"When is a recast not a copy?"


A recast, IMHO, is an exact full fake, of an original piece. With in most cases an intent to deceive.

A copy is not exactly the same, still IMHO. This isn't advertised as an "OptiVisor", it's just identical. And it serves the same purposes as an original Optivisor. For a much better price.

I would never buy a recast figure, but I don't mind at all buying a tool that is identical to another one 100X more expensive...

If they can do it for such a much lower price in China... I wonder how much the original ones in the West profit from their sales... Too much, IMHO...

Remember, too much greed is one of many reasons the West is falling apart!



"by the way I don't blame you for buying it, just illustrating a point."


Cool! As I also don't blame anyone who can afford paying a whole lot of money for something that exists for a much lower price (and not intended to deceive...) . Isn't that btw one of the main principles of capitalism?...


Cheers!

Dolf

Good luck to your counterfeit purchase.
The lens are plastic or poor quality glass lens versus the original are high quality optical glass lenses. The counterfeit frame is not well made and can comes apart easily. I have used my original for over 30 years and is still like new.

I got mine from Quicktest. They offer an excellent service, and sell both plastic lens or the more expensive glass type. Glass lenses far superior, but plastic do work okay. Get what you pay for as they say.

"The lens are plastic or poor quality glass lens"

Sorry but you're wrong.

I've tested them and they are indeed good quality glass. Quite heavy too. Which plastic obviously isn't.

I also use medical glasses, so I know the differences between cheap plastic and optical quality glasses.


"The counterfeit frame is not well made and can comes apart easily."

That I can't comment now, the same day I got them. Will see in the future.


"I have used my original for over 30 years and is still like new."


Good to know. And happy for you that you can afford such expensive tool. I just can't so I have to live with what I can afford.

I don't expect to still be around in 30 years from now (man, I'd be very old if I did...), so if mine can last for some 10 years I'll be very happy with that.


Cheers!

Dolf

"Get what you pay for as they say."

Exactly!

Now there's a huge difference between what we in the West consider a fair/reasonable price, and what they do in China...



Cheers!

Dolf

It’s piracy..same as recast...given the policy of Planet Figure in regard to recasts might not have been the wisest thing to be posting Dolf..

Hmm, I'm a bit caught between a rock and a hard place on this one.
Here's my own Donegan Optovisor that I bought something like nine years ago - as you can likely see it's been through the wars, but still perfectly serviceable.


Thing is, I bought two replacement ground glass lenses for it a couple of years ago but the combined eye-watering price of postage from the States plus import duty came to more than the cost of the lenses themselves.
So what do I do next time I want new lenses? Do I stump up around US$120 again, or shall I get knock-off lenses from Taobao? (If I could even find them, that is).
Mind you, by the time I need new lenses again, the Optovisor itself will probably need replaced anyway. So shall I buy a Chinese knock-off Donegan? With all due respect, naah, I probably wouldn't. I'll most likely buy some other Chinese Optovisor that is cheap and appeals to me - but I've no idea about the range of genuine Optovisors that are now available Stateside - so how would I know if the replacement would be a knock-off or not? The short answer is - I wouldn't have a clue.

The point I'm trying to make is; it's all too easy to sit at a keyboard and sanctimoniously condemn a guy like Dolph, whom I don't believe for one minute would deliberately buy a recast figure - and neither would I - but that's what I see being implied here. How many hobbyists buy cheap-ish hand tools on-line? More than I few, I would venture; I know I do - so how do you know whether they're fake or genuine? Short answer is; you don't really, not unless they fall to bits the first time they're used.

Similarly, I've just bought a set of tabletop photography lights from some company based down in Guangzhou via Alibaba.com and they'll be delivered early next week.

How would I be able to tell whether they're fake copies or not? There's literally hundreds of sets like these on the market, possibly thousands for all I know.

Please don't get me wrong, I wouldn't even think about buying a recast figure, and all mine are sourced from reputable companies in the UK, or very occasionally direct from the manufacturers - but I would suggest there's a vast difference between Dolph buying a tool that enhances his hobby experience and ultimately that's what his cheapo Optovisor is, just like a cheap set of side cutters, or razor saws, or indeed a set of photography lights - and someone deliberately setting out to buy recast figures, which I'll point out again....is what's being implied here.

