"Picky Details" for the Pentax S4i digital camera
(Timing, Power, and Storage Info)

Timing
When you press the shutter release on a camera, there's usually a lag time or delay before the shutter actually fires. This corresponds to the time required for the autofocus and autoexposure mechanisms time to do their work, and can amount to a fairly long delay in some situations. Since this number is rarely reported on (and even more rarely reported accurately), and can significantly affect the picture taking experience, I routinely measure both shutter delay and shot to shot cycle times for all cameras I test, using a test system I designed and built for the purpose. (Crystal-controlled, with a resolution of 0.001 second.) Here are the numbers I collected for the Pentax S4i:

Power

The Pentax S4i uses a custom rechargeable LiIon battery for power, and the lack of an external power connection meant that I couldn't perform my usual detailed power tests. I did time how long it would run in its worst-case power-consumption mode (capture mode with the LCD turned on), and found that it lasted a pretty respectable 100 minutes. This is better than average for such a compact digicam, but a good bit less time than the best full-sized digicams will last. As usual, I strongly recommend that you purchase a second battery right along with the camera.

Storage Capacity
The Pentax stores its photos in an internal 10 MB buffer, or on optional SD / MMC memory cards. (I strongly recommend buying at least a 64 MB card, preferably a 128 MB one, to give yourself extra space for extended outings.) The chart below shows how many images can be stored in the internal 10 MB buffer at each size/quality setting. (You can see what a paltry capacity it has, particularly for the best-quality images.)