DD-f3 body vs 40cm parabox

Hello again everyone!

 I was curious the pros/cons of the parabox 40cm and the Dollfie DD-f3 bodies. For those who own both or either one. More info on the two companies is appreciated.

Thanks 

39 minutes ago, RozensMaidens said:

Hello again everyone!

 I was curious the pros/cons of the parabox 40cm and the Dollfie DD-f3 bodies. For those who own both or either one. More info on the two companies is appreciated.

Thanks 

Hello! I have owned both DD-f3 and Parabox bodies and there's a laundry list of similarities and differences. Overall it's actually preference.

I used to have a 40cm Parabox body and now I have Angel Philia Ellie (which is also manufactured by Obitsu, she's 48cm though). Obitsu bodies usually have more range of poses compared to Dollfie Dreams. Obitsu can hold a pose better while DD-f3s can get loose over time. On another note, some people don't find the Obitsu joints nice-looking. It's also a little harder to remove the Obitsu heads (because of the neck adapter) and hands. Dollfie Dreams also have more subtle-looking joints and the feel of the vinyl is..smoother? I couldn't put words on it 😅 

I like both doll bodies for what they're both good at. With staining, I think both are vulnerable in the same manner. 

Ichigo (Angel Philia Ellie, Type-H) on the left and Maru (MDD mochi-ashi f3) on the right. I hope this helps!

 

 

You're deciding between an MDD and Parabox 40?

Obitsu-based bodies (which the Parabox is based on) are generally more flexible than Volks bodies, and if something goes wrong, the parts are cheaper to obtain. If for some reason, you later decide to switch to a Parabox 45, you can do that by buying a few parts, rather than having to rebuy a separate body.

If flexibility isn't a primary concern, MDD's look better out of the box and are considerably more popular.

When I first got into the hobby, my first impression was that Obitsu/Parabox was a "budget" option since it was about two-thirds the cost of Volks, but I've come to think of Obitsu bodies as a more hands-on choice. They are a little more finicky but a lot more flexible.  

 

4 minutes ago, ateliervanilla said:

Ichigo (Angel Philia Ellie, Type-H)

Haven't seen thighs like that yet. They seem well sculpted.

 

5 minutes ago, chef_mai said:

if something goes wrong, the parts are cheaper to obtain. If for some reason, you later decide to switch to a Parabox 45, you can do that by buying a few parts, rather than having to rebuy a separate body.

Also thanks for the information, it's good to know they can be adapted pretty affordably and that ?damaged joints? can be replaced with ease on the budget as well.

 

Now to decide if I should cancel waiting several weeks for a dollfie vs who knows how long for parabox. I guess that would be a gamble?

 

Thanks for the help from you both!

 

 

 

3 minutes ago, RozensMaidens said:

Now to decide if I should cancel waiting several weeks for a dollfie vs who knows how long for parabox. I guess that would be a gamble?

Both Volks and Parabox ship using DHL or EMS, so if the body's in stock, it will deliver quickly (within a week) after it ships. Volks can take a little longer at times if they're sending out orders during new clothes drop as they are right now.

I checked on Parabox, and the 40cm is in stock, but if you've already ordered an MDD directly from Volks, it shouldn't be long before it ships out.

7 minutes ago, chef_mai said:

I checked on Parabox, and the 40cm is in stock, but if you've already ordered an MDD directly from Volks, it shouldn't be long before it ships out.

Ooooh the DDS not MDD, whoops. But should be the same wait time from volks. 

 

9 minutes ago, chef_mai said:

Volks can take a little longer at times if they're sending out orders during new clothes drop as they are right now.

Wish I had know beforehand LOL. Might make things longer/shorter depending on the overall line.

 

I did notice the parabox bodies looked more fun to possibly play with vs dollfie. Double jointed knees and elbows? And magnetic feet...I originally thought the knee/elbow joints were just a weird design, but now I know better 😄 

The flexibility brought by the double-joints is personally why I ended up going with Obitsu (Angel Philia to be precise). I partly use my doll as a drawing reference, and having the flexibility to squat (as shown below), kneel and fully articulate the arms was the most important factor for me.

Angel Philia is a bit more flexible than a typical Obitsu because the vinyl's soft (and squishy), allowing the limbs to press into each other, but even the regular parts (which are semi-rigid) on my 45cm Azone can still do a convincing seiza pose.

I have both Parabox 40cm bodies and the MDD, as well as the MDD Mochi-Ashi bodies. And I think the MDD look better aesthetically, but the Parabox ones are definitely more sturdy. My MDD have the infamous hip joint issue. So they are just loose all the time because I can't seem to permanently fix them. But I've never had any issues like that with the Parabox, I mean the worst was when I had to screw the foot in a bit tighter but that was it. It all comes down to personal preferences. The joints on the Parabox kinda bother me looks-wise, but if you don't mind that then I think they're the better choice. I can post photo comparisons of mine if you'd like. Either way they are close to the same size/proportions so their clothes are interchangeable. I like them both. Just be aware if you want a Volks head on the Parabox, you'll need to buy a neck joint converter.

