“REVIEW”: Lumintop Frog – 10180 / 10440 / 3xAAA – SST20 4000K - NarsilM [Pic Heavy] - Beamshots Added -

Other Types of Lights Keychain / Pocket Flashlights
1

WARNING
If you thought that the GT Nano was a tiny flashlight, then you need to see this Frog, because it is even tinier and funnier :smiley:

Hi BLF!

This is my review of the Lumintop Frog flashlight.

The flashlight was bought from www.nealsgadgets.com (non-affiliated).

Package is $35.95 USD; 10440 battery is $3.95 USD; 10440 tube is $4.95 USD; extension tube is $4.95 USD.

Besides the “normal” package, I bought the 10440 tube + 10440 battery and also the extension tube to use this flashlight with 3xAAA alkaline/Ni-MH batteries.

Again, Neal, thanks for the fast shipping and quick replys via e-mail :wink:

Some reviews of this flashlight:
zeroair: Lumintop Frog Keychain Flashlight Review - ZeroAir Reviews

DISCLAIMER: I don’t do runtime, lumens or candela measurements. If this is important information for you, please consider searching other sources of information. Or…buy yourself the flashlights and the tools for that :wink: Thanks for understanding!

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GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS
Body Colour: Black
Material: Aluminium
Emitters: Luminus SST20 4000K (or 6500K)
Optic: Clear TIR lens
Battery: 10180 3.7V Li-Ion (included) / 10440 3.7V Li-Ion (not included) / 3xAAA (not included)
Switch: Electronic Side Switch
Waterproofness: IPX8, 2m underwater
Impact resistance: NA
Low Voltage Warning: Yes (detailed below)
Reverse Polarity Protection: NO :frowning: [careful when inserting the batteries)
10180 10440 3xAAA
Max output 570lm 750lm ???
Max runtime 9h 36 ???
Max beam distance 135m 150m ???
Candela 4580cd 5670cd ???

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PACKAGE: Flashlight and Accessories

After having the GT Nano , and finding it tiny and funny, I decided I would try this Lumintop Frog. Why? Just because it is a cute flashlight :smiley:

And because it can be used as a keychain light (10180), or as a small EDC flashlight (10440), or even as a penlight (3xAAA), with all the bells and whistles of the Narsil firmware :wink:

For some this will be a “toy”, or a “gimmicky thing”, but I believe this is probably one of the nicest small flashlights currently available, and one that has a very practical use.

Before entering the review, I wanna say that communication with Neal before getting this was superb, with quick answers and the buying and shipping processes ran smoothly was always :slight_smile:

What did I find in the flashlight box?

- Lumintop Frog flashlight w/ 10180 3.7V Li-Ion battery inside (w/ protection on the + pole)

- USB to USB-C cable, thin, Lumintop branded

- Charging adapter, to be used with USB-C

- Carabiner w/ split ring

- O-rings, 2 of them

- User Manual

- 10440 battery (extra, but included in the package)

Along with this I received the 10440 tube and the extension tube.


THE FLASHLIGHT

So, again, if I said that the GT Nano was cute, the Frog is even cuter :blush:
It is even smaller in length than the GT Nano, so using it with an 10180 is quite an adventure!! But like the Nano, you double click it and “BANG” it lights a lot :wink:

Also, it is one of the smallest flashlights I have and I would dare to say, one of the smallest “but usable” lights on the market :o

Using it with 10440 is a bit more comfortable as there is more grip! In any case this is not a toy light, and it has some versatility in use! I was not so surprised about what it does, since the Nano is quite similar in functions, but I am still surprised on its output and good quality!

