TLJ Helmet Comparison

[camprandall]

Yo! So I decided to do some side-by-side comparisons of the new TLJ helmet with the offerings of Jimmi, BSP and Phoenix Props.  I've ordered the latter two and have only the BSP on hand so this comparison is mostly based on the limited photos below. The resources are also limited so I'll try to stay away from very subjective stuff, but there are definitely differences. Note that this is also very much just my observation here. I appreciate the heck out of these makers, which is why I buy their stuff, but I don't think we're quite there yet. This review will be much more thorough when I receive both helmets and can see more close ups of Jimmi's, but that will take time and I don't anticipate receiving a screen-used TLJ helmet in person anytime soon.

 

From left to right: TLJ, Jimmi, Phoenix Props, BSP

 

FROWN

The TLJ frown is much more angular with straighter lines than before. BSP's is too rounded above and below the frown but Phoenix Props is closer. Jimmi's appears to be the most accurate in this regard. Also, BSP doesn't have the mesh between the teeth as the TLJ helmet does, but Phoenix Props does. I'm not sure on Jimmi's helmet because none of the photos are good enough to tell. Maybe someone can chime in here.

 

Following the frown around to the sides, the TLJ helmet again is much closer to straight edged than curved as you follow the frown around. The BSP is a bit straighter but has too big of a gap and the Jimmi and Phoenix Prop versions are too wide and far too tapered as it gets significantly wider as you approach the "ears".

 

NOSE

The top of the nose bridge on BSP and Jimmi's looks a little closer in the angles to TLJ than Phoenix Props, which has a more significant peak. A bit of this may be exaggerated by the angle.

 

CHIN

I think the Phoenix Props and Jimmi chins are a little closer in sharpness to the TLJ chin, especially underneath, whereas BSPs is a little soft. All three makers have a "lower lip" (under the frown) that's too rounded though. It should be sharper and not curve at the top so dramatically.

 

DOME

The BSP and Jimmi dome shapes look pretty close (hard to tell) but the Phoenix Props dome seems more flattened, making it look shorter than the TLJ. This could be angles, but I think it's the proportions. 

 

JAW

This one might change dramatically with different angles, but my "gut feel" looking at these is that Jimmi's and Phx's jaw is too wide/chunky and BSP's jaw is too rounded. Hard to tell, but the TLJ helmet looks straighter and more streamlined.

 

CONCLUSION

 

Jimmi

Despite talking about angles and curves, if you look back and forth between Jimmi's helmet and the Executioner reference in the far upper left, his really "feels" close so perhaps if the sides of the jaw were just streamlined and the black sides of the frown were narrower and less tapered you might get pretty close.

 

BSP

BSPs feels like it's probably the closest from the top of the dome to below the eyes, but is the least accurate going down from there. Too much rounding in a lot of places. What's strange about it is that I have the BSP helmet in hand and it feels a little better than this one particular angle, but still too rounded.

 

Phoenix Props

I like the chin the most on Phoenix Props. As for the rest, there are pros/cons to either Jimmi or BSP that I think are closer. Overall "feel" of it though is pretty good and I'm curious with a less upward angle if the dome is actually a bit more accurate, which would really change the sense of proportions on this one. Note: I believe Phoenix is also the only one to ship the nose plate as a separate piecel, which is a MAJOR painting help and more accurate too.

Edited August 21, 2017 by camprandall

[camprandall]

And does anyone know why my post background is white or how to fix that?

[ShadyP[TK]]

thanks for posting this. I've been debating which one of these to order while casually hoping anovos will add it to their 2025 release calendar. 

[ukswrath[Staff]]

Nice thanks Clint. As for the white back ground I get this when I copy and paste from a word editor. 

[bearings[TK]]

Nice comparison, I couldn’t decide which to buy either so I also ordered both. I’ll paint one up as an executioner I guess. 

 

Looking forward to seeing non-render photos of the PP one. 

[ukswrath[Staff]]

11 minutes ago, camprandall said:

And does anyone know why my post background is white or how to fix that?

 

Fixed!

[camprandall]

3 minutes ago, ukswrath said:

 

Fixed!

 

Much better! Thanks.

[camprandall]

9 minutes ago, ShadyP said:

thanks for posting this. I've been debating which one of these to order while casually hoping anovos will add it to their 2025 release calendar. 

 

I don't know about that.  Shipping out their TFA First Order kits in the same year as a TLJ helmet? Kinda weird.

 

[Dday[501st]]

Hi guys, I really appreciate the constructive criticism and look forward to you haveing these in your hand and more reference photos in different angles to give them another look, and see where we sit then.

 

 

[ukswrath[Staff]]

Well thanks to CLINT! lol I'm going with both mfg now. Derrek pour another mold, PP sent

[bearings[TK]]

1 minute ago, ukswrath said:

Well thanks to CLINT! lol I'm going with both mfg now. Derrek pour another mold, PP sent

 

This really is all Clint’s fault isn’t it?

[camprandall]

17 minutes ago, Dday said:

Hi guys, I really appreciate the constructive criticism and look forward to you haveing these in your hand and more reference photos in different angles to give them another look, and see where we sit then.

 

 

 

Glad you're on here Derrek! I think that one of the things our group is best at is getting better, but I absolutely don't believe in trashing people who take the time to make these props. It's awesome when prop makers and costumers create a positive feedback loop. I also don't expect perfection from people either. People are free to buy or not buy, but I know I've certainly had a lot of fun doing new movie costumes despite them not having the benefit of years of perfection. Sure, the Shoretrooper will be flawless in 3 years, but I can't wear it to the opening night of Rogue One in three years.

