General Information:
Release Year: December 2007
Retailer: General release (Wal-Mart, Target, Toys 'R' Us etc.)
Price: $9.99 (Depending on retailer)
Accessories: None

Images:

• On Card (Picture from Transformers.com)
• Card back
• Vehicle Mode
• Vehicle Mode (Side)
• Vehicle Mode (Back)
• Vehicle Mode (Forward view)
• Vehicle Mode (Angle view)
• With Swindle (Vehicle Modes)
• Robot Mode
• Robot Mode (Side)
• Robot Mode (Back)
• Robot Mode (Close up)
• Robot Mode (Cannon deployed)
• With Swindle (Robot Modes)

Tech Specs:
Deployed as part of an in-force recon squad to the hotter spots in the galaxy, AUTOBOT CAMSHAFT is used to trouble. Most of the time, BUMBLEBEE is the first to touch down on an alien world, but when OPTIMUS PRIME needs to know the lay of the land under extremely hostile conditions, he sends in AUTOBOT CAMSHAFT and the crew. His adaptive armor, enhanced by the power of the AllSpark, can harden to resist the most brutal environmental conditions. His weapons systems are designed to disable DECEPTICON units quickly and quietly. AUTOBOT CAMSHAF is the perfect scout to call on when you need someone to hit the ground firing. Convert this detailed robot-to-vehicle figure from robot mode to sporty vehicle mode and back again. An extending torso cannon in robot mode helps you keep the enemies at bay!

The Allspark Power line of Transformers Movie figures is an extension of the first line. It continues the story of the movie and offers explanations about how many characters carried on after the movie while also introducing a host of new characters, some of whom have a small connection to characters from previous Transformers lines. Among these is a new Autobot on the scene named Camshaft. The name Camshaft has roots going all the way back to the early days of G1. The first Camshaft was one of the "Reinforcements from Cybertron", a unique sculpt that was only available in the US via mail order. He was a silver car that transformed into an Autobot and was considered (at the time) a fairly hard-to-get piece (not so much on the aftermarket nowadays). The name would be reused several times over the course of the Transformers line, most notably in the recent Alternators line. Now Camshaft is a redeco of the Decepticon Swindle, a figure originally featured in the Transformers Movie video game. This review will focus on the changes made to this figure for this release.

Vehicle Mode:
Camshaft's base plastic colors are silver, black and light translucent blue. The orange from Swindle is replaced with silver, the clear plastic is replaced with the translucent blue and the wheels remain black. These are definitely appropriate colors since the original Camshaft was mostly silver with some black as well.

Paint decos are applies in a very different pattern than Swindle. The translucent blue on the doors is painted silver to match the silver plastic (though the paint winds up looking slightly shinier). From the top of the cabin to the front hood, the car has a black deco pattern. I really like this look and it is a classic look for sporty cars that even appeared on some versions of G1 Bluestreak (funny enough, the morning of the day I typed this review I saw a car with a very similar deco whiz by me on the street). Black is also used on grille sections in the front. The raised symbol piece on the hood has a very tiny Autobot symbol printed on it, and honestly it amazes me they can print a symbol so tiny onto a deluxe sized Transformer. Running along the sides are tampographed details in a really nice pattern starting on the doors and leading back to the rear of the vehicle. The pattern has a stylized "Z" looking shape inside with the rear being a series of lines curving up. The rear lights are painted orange while the wheels have been left unpainted, offering more of a distinction from Swindle. I also think painting the sides of the wheels silver might have been a bit too much silver all over this guy.

While the sculpt has not changed, I find this deco makes the vehicle mode look a lot more "sporty" and while the colors suit the character's name very well.

Robot Mode:
In robot mode there are a couple pleasant surprises. While Swindle really didn't have a whole lot of paint deco added on in this form, Camshaft certainly does. Most surprising was the use of a fourth plastic color on his mid section. The area surrounding his cannon (the tubes and other tech details) are cast in a silver color with a bluish tinge. I like the way this helps bring that section out from the other colors. In addition to this, a fifth color comes out in the form of brown used on the arms and thighs. It is a rather unexpected color to use but looks fantastic in contrast to the silver because it is so bold.

The aforementioned paint applications are found all over the robot form. On the head, the circle around the lens eye is painted brown and some of the tech details on the head are painted light blue. The same light blue is foun don his chest, forearms and thighs. This blue is partly decorative and partly symbolic. The blue is an allusion to the "Allspark Power" named in this sub-line of movie product.

Camshaft's joints are tight and his cannon gimmick works fine. There does not appear to have been any mold degradation.

Final Thoughts:
I enjoy redecos sometimes because they really give you a fresh look at an existing figure. While I liked Swindle, I really have to say I like Camshaft a whole lot more thanks to a nicely done deco. Recommended, especially if you skipped Swindle!