From the top to the bottom, what it has:

- unscrewable bezel without any etching or engraving

- green GITD o-ring, inside

- clear TIR Optic, quite small, but not the smallest I’ve seen

- white gasket, where the optic sits, and with the opening for a 3535 footprint LED

- copper DTP MCPCB with similar shape to the ones in FW1AA and GT Nano, except this one has a Luminus SST20 4000K (3535 instead of 3030 footprint)

- around the head there are some cooling fins

- the side e-switch that is covered by a rubber button

- under the button there is a location RED led, which can be seen better than the one in the GT Nano

- below the switch, in the front, there is the engraving of the flashlight model and the Serial Number, and in the opposite side (back) there is the brand engraving

- inside, we can see the driver PCB, with a slightly raised brass button

- as for the battery tubes:
a) both have pineapple knurling and some thin grooves
b) both have a sealing o-ring
c) both have a “large” lanyard/keychain hole
d) both have a golden spring on the bottom
e) both are different from the GT Nano tubes, but are interchangeable between these 2 lights
f) neither of them allow tailstanding
g) both have the same type of anodizing as the head (unlike my version of the GT Nano and its 10440 tube)

Let’s see some photos now:

TIR Dimensions

Short tube

Now let’s check the overall dimensions and weight.
10180 tube VS 10440 tube

Frog w/ short tube + 10180 battery

Frog w/ 10440 tube + 10440 battery >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Frog w/ 10440 tube + extension tube + 3xAAA batteries

Concerning ergonomics the LT Frog can be operated both with thumb or index fingers, depending on the position you want to use it and eventually the chosen tube configuration.

Let’s see the RED location LED, which is much more visible than on the GT Nano.
This LED can be turned OFF (check the User Manual). BUT, in order to avoid drain in case the light is store for long period, you can unscrew the tailcap a little bit to cut the power connection.

Also, let’s take a look at the lowest possible mode, which is a neat FIREFLY level :heart_eyes:

As I am always talking about the GT Nano vs Frog, here are some photos for you to compare them in size and shape.

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ACCESSORIES

Now it is time to see the accessories the flashlight comes with.

O-rings :slight_smile:

10180 3.7V Li-Ion 80mAh battery :beer:

USB to USB-C charging cable :nerd_face:
It is quite small, has a magnetic “close” and is Lumintop branded.

Charging adapter
Unlike the one that comes with the GT Nano, this adapter takes USB-C cable, and the port is on the top, instead of the side. It works with both tubes and batteries. It will be RED when charging and GREEN when charged.

Clasp w/ split ring
Like the GT Nano, the Frog brings a clasp with split ring to attach to that large lanyard/keychain hole on the tubes, to make it a keychain flashlight. Its’ size allows it more than the Nano. There is no lanyard included.
The clasp is almost as big as the Frog…or maybe the Frog is almost as small as the clasp :smiley:

User Manual
Like the one of the GT Nano, it is well written and provides the essential information on how to operate the flashlight and other general specifications (presented above). It has the English and Chinese version.

EXTRA ACCESSORY

Extension tube
This tube is sold separately. It is supposed to be used along with the 10440 tube, in order to use 3xAAA batteries , either 1.2V Ni-MH or 1.5V Alkalines. I am not sure if 1.5V Lithium primaries will work, so…if someone tries it, let us know, but do it at your own risk. :smiling_imp: This tube can be used both in the Frog and the GT Nano.

Also, the “flashevolution” :smiley:

You can see in the top that the lights are ON.

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USER INTERFACE, OUTPUT and RUNTIME

The Lumintop Frog uses NarsilM firmware, by TomE. NarsilM provides both the possibility to use the flashlight with SMOOTH RAMPING or MODE-SET.

In any case, it is possible to have a very low Moonlight level and also Turbo levels. Strobes and beacons (5 types) can also be activated…or not :stuck_out_tongue:

Depending on the interface you prefer there are configurable features such as Auto Stepdown, Mode order, Memory mode, and the number of levels (Mode-set).
You can also check the battery level, e-lock the flashlight, and have momentary TURBO .
Battery blinks and the RED indication LED (e-switch) can also be enabled or disabled.

This information is clear in the user manual so I will not enter in details.

Also, given that the flashlight can be used in different levels and it is almost impossible to verify each one of them (at least with proper tools, know-how, calculation, etc….all of which I don’t have, including time :stuck_out_tongue: ) I will not specify OUTPUT and RUNTIME. The major specs were pointed out above, so please check them.

Soon I will make a video showing how to alternate between these interfaces and how to configure them…for my taste :stuck_out_tongue: Despite, NarsilM has been detailed and explained before in charts, threads and videos, so search for them in case you don’t want to wait for my video…that may not arrive soon :smiley:

I’ve tried both and I can tell that I prefer the Ramping settings, and I enabled the moonlight mode to be the lowest possible! I really like how low it can go!

