I was wondering if anyone knows if the body for the helmet camera was scratch built or a found part? I am waiting on a resin cast and the lens is in the mail. Just curious.

Harry Harris is probably the best person to consult regarding this. As far as I can tell it was probably sourced pieces and some resin parts.

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The impossible takes a while longer and goes over budget too...

It has a Plastruct mercury lamp greeblie on it (same as the Motion Tracker, welder, Dropship Helmet, etc.), so it is modified in that respect at least, but I don't know if any other parts have been identified. The chances of finding a single existing piece that matches the curvature of the helmet seems highly unlikely to me, but that doesn't mean multiple identifiable objects weren't used in the construction.
When folks were combing through model kits to identify the Dropship Helmet components I'm sure they were looking for other prop and costume matches as well, but the helmet camera wasn't matched to anything.

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I feel like Harry may have mentioned one time it was primarily* a "bondo" style material, meaning sculpted. Maybe it wasn't harry that said that though...can't recall.

*(except of course the pantex lens and above mentioned plastruct bit)

It was me but I was talking about what the cameras were cast in. I've never seen the original master, which is very likely lost forever now. I think the master for the camera was scratch built though, possibly out of some existing parts but I don't know what they would be.

Harry

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I find as we move forward it is ever more vital that we reach out as much as we can to figure out and settle this stuff. Once key players pass on we need to make sure their knowledge and legacy can continue to live on and be known for all to learn if they want to.

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The impossible takes a while longer and goes over budget too...

For the one(s) currently out there being used, I have not seen the casting coming in the mail soon from Steve, but I wonder just how accurate it is? Any reference pics?

Steve like Stephen210? His are excellent. I have had them from Chef, Steve, and Spat. Of the 2 I have seen from Steve, they both had a minor blemish of excess material in the corner near the top knob, but it is easily cut out/cleaned up. Everything else is VERY crisp and accurate. I actually swapped the camera from my latest metal build in order to pop a Steve camera body on it.

Yes he is the one. I have his dropship casts also. He is pretty awesome.

From this photo, posted in the other thread...
Are we seeing a camera made from a block of wood, real Phillips head screws in the body, and the addition of many small pieces of Balsa wood to finish it off?

I would very much doubt it. I think it’s much more likely that you’re looking at a very clean casting from the original moulds. There weren’t many helmets, and therefore cameras, made so the quality would be really good and the detail would be reproduced very accurately.

Harry

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Thanks.
The color and shape of the chip marks looked a lot like wood.
The detail of all the individual seams are nice enough to see separate pieces.
Super clean cast. Had me second guessing.

See the 4 holes around the plastruct knob? the top one has a domed bubble inside it. I think that indicates its resin. drilling wouldnt do that,
and I think if it was a paint bubble it would have popped. just an idea.

Another thing: could the front of the master helmet camera be made from the the internals of a real camera where the lense screws in? it would explain the lense choice and the ease of fitting all those real lenses into resin pieces with none of them being fudged up or crooked.