LEGO. Everybody knows it. Everybody recognizes that iconic red logo and blocky minifigure style. 

I’ve been a LEGO fan for many years and it was LEGO that got me into toy photography in the first place. My LEGO collection is, ahem, probably too big, and I love it. 

But let’s stop for a minute and go where no self-respecting LEGO fan would dare to travel: the world of ‘Bootlegos.’ Mega Construx, formerly Mega Bloks, has been one of the biggest bootleg brands out there, and I always HATED it. Crummy looking figures, cheap bricks. There was nothing good to be found with that brand.

Then something happened. My toy photography exploration took me from LEGO to action figures and I found I quite enjoyed photographing the Halo universe. And then I learned that my nemesis, Mega Construx, had innovated and evolved. They went where LEGO never would, and took up IPs that LEGO couldn’t touch. They went beyond and became something unique.

Still though, the fanbases are usually at odds—each side sure their brand of choice is the best. What if neither brand is the best? What if both can coexist, and even complement each other? 

To find answers to these questions, let’s take a closer look at each line.

Star Wars, City, Castle, Ninjas, Mechs, Brickheadz, etc.—LEGO has a ridiculously huge range of themes and sets. There’s something for everyone and a minifigure for every occasion. It’s a toy photographer’s sandbox. With the proper dose of creativity, one can build anything and bring any scene to life.

The simple, clean design of LEGO minifigures makes for fairly easy photo shoots—until you try to get super dynamic with your poses.

LEGO’s quality has been strong for years, which has helped them become one of the biggest toy companies in the world. Fans have come to trust that high standard.

The Mega Construx, or Mega Bloks, brand does not get good reaction when spoken to many LEGO fans. But being a toy photographer means being willing to disregard toy brand names in order to tell stories. Mega Construx caught my eye because they were putting out tiny, fully posable Halo action figures.

They also put out sets from franchises like Masters of the Universe, Call of Duty, Assassin’s Creed, etc. All lines LEGO would never touch.

Figures in the sets are no longer sad, minifigure wannabes. They’ve become highly articulated micro action figures. Most of them can rival your average Star Wars the Black Series or Marvel Legends figures in terms of posing options.

However, unlike LEGO (and more like an action figure company), quality can be spotty sometimes.

So, to recap:

LEGO Pros:

  • Huge selection
  • Longstanding charm
  • Simple, clean designs
  • Quality

LEGO Cons:

  • Low posing options
  • Somewhat pricey

Mega Construx Pros:

  • Goes for themes LEGO won’t try
  • Highly posable
  • Low price

Mega Construx Cons:

  • Spotty quality
  • Hard to find

Both brands complement each other quite well. Both sides have pros and cons, but in the end, neither is better. It comes to personal preference when it’s time to decide which to buy. I have shot both LEGO and Mega Construx, and they are equally enjoyable. Writing one off in favor of the other will close the door on many amazing photo opportunities. 

So, if you prefer LEGO over Mega Construx, or Mega Construx over LEGO, I encourage you to switch things up and try something new.

Many adventures await.

– Zee Fowler (@demarcation_media)