I wish there was the possibility to use other levels as “momentary modes”, including moonlight, but it doesn’t seem to be possible.

Apart from this, the Ramping setting provides a simple and “no-brain” interface, with ramp up and down and quick access to turbo! Me likes :wink:

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FLASHLIGHT COMPARISON

Time for some flashlight comparison, showing how tiny the Frog can be :o

Vs AAA Flashlights (Sofirn CO1S / Tool AAA Ti)

Vs Keychain flashlights (RovyVon Aurora A8 / Nitecore Tip 2017 / Trustfire MiniX / GT Nano / RovyVon A5R)

Vs True Utility Nano Lite :smiley: :heart_eyes:

Vs My Lumintop Family…with some members missing :stuck_out_tongue:
(FW1A / Tool AA V2.0 / GT Nano 10440 / Frog 10440 / FWAA / FW1AA / FW3A 18500 / Tool 25)

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BEAMSHOTS

I haven’t been on my village for a while, so I couldn’t take outdoor beamshots…yet :wink:
I hope to add them next week, so stay tuned tuned to see what the FROG does in outdoor environment!

Below what I will present are the beam patterns ( that along with the REAL TINT cannot be completely protrayed in these photos given the type of the lens and my cellphone ) and tint comparisons.

There is no visible PWM, both at human sight and on camera.

The lowest moonlight level is usable within 10-20cm from an object :o I still need to check the max range it gets!

The beam pattern has a very defined hotspot – that on the lowest levels is the only thing visible – and also some spill – which is more visible as soon as you start ramping. The corona, with this led, is a bit pronounced with a mix of white and eventually…green (?).

When using the flashlight on high levels or turbo, specially with a 10440 battery will make it get very hot, fast. I didn’t get any blueish tint when using 10440 battery.

BEAM PATTERN

COMPARISON (beamshots taken with WB @ 5000K)

VS GT Nano (Osram W1 w/ SMO reflector)

VS `*Olight S1R Baton II* (XML2 6500K w/ TIR)

VS FWAA (Triple Nichia 219C 4000K w/ TIR)

VS Jaxman E3 (Triple Nichia 219C 5700K w/ TIR)

VS Sofirn SP10B (Luxeon V2 3000K w/ OP reflector)

GROUP TINT COMPARISON
Order: GT Nano > Olight S1R II > FROG > FWAA > Jaxman > Sofirn SP10B

And the Moonlight level comparison!
Frog & SP10 Pro (triple) and:

FWAA (higher…)

Jetbeam RRT01 (the BEST!!! :partying_face: )

GT Nano

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OVERALL APPRECIATION

Well, the FROG is quite a flashlight! First of all, it is versatile

-You wanna EDC it? Grab a 10440 = done!

-You wanna KEYCHAIN it? Use the 10180 = done!

-You wanna PENLIGHT it? Grab the extension tube and 3xAAAs and call it a day!

This is one of the smallest lights with true use you’ll be able to find, currently.

I will use it more with the 10440, since it gives me more grip and more runtime. I see myself carrying it for some fun but also for something more than that, despite the short capacity batteries and the fact that it gets hot fast on Turbo. I find it funny to use, but not gimmicky, though.

I wish it it had other possible configurations in terms or UI and functionality, but I am spoiled by Anduril 2, I’m sorry! Still, NarsilM is a solid FW and offers good configuration possibilities and a very friendly UI

Despite the included tubes do not allow tailstanding , one can always pick the tubes from the GT Nano and it’s done :wink:

The most positive aspect, besides the size and weight, UI and output, is that it can also be modded, since the LED is 3535 :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:


[click me]

If you have any questions or comments, let them come!

:beer:

[P.S: Soon…the outdoor beamshots :wink: ]

3 Thanks
2

Great review as always!!

Coulda named that thing the Cashew…so small.

