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Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T2 Performance


Timing and Performance

Above average speed for a consumer camera.

Startup/Shutdown

Power on
to first shot
1.7 seconds

Time it takes for LCD to turn on and be ready for the first shot.

Shutdown
2.9 seconds

How long it takes to turn off.

Buffer clearing time
4 seconds
(buffer clearing after 11 Large JPEGs)

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
1.0 second

Time until first shot is captured

Record to play
1.2 seconds

Time to display a large file immediately after capture

Display
recorded image
1.5 seconds

Time to display a large file already on the memory card.
Shutter response (Lag Time)

Full Autofocus Wide
0.39 second

Time from fully pressing shutter button to image capture, zoom lens at wide angle position.

Full Autofocus Tele
0.59 second

Time from fully pressing shutter button to image capture, zoom lens at telephoto position.

Prefocused
0.018 second

Time to capture, after half-pressing and holding shutter button.
Cycle time (shot to shot)
Single Shot mode
Large JPEG
1.69 seconds

Time per shot, averaged over 20 shots.

Single Shot mode
640x480 JPEG
1.68 seconds

Time per shot, averaged over 20 shots.

Early shutter
penalty?
No

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 JPEG
0.55 second (1.83 frames per second);
11 frames total;
4 seconds to clear

Time per shot, averaged over buffer length or 20 shots, whichever came first.

Continuous mode
640x480 JPEG
0.53 second (1.90 frames per second);
>20 frames total;
0.5 second to clear

Time per shot, averaged over buffer length or 20 shots, whichever came first.

Flash recycling
3.9 seconds

Flash at maximum output.

Download speed

Windows Computer, USB 2.0
8,476 KBytes/sec

Typical Values:
Less than 600=USB 1.1;
600-769=USB 2.0 Low;
Above 770=USB 2.0 High
*Note: Buffer clearing times measured with internal memory. Slower cards will produce correspondingly slower clearing times. Slow cards may also limit length of bursts in continuous mode. ISO sensitivity also affects cycle times and burst mode performance, with higher ISOs generally increasing cycle times and reducing burst performance.

The Sony T2's performance is generally above average. Startup time is above average, but shutdown is average. Full autofocus shutter response is above average, which we measured at 0.39s at wide angle, and 0.59s at telephoto. Prefocused shutter lag is incredibly fast, at only 0.018s. Shot-to-shot cycle times are above average, at about 1.7 seconds per shot, and the 1.83 frames per second continuous-mode rate for large images is also slightly above average. The flash takes under 4 seconds to recharge after a full-power shot -- better than average for any digicam, but it doesn't pack much of a punch. Connected to a computer or printer with USB 2.0, download speeds are unusually fast, pretty much eliminating the need for an external reader. Bottom line, the Sony DSC-T2 is responsive enough to handle most family photo opportunities.

Battery and Storage Capacity

Battery
Slightly above average battery life for a lithium-ion design.

Operating Mode Number of Shots
Lithium-ion rechargeable battery
(CIPA standard)
280

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T2 uses a custom rechargeable lithium-ion battery for power, and a charger is included. Although battery life is pretty good, we recommend picking up a spare battery and keeping it freshly charged and on-hand for long outings.

The table above shows the number of shots the camera is capable of (on either a fresh set of disposable batteries or a fully-charged rechargeable battery as appropriate), based on CIPA battery-life and/or manufacturer standard test conditions.

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

Storage
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T2 stores its photos and movies on Memory Stick Duo or Pro Duo cards (card not included), or in approximately 4GB (!) of internal memory.

Image Capacity with
4GB Internal Memory		 Fine
3,264 x 2,448
Images
1,271
File Size
3.2 MB
2,592 x 1,944
Images
1,618
File Size
2.5 MB
2,048 x 1,536
Images
2,595
File Size
1.6 MB
640 x 480
Images
9,999
File Size
410 KB

We normally recommend buying a large capacity Memory Stick Pro Duo memory card, but the Sony DSC-T2 has so much built-in memory (4GB), most users will likely never need a card.

 

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