2 minutes ago, Kirino said:

Just be aware if you want a Volks head on the Parabox, you'll need to buy a neck joint converter.

Attaching a Volks head to an Obitsu/Parabox doesn't necessarily need the converter set like Greyforce. You can disassemble the joint, replace the thick cone-shaped bit with a washer and then reassemble. This is what I did for my custom DDH-27 attached to an Azone body.

 

32 minutes ago, chef_mai said:

I partly use my doll as a drawing reference

She's cute!

21 minutes ago, Kirino said:

Parabox ones are definitely more sturdy.

This is kind of what i am looking for. I like to tinker and play around with my figures. So I assume that's what will be important in my doll. Only downside I am seeing is trying to find a good faceup artist in the US for this Megu head I saw.

18 minutes ago, chef_mai said:

Attaching a Volks head to an Obitsu/Parabox

A hybrid sounds a little fun.

Just to be sure, you’re aware of the size difference between a DDS and a 40cm Obitsu (Parabox) body, right? There’s about a 15cm difference between them (a little less than the size of a pencil), so they’re wildly different sizes. They can’t share clothes or shoes or even wigs depending on the size of the head you use (and not just the headcap, but the wig itself will appear longer on the smaller body).

A DDS can't pull off a full seiza but still has a good range of motion and can balance in a squat. Their elbows are also double jointed.

I have had several 40 and 50 cm Obitsu bodies,  a few of which I've had for several years, and they do get the normal cracks in their joints over time. I have had particular trouble with the neck connector and the hips, which causes floppy heads and legs. However, as has been said, their parts have not changed and are still inexpensive and readily available most of the time, and until they do break they are good posers.

The F3 series of DDs is supposed to be less prone to cracking joints over time due to the more adjustable nature, but IMO they aren't old enough yet to be sure. I have seen a lot of complaints about the hips being loose but I personally have never had an issue once they are properly seated. I also don't mind so much if the screws loosen over time and need to be re-tightened if it means that the joint doesn't crack under too much pressure. 

It's as was said, there are pros and cons to both and it comes down to personal preference. 

2 hours ago, RozensMaidens said:

good faceup artist in the US for this Megu head I saw.

You might not need a faceup artist if you're not looking for a specific faceup! Megu is one of Parabox's heads, and they offer faceup services for most of their heads. Her faceup'd heads aren't in stock right now, but you might have some luck if you email them. I've done it several times and they often restock a few days after I email them. 😆

3 hours ago, RozensMaidens said:

Ooooh the DDS not MDD

Seconding what others have said. Despite what Parabox and Obitsu claim, all of the current Obitsu bodied dolls are 1/4 scale, which ranges from 40cm to 50cm tall depending on the model. The DDS you're looking at is true 1/3 and is 60cm tall. The two scales can not share clothing or wigs except in very rare circumstances. Obitsu made a 60cm body back in the old days, but it's been discontinued for a while. If you want a 1/3 sized doll, get the DDS.

Personally, I prefer Obitsu because I am a rabid hybrider, and the Obitsu skeleton is used in just about every major doll line save for Dollfie Dreams and Smartdolls. This means vinyl shell parts are very interchangeable, so I could make a girl with a Parabox bust, AP arms, an Azone Male torso, and stock Obitsu parts for the rest, and it'd all fit together. If you get really crazy, you can even fit Dollfie Dream, Smartdoll, and even certain resin heads on these bodies with little to no modding thanks to how the neck connector works, so it's very easy to customize these dolls.

They're sturdy posers, and the magnetic stands are very nice, though you'll have to add magnets to any shoes they wear to be able to use the stand with shoes, as it's just a steel plate. The hands are one of my biggest gripes, but you can actually fit DD wrist frames into Obitsu arms if you're willing to learn how to saw off some plastic and sand a bit. DD Flesh matches Obitsu perfectly, and their wrists are the best on the market currently.

My other biggest gripe with Obitsu is that you have to BE CAREFUL WITH THE FRAME. Obitsu's frame is very brittle in the shoulders, ankles, and occasionally neck and hips, and I highly recommend that you do not remove the arms, legs, or feet of an Obitsu unless you're willing to accept there might be some frame breakage. They did recently announce an update to their 50cm body that may fix this, but if the idea of having to go in and replace some parts of your doll makes you nervous, get the DDS. I haven't had any problems with breakage with the f3 frame yet, personally.

As for wait times...honestly, I come from resin, where you get very used to waiting 3 months, minimum, for a doll you ordered. I've waited a full year before. Both Volks and Parabox ship way faster than that, even in the middle of an event, but Parabox will probably ship faster of the two. I wouldn't let that be a huge deciding factor in which one you go with, though. Ultimately what matters is not whether you had to wait a week or two longer for one doll over the other, it's whether the doll itself meets your needs. These are built to last years, and you'll be way better off if you put the brakes on a little and try to be patient for whichever doll you decide on. The wait time won't matter 3 months from now when you and your new friend have settled into each other's lives a little better, and you'll be grateful you got the one you really wanted instead of the one that'd get here before the end of the week. 😆