Hey, random, without dredging up an old OTR review thread. Do you recall if the threaded reflector was left or right hand thread? I got a new U16 V3 from them recently…slight but nice upgrades, they’re still churning them out. The SST40 in there is a bit eggy so I’m thinking about swapping it. This reflector has no pin holes and almost nothing to grab onto…figured it’s threaded but the first couple attempts at spinning it out with grippy things aren’t getting anywhere. Not damaging the reflector while I figure it out would be preferred of course. :slight_smile:

3

Looking forward to the outdoor shots. Great review!

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Thanks Correllux :wink:
I guess if it was a cashew I’d probably eat it instead of using it :smiley: Mouth light projector it would become, then :stuck_out_tongue:

Your question on the reflector is reagrding the review on the M3Pro, right? As far as I can remember, it screws from left to right (clockwise) and unsecrews counter-clockwise. I don’t own an U16, though.
To open it, maybe you can use the thumb, wrapped in a piece of cloth (to avoid scratches) and try to unscrew it or just pull it. Zeroair has a review on it (eventually the old version) and said “The reflector comes right out too.” (On The Road U16 Flashlight Review – ZeroAir Reviews).

I hope you manage to remove it smoothly :wink:

Thanks Marvin8 :wink:
Hope to do them on the weekend, and post them as soon as possible :wink: I am curious to see the range and illumination outside, in the dark!

5

This too shall pass…if you were to eat it. lol

Thanks…I’ll see if I can get it removed this weekend. I read Zeroair’s review first then searched here. Dinged it up a tiny bit trying to gently pry it free…very little space and hardly anything sticking above the head. I’m glad OTR is still around. Don’t hear their name much anymore but they’re great lights, great quality.

Back to the Frog. :slight_smile:

6

great review, thanks for including the mcpcb pics, and size comparisons to other lights

also thanks for showing the lowest mode compared to a FWAA… great info

7

That would pass…with much cost :smiley: :disappointed:

Have you tried to use something like a rubber suction cup, making it adhere to the reflector’s inner walls and applying some strength to rotate it?
I never tried it but maybe it works. Later on I will confirm the threading direction and post it here.

OTR is still making nice lights and I guess they have some to be out but they were affected by the shortage of chips, too. They have some small models, 16340 and 14500 to be out. I hope they will release them soon :wink:

Thanks jon_slider :wink:

I figured that the PCB size would be interesting specially if people want to mod the FW1AA or the GT Nano and put a 3535 LED there :wink: I guess the Osram W1 will not be interesting under the Frog TIR, it will create artifacts and tint shifts, eventually.

As for the FWAA, it has a higher lowest level, for sure. The SP10 Pro, even with 14500 inside, has a similarly low level, and it is probably the one that compares the most with the Frog :wink:

The ML mode can be configured in 7 different levels, but the second lowest is already higher than I would want :innocent:

8

I didn’t try that….loathe to try anything inside the reflector! :slight_smile: I tried two different grades of hockey puck and some softer but firm 3/8” sheet rubber that has decent grip…but all slippage. I just stopped there until I could try to figure out what I should be doing. Don’t go to a bunch of trouble for me, but if you do want to see what the reflector on yours is like that’d be nice…thank you. I almost messaged them about the 14500 model shown in photos but not as a product listing (M5 I think?) but it’s a little chunky and with the most recent 14500 light releases I’m not sure theirs is so attractive anymore. Other than the hold for on/off I kind of like their simple UI and that Gear Lock feature is really pretty neat and useful. …that reminds me…I do want to message them to ask about the origin/translation for “Poka Yoke.” lol

Y’know, one of the things that struck me about their product listings was the great lengths they went to convey features and technology for the lights. They really did an excellent job, and it was all their own work, not copy/paste community borrowing junk like most do. I think that says something about them, and it’s generally confirmed in the quality of the lights. Kind of refreshing to see…in the sea of aliexpress.

9

I just confirmed, the threads are clockwise. But the reflector has 2 small holes/grooves to fit tweezers and help rotating it :wink:
Try some leather gloves and make some pression. It will surely give up and will start rotating.

As for the M5, they were preparing a new one, a while ago. Probably bigger than the M150 and the SP10 Pro, of course. And the UI is much simpler of course.

They are still a solid brand, innovative in some ways but that doesn’t get much of a recognition within the community!
I have a bunch of their lights and soon I would like to get one of their big ones, a thrower with a battery pack. pretty solid construction and good UI as well!

