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Minolta DiMAGE 7i

Minolta updates their revolutionary 5 megapixel electronic SLR with numerous enhancements, keeps the excellent lens.

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Page 7:Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests
Review First Posted: 6/15/2002

Shutter Lag/Cycle Times
When you press the shutter release on a digital camera, there's usually a lag time before the shutter actually fires. This time allows the autofocus and autoexposure mechanisms to do their work and can amount to a significant delay in some situations. Since this number is rarely reported by manufacturers or reviewers, and can significantly affect the picture-taking experience, Imaging Resource now measures shutter lag and cycle times using a proprietary electronic test setup.

Minolta Dimage 7i Timings

Operation Time (secs) Notes

Power On -> First shot 2.66
Time from power-up to first shot. Pretty fast.

Shutdown 3.19
Time to finish writing average large/fine file to the CF card.

Play to Record, first shot 1.23
Time until first shot is captured. Quite fast.

Record to play (high/low res) 1.44/1.3
1.3/1.3
First time is for immediate switch after pressing shutter, second is time to display image from quiescent state in capture mode. Top numbers for high res, bottom for low. All are pretty fast.

Shutter lag, full autofocus 0.78/0.64 Longer time is for telephoto, shorter for wide angle. Both times are a good bit faster than average.

Shutter lag, manual focus 0.22 Faster than average (average is about 0.5 sec)

Shutter lag, prefocus 0.13 Faster than average (average is 0.2-0.3 sec)

Cycle Time, max/min resolution 1.05-3.16
1.24 - 1.24
18.5 First row is for large/fine files. First number is for first 7-8 shots, until buffer fills. Second is aftger buffer fill, with fast CF card. Second row is small/economy. Cycle time doesn't seem to vary, buffer isn't a factor. Third row is time for TIFF files with fast card. All times are quite fast.

Cycle time, continuous mode
0.61
(1.62 fps) Time shown is for first 5-6 shots, until buffer fills then must wait for 13-14 seconds for buffer to empty before snapping next series of 5-6 shots.

Cycle time, UHS continuous
0.14
(7.14 fps) Time is for first ~27 frames, until buffer fills, then must wait ~20 seconds for it to clear before shooting next sequence. VERY fast, but resolution does drop to 1280x960.

Overall, the Dimage 7i is a pretty fast camera. Minolta has dramatically improved autofocus speed, so shutter lag is quite a bit faster than average, even in full autofocus mode. Manual focus and prefocus times are also a good bit quicker than average. Shot to shot cycle times are also very good, helped by the roomy buffer memory that can handle 7-8 high resolution images at a time. With an appropriately fast memory card, buffer clear times are quite good, as are TIFF write times. (18.5 seconds is still a long time, but other cameras and the original Dimage 7 took even longer.) Of all the prosumer digicams I've tested, the D7i is one of the best suited for sports and other fast action, with its faster than average shutter response, short cycle times, excellent continuous mode recording options, and long, sharp lens.

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Minolta Dimage 7i Timings
Operation	Time (secs)	Notes
Power On -> First shot	2.66	Time from power-up to first shot. Pretty fast.
Shutdown	3.19	Time to finish writing average large/fine file to the CF card.
Play to Record, first shot	1.23	Time until first shot is captured. Quite fast.
Record to play (high/low res)	1.44/1.3 1.3/1.3	First time is for immediate switch after pressing shutter, second is time to display image from quiescent state in capture mode. Top numbers for high res, bottom for low. All are pretty fast.
Shutter lag, full autofocus	0.78/0.64	Longer time is for telephoto, shorter for wide angle. Both times are a good bit faster than average.
Shutter lag, manual focus	0.22	Faster than average (average is about 0.5 sec)
Shutter lag, prefocus	0.13	Faster than average (average is 0.2-0.3 sec)
Cycle Time, max/min resolution	1.05-3.16 1.24 - 1.24 18.5	First row is for large/fine files. First number is for first 7-8 shots, until buffer fills. Second is aftger buffer fill, with fast CF card. Second row is small/economy. Cycle time doesn't seem to vary, buffer isn't a factor. Third row is time for TIFF files with fast card. All times are quite fast.
Cycle time, continuous mode	0.61 (1.62 fps)	Time shown is for first 5-6 shots, until buffer fills then must wait for 13-14 seconds for buffer to empty before snapping next series of 5-6 shots.
Cycle time, UHS continuous	0.14 (7.14 fps)	Time is for first ~27 frames, until buffer fills, then must wait ~20 seconds for it to clear before shooting next sequence. VERY fast, but resolution does drop to 1280x960.