"Picky Details" for the Canon PowerShot SD500 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 Canon PowerShot SD500:

Power

The Canon PowerShot SD500 uses a custom rechargeable LiIon battery for power, and has no external power connector, so I couldn't conduct my normal direct power measurements on it. In a simple run-down test though, a fully-charged battery kept the camera running in its highest power-drain mode (capture mode with the LCD illuminated) for 103 minutes. This is actually better than many compact and subcompact models, but I'd still strongly recommend purchasing a second battery along with the camera, and keeping it charged as a spare. (Digicam batteries always die at the worst possible times.)

Storage Capacity

The Canon PowerShot SD500 stores its photos on Secure Digital memory cards, and a 32 MB card is included with the camera. (I strongly recommend buying at least a 128 MB card, preferably a 256 MB one, to give yourself extra space for extended outings.) The chart below shows how many images can be stored on the included 32 MB card at each size/quality setting.