Reading through this thread is almost like being forced to watch the mob of pitchfork-wielding enraged villagers pillorying some guy just for the sake of virtue signalling.
I rest my case M'Lud.

Yeah, and it's probably child labour too but who cares, as long as they to it nicely and cheap LOL.
Man, some peope on this friendly forum that's intented to share our work on scale modelling seems to make it a habit to turn every topic into a SJW-war.... imho bitteress, lack of fatherly love, bullybosses and "teased-on-highschool" made them into 24/7 naggers which, in their behavior are far from original and no more than fake recasts of a funkilling movement.
A true pity so, for gods sake, let's enjoy the hobby while cheering " VERY, VERY NICE VISORDS! ENJOY THEM"!!!

Guys (Harry, Hans) ,

I obviously appreciate your support, and thank you for posting your views on this.

But, this is "old", it dates from February... And anyway, I really didn't give it then, and still don't give a damn about "their" critics... I'm too old for this kind of personnal attacks and playing this "pirate?" or "corsair?" kind of game...

One thing must be clear, as I stated before, I would never, in any circumstance buy a recast. If I can't afford this figure or that bust, no big deal, I can live with that. And still have a full box plenty of old kits and figures that would keep me busy for a long time.

Now, this tool I bought, is not IMHO even comparable to a recast, or piracy, or whatever others called it. That is my opinion, and that is what counts for me. What "they" think of it, I couldn't care less...
As I said before, at 63, I don't have the eagle eyes I used to have years ago. As I returned to this hobby about a year ago, after a 30-40 years break, I quickly realized that (as I also realize I have no longer the same firmness on my hands as before, but unfortunatelly there's not much I can do to fix that) . So I urgently needed magnifying glasses, if I wanted to keep assembling and painting and enjoying this hobby.

Would I be able to afford an original Donegan, I would have got one. Sadly, because of financial issues, I simply can't afford those (if only those fast accusers of "piracy" knew with how little I survive... they probably wouldn't have said a word about this...) . Hence I looked for other alternatives. A friend that is on AliExpress mentioned these ones, for a price that I could afford, not easily, but I could do it, by sacrificing other stuff. I don't remember the dealer saying that these were Donegan, or in any way trying to deceive the potential buyers. If I remember it right they were just announced as magnifying glasses, that's it. There are hundreds of them on AliExpress, Amazon, everywhere, made in China (what is not made in China these days, anyway...) . I picked these because of the affordable price, and of course the positive comments of previous buyers. I didn't choose these because they are the same color of the Donegan ones, I couldn't care less about their color...

What I know is that the lenses seem to be of good quality, not plastic as others suggested (I know, I do use two different medical glasses, so I can tell the difference), and there are four sizes on the lot! What else could I wish for? I'm happy with my purchase, I got a tool I needed for a price that I can afford, so everything is good.

I'm happy for those people who can afford a Donegan, I can't, so I live with what I can, that simple.

I love the Ferrari cars... and would love to drive one... But on my world, I drive an old Clio and as long as it works, I'm perfectly happy with it


Cheers!

Dolf

Hi All,
The best thing I did was to take some 54mm heads to the opticians when I got my eyes tested recently. Having sorted out all my other requirements (reading, distance and sun glasses) I told the optician I wanted to be able to sculpt and paint in this scale. The end result was amazing I could even see the eyelids on the 54mm heads as clear as day.

I find with a headband they are cumbersome and the focal point is generic. The prescription was tailor made for my eyes and no heavy, sweaty headband getting in the way. Just stick them on the end of my nose and away I go.

Now you may think the headband is a cheaper option, but with online suppliers such as Select Specs (which is the service I used and have used before) all did was submit my prescription on line and choose my frames. The end result was £25 plus postage for a custom set of glasses that has transformed my hobby in the last week.
cheers
Richie

Richie,

That's very interesting, Which optician prescribed the special glasses?
I don't imagine they all would.

Bill

Hi Bill,
It was Scriven's Opticians, but if you go into any opticians and tell them what you want and why, they should be able to sort you out. At the end of the day the offer a service and have a duty of care.
cheers
Richie
Take in some 54mm heads Bill like I did.