Olympus 730 Performance

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Olympus Stylus 730 Performance

Timing and Performance

Good to average speed for a consumer camera.

Startup/Shutdown
Power on to first shot	2.2 seconds	Time it takes for LCD to turn on and lens to deploy.
Shutdown	2.0 seconds	How long it takes to retract lens.
Buffer clearing time	10 seconds (continuous LF JPEG)	Worst case buffer clearing time. -- This is the delay after a set of shots before you can remove the card. Some cameras won't retract their lenses and shut down until the buffer is cleared.
Mode switching
Play to Record, first shot	1.5 seconds	Time until first shot is captured.
Record to play	5.9 seconds	Time to display a large/fine file immediately after capture.
Display recorded image	2.3 second	Time to display a large/fine file already on the memory card.
Shutter response (Lag Time)
Full Autofocus Wide	0.77 second	Time from fully pressing shutter button to image capture, zoom lens at wide angle position.
Full Autofocus Tele	0.80 second	Time from fully pressing shutter button to image capture, zoom lens at telephoto position.
Prefocused	0.087 second	Time to capture, after half-pressing and holding shutter button.
Cycle time (shot to shot)
Single Shot mode Large Fine JPEG	3.95 seconds	Time per shot, averaged over 20 shots.
Single Shot mode 640x480 JPEG	2.62 seconds	Time per shot, averaged over 20 shots.
Early shutter penalty?	No / Yes with flash	Some cameras refuse to snap another shot if you release and press the shutter too quickly in Single Shot mode, making "No" the preferred answer.
Continuous mode Large Fine JPEG	1.08 seconds (0.93 frames per second); 4 frames total; 10 seconds to clear	Time per shot, averaged over buffer length or 20 shots, whichever came first.
Continuous mode 640x480 JPEG	1.01 seconds (0.99 frames per second); 5 seconds to clear	Time per shot, averaged over buffer length or 20 shots, whichever came first.
Flash recycling	5.4 seconds	Flash at maximum output.
Download speed
Windows Computer, USB 2.0	792 KBytes/sec	Typical Values: Less than 600=USB 1.1; 600-770=USB 2.0 Low; Over 770=USB 2.0 High

The 730's performance is generally pretty good, but with some slow aspects. Startup and shutdown speeds are good for the category, taking about 2.0 seconds to power on and shut down. Shutter response is about average, taking about 0.77 second to autofocus and fire at wide angle and 0.80 second at telephoto. Shot-to-shot cycle times are also about average, though that does mean in single shot mode you're only capturing one shot every 3.95 seconds. In continuous mode, you're able to get just under 1 frame per second, but that's slow compared to other cameras in the Entry Level category. Buffer clearing time is a long 10 seconds. The flash takes an average 5.4 seconds to recharge after a full-power shot, which is pretty good. Connected to a computer or printer via USB, download speeds are also average at 792KB/s. Bottom line, while not a first choice for sports or other really fast-paced action, the 730 is responsive enough, at least at wide angle lens settings, to handle most family photo opportunities.

Battery and Storage Capacity

Battery
Below average battery life for a custom rechargeable Li-Ion design.

Operating Mode	Battery Life
Still-image capture mode LCD on	200 shots
Power Save mode	240 shots

The Olympus Stylus 730 uses a custom rechargeable Li-Ion battery for power. The table above shows the number of shots the camera is capable of based on CIPA battery-life and/or manufacturer standard test conditions. Battery life is a bit below average, so we strongly recommend you pick up a spare battery and keep it freshly charged and on-hand for extended outings.

(Interested readers can find an English translation of the CIPA DC-002 standards document here. (180K PDF document))

Storage
The Olympus Stylus 730 stores its photos on xD memory cards or in approximately 22MB of internal memory, and no card is included with the camera.

Image Capacity vs Resolution/Quality 22MB Internal Memory		Fine	Normal
3072 x 2304	Images (Avg size)	6 3.5 MB	12 1.7 MB

2560 x 1920	Images (Avg size)	-	18 1.2 MB

2304 x 1728	Images (Avg size)	-	22 994 KB

2048 x 1536	Images (Avg size)	-	28 785 KB

1600 x 1200	Images (Avg size)	-	34 642 KB

1280 x 960	Images (Avg size)	-	52 417 KB

1024 x 768	Images (Avg size)	-	80 272 KB

640 x 480	Images (Avg size)	-	124 176 KB

The Olympus Stylus 730 stores its photos on xD memory cards or in approximately 22MB of internal memory, and no card is included with the camera. (I strongly recommend buying a large capacity xD memory card, at least a 512MB card, preferably a 1GB one, to give yourself extra space for extended outings.) The chart above shows how many images can be stored in the internal memory at each size/quality setting.