10

I messaged them on ali and got a very nice long reply. Turns out the reflector in this one is pressed in for better heat dissipation. Sooo….I guess this one will remain unmodded. Just not enough there to attempt to pry or wiggle it out. She confirmed the M5 is on permanent hold until they can procure the MCU chips again, and yeah, that’s affecting all of their models and development, too. They’re having some difficulty with emitters, too.

And get this…poka yoke. She gave me a screenshot of google search results. How embarrassing. lol :slight_smile: But I’ll be damned…it’s a Japanese phrase, more of a concept, that basically means designing something so that mistakes cannot be made. So in this case, battery polarity, they haven’t done physical prevention but are just referring to the electronic circuit sensing. It’s another of Toyota’s contributions (like just-in-time manufacturing).

I noticed their bike light…looks really solid and might be a better recommendation than many that are often talked about. However, apparently they can’t or won’t sell the remote battery packs for it right now due to shipping troubles…so maybe not a good recommendation for those who don’t homebrew.

Nice folks, good products. (I……suppose……the same can almost be said for the makers of the Frog……)

11

So, as promised, here are some beamshots from the Lumintop Frog, in comparison with other keychain flashlights.

First, I must say that the differences between using a 10180 or a 10440 or 3xAAA cells, on max (Turbo), aren’t very significative in terms of distance/range. They exist, they are visible as I’ll try to show below, but they are no very significative in terms of overal output. Maybe at close range there is more intensity, but at longer distances, it won’t matter that much.

My observations and opinion of the Frog in outdoor use are as follows:

- the range is not very long, the useful beam reaches 30m-40m max, independently of the battery configuration I was using

- the tint is very pleasant and good outdoor, not too warm, but not cold, and it mixes well specially in green environments (I don’t like it so much indoor)

- the beam shape is quite floody, although the hotspot has some definition, due to the type of TIR it uses.

In comparison with other keychain lights such as the Trustfire Mini X and the RovyVon A8, the beam of the Frog is better, more pleasant and reaches further distance.
In comparison with the GT Nano, it has obvious differences that I don’t need to detail, since the LED and reflector produce a very different type of beam.

Here are some of the beamshots for you to make your judgement!!

FROG

Trustfire MiniX > RovyVon A8 > LT GT Nano

FROG

Trustfire MiniX > RovyVon A8 > LT GT Nano

FROG

Trustfire MiniX > RovyVon A8 > LT GT Nano

FROG

Trustfire MiniX > RovyVon A8 > LT GT Nano

FROG
10180 vs 10440 vs 3xAAA

@ 15 m > @ 45m > @ 55m

Now, some appointments on ergonomics:

And finally…the epic… Tales of the Frog :face_with_monocle:

The Nightingale Frog and the Rose

Sempervium Frog

Echeveria Anura

The Grasshopper Frog and the Ants

Strawberry Fields Frogs Forever

The Frog and The Beetles

CatDog CatFrog

And that’s all frogs folks :smiley:

1 Thank
12

> Strawberry Fields Frogs Forever

LOL

> The Frog and The Beetles [sic] Beatles

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Sorry to know that :frowning: No modding possibilities for that ligfht after all :zipper_mouth_face: Maybe you can use some diffuser to make the beam better :wink:
Hum, I thought it would take a while for them to produce the M5, but it seems that it is a really long wait due to the chip shortage. And emitters too? Any particular emitters? I know that they won’t be able to get the Nichia 219C 5700K as they were discontinued.

Ahah, the Poka Yoke ! I guess I was never curious enought to ask about the origin, but it seems a very good explanation, given that they at OTR like to be thoughtful when making a flashlight! And we, customers, thank them for that :smiley:
Thanks for clarifying that too :wink:

I was never interested in the bike lights nor their big headlamps. since I don’t ride and since they are quite big. However, they seem to be a very solid solution, and to have good heat dissipation. As for the battery packs, it is troublesme that they cannot ship it, as the pack is incomplete that way :frowning: Maybe it is more for the chinese market.

