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Sony DSC-S50 Sony makes a compact 2.1 megapixel digicam with full movie/sound capability! Select a topic Reference: Datasheet DSC-S50 Sample Images --------------------------------- 1. Intro and Highlights 2. Executive Overview 3. Design 4. Viewfinder 5. Optics 6. Exposure & Flash 7. Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests 8. Operation & User Interface 9. Camera Modes & Menus 10. Image Storage & Interface 11. Video, Power, Software 12. Test Results & Conclusion --------------------------------- Print-Friendly Review Version Additional Resources and Other Links Reader Comments --------------------------------- Digital Camera Comparometer (TM) --------------------------------- <-- Digital Cameras (Home) <-- Digital Camera Reviews Index <<Exposure & Flash :(Previous) | (Next): Operation & User Interface>> Page 7:Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests Review First Posted: 4/12/2000

Shutter Lag / Cycle Times
When you press the shutter release on a camera, there's usually a lag time before the shutter actually fires. This is to allow 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 almost never reported on, and can significantly affect the picture taking experience, we now routinely measure it.
We found the S50 to be quite responsive, with a shutter lag time of about 0.75 seconds in full autofocus mode, 0.5 seconds in manual focus mode, and only 0.22 seconds when the lens was prefocused by half-pressing the shutter button before the exposure itself. These numbers are a bit faster than average among cameras we've tested. From shot to shot, the S50 was very quick, with a cycle time of only 2.5 seconds between successive full-resolution images, or 2.1 seconds between VGA-resolution ones. (These numbers were measured using the camera in manual focus mode: Cycle times with full autofocus would likely be about 0.25 seconds longer, allowing for the time required by the autofocus system.) These cycle times are quite fast, near the top of the field among two megapixel cameras we've tested to date. (Early April, 2000)
The S50 is also quite fast on startup, shutdown, and when changing modes: Startup time from power on to first picture is only 3.6 seconds, shutdown is effectively instantaneous (you don't have to wait for the lens to retract or anything else before stowing it). It also switches from Record to Play mode in less than a second, and can capture the first picture only 1.4 seconds after switching from Play to Record. These are all very fast numbers.