver!
Now, back to the review...
The glue on the box is yellowed and brittle, inside a sweet perfume-y scent, like burning polyester.
The contents consist of an old pamphlet and a packet of parts, but no instructions. :doh:
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The tripod is hard to snap together, and its yellow color is jarring against the brown and black of the camera itself.
The photographer's joints are very stiff, but I think they'll loosen up with exercise. Being encased for 20+ years is hard on the body.
The additional plates are a must for any serious photographer, and they all fit nicely in the case, which is good so they won't get lost. Interestingly, the printed case is not shown in the box art.
Overall, it's a wonderful set, though the assembly had me thinking some words that no proper Victorian lady should. I have a couple ideas for minor customs to go with this klicky, but I need to track down some discontinued parts first. In the meantime, I'm trying to convince him to go on a blind date with the laundry maid.
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Great review, Ismene! This really does look like a cool set. And your pictures are very well done; they show the parts very clearly and are very crisp-looking. Well done! :)
Overall, it's a wonderful set, though the assembly had me thinking some words that no proper Victorian lady should.
:lol: After all those years in that little box, perhaps he was a bit vengeful toward humans!
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Thanks! The photos were a bit of a challenge because it's dark out now, so I had to rely on the daylight bulb (I should really get a second one).
:lol: After all those years in that little box, perhaps he was a bit vengeful toward humans!
I think he is, but he's stretching his legs out and should be alright in a bit. He was apparently part of a collection of photography memorabilia and cameras belonging to a photographer.
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What a lovely review and set !!! I have two of these and i love them !!! :love: :love: :love: :love:
Thank you !!! ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Did you get them already assembled or did you have to put them together yourself?
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Did you get them already assembled or did you have to put them together yourself?
The first i bought many many years ago and opened it , i stil havew that lovely sticker somewehre too of the photographer ! The second one i bought without a box but complete in my recent victorian shopping spree :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
A lovely klikcy but then again most of these classico victorians are so bespoke and custom look they are simply superb !!! :love: :love: :love: :love:
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I hope your assembly of it went smoother than mine. :lol:
I like his hat. The pink bowtie, I'm not too sure about.
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Thank you for a very interesting review of a very nice set.
Strictly dpeaking, Playmobil should have had the lens a brass colour and the slides should have been wood coloured in Victorian/Edwardian days.
What you need now is a black cloth to go over the camera when the photographer is focussing the picture.
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What a great review of such a wonderful classic set, thank you :gent: now if only I could find a few dozen of them inexpensively
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That is such a lovely set the photographer looks very friendly (hope he's settling in ;))and the camera looks very nice and detailed as well :)
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Oh, what a lovely set!! Thanks for the pics, Ismene! :love:
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An excellent and humorous review! Thanks for the close-up pics. Interesting to see the bright yellow tripod, I hadn't really noticed it before. I usually think of sets of that era having much more realistic colors. But it's still a beautiful set!
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Strictly dpeaking, Playmobil should have had the lens a brass colour and the slides should have been wood coloured in Victorian/Edwardian days.
What you need now is a black cloth to go over the camera when the photographer is focussing the picture.
Brass for the lens would be nicer. They were already using that color in the house finials, so it wouldn't have been too hard to use it for this set. I wish the tripod was wood-colored or black or even brass. The yellow is too bright.
I have tons of fabric scraps. There's black in there somewhere. The hard part is finishing, attaching and draping it in such a way that it looks natural for the scale. I may need thinner fabric.
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Very nice review, Ismene! :gent:
I've always wanted this set, but haven't yet purchased one, as they seem to sell for around $50 USD MIB. This would be a great set for Playmobil to re-release as an Add-On with modified but realistic colors, such as the brass lens and brown tripod and slides.
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If you stalk Ebay for awhile, you should be able to get one at half that. I paid $20 plus shipping.
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If you stalk Ebay for awhile, you should be able to get one at half that. I paid $20 plus shipping.
Thanks, Ismene. I'll keep an eye out. :)