Ohhh, I missed that one :person_facepalming: I was going to write Beatles and wrote beetles :person_facepalming:

I was tired when writing! I spent a lot of time trying to know the name of the “echeveria” and the “sempervivum” :smiley:


BTW, the Frog near its natural environment, about to make “Frog Splash” :smiley: :crown:

14

Strawberry Frogs Forever….that made me laugh too! Great beams and pics!

There’s just one more that I’d like to see:

Bull + Frog

OTR didn’t mention any emitters specifically and I didn’t ask. I did notice that they were out of their “warm” versions for a couple lights. I almost asked if I could get just a reflector because I know I could press it back in correctly, but then I thought that it might be possible that I could offend them by suggesting their product wasn’t good enough. It’ll do…beam isn’t bad outside, just on walls or larger open/flat areas. I’m walking away from the whole deal just pleased that I learned about poka yoke. :slight_smile:

15

Ahah, the bulls were not in the field, so I couldn’t get a pic of them :smiley: The sheep were nearby, but too far to get a pic from the wool! I’d cal it “The Curly Frog” :smiley:

I don’t think they would be upset with you asking about a new reflector. I’m sure they know people mod the flashlights. I guess I only have 1 OTR that wasn’t modded (the M4). You could get a “NO” as an answer but I believe they would probably understand the request :wink:

16

Thanks MascaratumB for your Lumintop Frog review and for your other reviews.

Both the Lumintop GT Nano and Frog are in my "show and tell" collection and I was thankful for your warning about the Frog not having Reverse Polarity Protection, along with your previous warning in another review that the GT Nano does not have Reverse Polarity Protection.


I was wondering:

1) How did you discover that the Frog and GT Nano do not have Reverse Polarity Protection?

2) Is there a non-destructive way to test if a flashlight has Reverse Polarity Protection?


Some of my lights that require button-top batteries use built-in protruding bumps that only allow the positive button-top end of the battery to make electrical contact which provides "physical" Reverse Polarity Protection if the battery orientation is accidentally reversed, but I'm wondering if there is a safe way to test for "built-in electrical" Reverse Polarity Protection (without causing any damage) for "lights that use button-top batteries and do not have the built-in protruding bumps" or for "lights that use flat-top batteries".

Thanks again.

17

Very nice review MascaratumB!

That sure is a tiny flashlight and I like the lighted switch. And very cool pictures!

18

Thanks MascaratumB for very informative review.

I have ordered one Frog and one Nano Pro on Neals Gadgets and one AAA long tube, using the 25% discount.

Looking forward to enjoying these two wonderful tiny lights. I already have the regular Nano Copper, also bought from Neals Gadgets. I like it very much. Will be interesting to compare the original Nano with the new Nano Pro.

19

Thanks roostre :wink:

These are indeed two nice flashlights :wink:
As for your questions:
1) How did you discover that the Frog and GT Nano do not have Reverse Polarity Protection?
I guess on the Frog I accidentally inserted and 10440 reversed into it. I was not remembering that the GT Nano didn’t have RPP, but I accidentally inserted it upside down and the light started getting hot. I didn’t click the switch, though!!!

2) Is there a non-destructive way to test if a flashlight has Reverse Polarity Protection?
I guess that it may depend, but I would say that what I did with the Frog, that is what I do with other lights, is a non-destructive way. BUT it is not advisable.
Normally I insert the Li-Ion cell in reverse position, let it stay for a while (seconds) and if it does get hot suddenly, I know it doesn’t have RPP; if it the cell/light doesn’t get hot, I will know that it has RPP. I never click the switch, though!
Some flashlights that only take button top cells, have physical RPP, since the button top needs to fit the space in the driver. Those who don’t have that, you need to be more careful.

Thanks NeutralFan :wink:
The lighted switch on this one is more evident than the GT Nano, making it more useful! I learned that one can enable/disable it, which is a good thing too for the sake of parasitic drain.

Thank you TermsakC :wink:
Seems like you have a nice collection of these small lights there :wink: They are addictive :wink:

I wish they made it with Anduril 2 for the sake of having other options, but I guess I can live well with NarsilM !

20

Am I missing something, or are there no side-by-side comparison shots between the Frog and Nano using the same scene and distance?