[ukswrath[Staff]]

15 minutes ago, bearings said:

 

This really is all Clint’s fault isn’t it?

 

Wonder if there's any commission involved lol  JK hahahaha

[camprandall]

16 minutes ago, ukswrath said:

Well thanks to CLINT! lol I'm going with both mfg now. Derrek pour another mold, PP sent

 

Do you keep track of a budget of things you've bought because of me?  

 

To be fair, you're the reason I spent $75 making an in-helmet mic/speaker system for my TFA, ordered wire mesh, and made some mods to my suit.

[ukswrath[Staff]]

Just now, camprandall said:

 

Do you keep track of a budget of things you've bought because of me?  

 

To be fair, you're the reason I spent $75 making an in-helmet mic/speaker system for my TFA, ordered wire mesh, and made some mods to my suit.

 

AH HAHAHAHA!!!!  

[JAFO[TK]]

Interested to know why Jimmi's bucket is not part of the comparison. He was first to market.


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[camprandall]

5 minutes ago, JAFO said:

Interested to know why Jimmi's bucket is not part of the comparison. He was first to market.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

I haven't even seen it. Do you have a link?

[JAFO[TK]]

7 minutes ago, camprandall said:

 

I haven't even seen it. Do you have a link?

Certainly do...

 

https://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/42294-jimmiroquai-tlj-fotk-build/

 

It's been here since mid-July and has been on sale for a little while now.

 

There are also another couple of makers with buckets in development. Should be an interesting few months

[camprandall]

Ok, thanks! I'll update this later throwing Jim's in too.

[Parquette[TK]]

8 hours ago, camprandall said:

Yo! So I decided to do some side-by-side comparisons of the new TLJ helmet with the offerings of BSP and Phoenix Props, you know, since I ordered both of them.  The resources and angles of the helmets are limited so I'll try to stay away from very subjective stuff, but there are definitely differences. I appreciate the heck out of these makers, which is why I buy their stuff, but I don't think we're quite there yet. This review will be much more thorough when I receive both helmets, but that will take time and I don't anticipate receiving a screen-used TLJ helmet in person anytime soon. 

 

 

From left to right: TLJ, Phoenix Props, BSP

 

FROWN

The TLJ frown is much more angular with straighter lines than either of the fan made options, especially BSP. BSP's is too rounded but Phoenix Props is closer. Also, BSP doesn't have the mesh between the teeth as the TLJ helmet does, but Phoenix Props does.

 

NOSE

The top of the nose bridge on BSP looks a little closer in the angles to TLJ than Phoenix Props, which has a more significant peak. A bit of this may be exaggerated by the angle.

 

DOME

The BSP dome shape looks pretty close (hard to tell) but the Phoenix Props dome seems more flattened, making it look shorter than the TLJ. This could be angles, but I think it's the proportions.

 

CHIN

I think the Phoenix Props chin is a little closer in sharpness to the TLJ chin, especially underneath, whereas BSPs is a little soft. Both BSP and Phoenix Props have a "lower lip" (under the frown) that's too rounded though. It should be sharper and not curve at the top so dramatically.

 

SIDES

The TLJ helmet again is much closer to straight edged than curved as you follow the frown around. The BSP is a bit straighter but has too big of a gap and the Phoenix Prop is far too tapered as it gets significantly wider as you approach the "ears".

 

So in a nutshell, I kinda feel like if we took the top half of the BSP helmet to midway down the nose and the bottom half of the Phoenix Props helmet, we'd be getting closer, but there's definitely room for improvement.

Is it plausible that the lenses have a red tint? You can see a red tint in the first image.

[camprandall]

18 minutes ago, Par_ said:

Is it plausible that the lenses have a red tint? You can see a red tint in the first image.

 

It's typically really hard to say with lenses. That could be human skin showing through or lighting or editing or a lot of things. We'll probably need to see one of these in person to know for sure.

[camprandall]

Ok, I updated the comparison to include Jimmi's offering, though there aren't really good photos that I could find. A clearer photo of a finished bucket would be helpful.

[Dday[501st]]

What I can say about the 3 fan made helmets, without being biased (since mine is one of them).

 

The BSP looks very soft all over.

The Phoenix props is only a render so hard to say

The Jimmi helmet seems wide at the bottom, and has no mesh on the cheeks.

 

It's really hard to say at this moment since we have a very limited number of angles of all of the helmets and the TLJ references to know which of the ones has the right lines in the right places.

 

I'm glad to be a part of the various 501st groups and having had a long history with them. It helps me to provide the best product I can to the community from within the community.

[JAFO[TK]]

Safe to say all the fan mades still look better than this ...


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[camprandall]

2 hours ago, Dday said:

What I can say about the 3 fan made helmets, without being biased (since mine is one of them).

 

The BSP looks very soft all over.

The Phoenix props is only a render so hard to say

The Jimmi helmet seems wide at the bottom, and has no mesh on the cheeks.

 

It's really hard to say at this moment since we have a very limited number of angles of all of the helmets and the TLJ references to know which of the ones has the right lines in the right places.

 

I'm glad to be a part of the various 501st groups and having had a long history with them. It helps me to provide the best product I can to the community from within the community.

 

I agree with your comments on the various helmets. It's super early to compare, but also helpful since people want to get things in order for the premiere.