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Thanks to Imaging-resource.com, here are the autofocus speeds
and prefocus (half-press shutter) timings for prosumer DSLRs.
Pentax *istDS and Canon 350D not yet tested.

AF * half-press
Canon 20D 0.155 0.077
Pentax istD 0.230 0.130
Minolta 7D 0.266 0.117
Canon 300D 0.264 0.142
Nikon D70 0.414 0.124

* Given in seconds and sorted by double-weighted AF times.
Averaged when times varied from wide-angle to telephoto.

I would only trust the full-manual times. You didn't say if it was M, S, or
A mode.

And no, I'm not a Nikon user: Own a 1D and 300D.


"Bill Tuthill" <> wrote in message news:...
> Thanks to Imaging-resource.com, here are the autofocus speeds
> and prefocus (half-press shutter) timings for prosumer DSLRs.
> Pentax *istDS and Canon 350D not yet tested.
>
> AF * half-press
> Canon 20D 0.155 0.077
> Pentax istD 0.230 0.130
> Minolta 7D 0.266 0.117
> Canon 300D 0.264 0.142
> Nikon D70 0.414 0.124
>
> * Given in seconds and sorted by double-weighted AF times.
> Averaged when times varied from wide-angle to telephoto.
>

Bill Tuthill wrote:

> Thanks to Imaging-resource.com, here are the autofocus speeds
> and prefocus (half-press shutter) timings for prosumer DSLRs.
> Pentax *istDS and Canon 350D not yet tested.
>
> AF * half-press
> Canon 20D 0.155 0.077
> Pentax istD 0.230 0.130
> Minolta 7D 0.266 0.117
> Canon 300D 0.264 0.142
> Nikon D70 0.414 0.124
>
> * Given in seconds and sorted by double-weighted AF times.
> Averaged when times varied from wide-angle to telephoto.

These figures are nice, but it would also be nice to
know what lens was being use. I think the lens ultimately
decides how fast AF takes place.

For instance, a Canon USM lens will focus much faster
than a non USM lens.

Subject contrast and ambient light have a lot to do with
it as well.

Bill Tuthill wrote:

> AF * half-press
> Canon 20D 0.155 0.077
> Pentax istD 0.230 0.130
> Minolta 7D 0.266 0.117
> Canon 300D 0.264 0.142
> Nikon D70 0.414 0.124

Cordin 220 n/a 0.000000010

http://www.cordin.com

wrote:
> Bill Tuthill wrote:
>
> > AF * half-press
> > Canon 20D 0.155 0.077
> > Pentax istD 0.230 0.130
> > Minolta 7D 0.266 0.117
> > Canon 300D 0.264 0.142
> > Nikon D70 0.414 0.124
>
> Cordin 220 n/a 0.000000010
>
> http://www.cordin.com

Talk about filling up a flash card in a hurry.

Scott

Jim Townsend <> wrote:
>
> These figures are nice, but it would also be nice to
> know what lens was being use. I think the lens ultimately
> decides how fast AF takes place.

Usually it's using the small-circle lens that comes in kit form.
IIRC both the D20 and D300 were tested with 18-55/3.5-5.6 EFS.
Do you think the Nikon 18-70/3.5-4.5 DX is slow autofocusing?

> For instance, a Canon USM lens will focus much faster
> than a non USM lens.

This is not always true of short-focal range lenses, but is
almost always true of telephoto lenses. E.g. Nikon SLR cameras
regularly beat Canon SLR cameras in Chasseur d'Images testing
for the 50mm but not for the 70|80-200/2.8 at 200mm.

> Subject contrast and ambient light have a lot to do with
> it as well.

It's standardized, you can read about it at Imaging-resource.

Bill Tuthill wrote:
> Thanks to Imaging-resource.com, here are the autofocus speeds
> and prefocus (half-press shutter) timings for prosumer DSLRs.
> Pentax *istDS and Canon 350D not yet tested.

Could you post the link please? I tried looking up the site but
couldn't find the article.

Thanks,

Siddhartha

Dave R knows who <> wrote:
> I would only trust the full-manual times.

Why do you say this? For people like me who use autofocus a lot,
AF times are most important.

Can you tell me something about the Imaging-resource.com methodology
that I don't know? I can't find any explanation there.

> You didn't say if it was M, S, or A mode.

My suspicion is that the first column was P mode and the second column
was P mode with half shutter press.

Siddhartha Jain <> wrote:
>
> Could you post the link please? I tried looking up the site but
> couldn't find the article.

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/D70/D70A9.HTM
http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/E20D/E20DA8.HTM
http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/EDR/EDRA7.HTM
http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/ISTD/ISTDA7.HTM
http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/MAX7/D7A7.HTM

Here is the table updated with Canon 10D and manual focus.
The reason the Canon 10D outperformed the 20D in autofocus was
that it had 24-85/3.5-4.5 USM instead of 18-55/3.5-5.6 EFS,
which does not fit the 10D.

AF avg ½ press MF
Canon 20D 0.155 0.077 0.110
Canon 10D 0.146 0.104 0.146
Pentax *istD 0.230 0.130 0.180
Canon 300D 0.264 0.142 0.248
Minolta 7D 0.266 0.117 0.253
Nikon D70 0.414 0.124 0.155

Measurements for the Nikon might be amiss, because Dpreview.com
measured the D70 as a 2.9 fps camera (hence below .33) and wrote
"shutter release lag simply isn't there." The tested average
with the 18-70/3.5-4.5 DX ranged from 0.342-0.486. Maybe this
is just a slow AFing lens.

I'm not sure, but I think the K-M D7 was tested with 17-35/2.8-4
but it might have been 28-70/2.8 which is known to be slow AFing.
I think the Pentax was tested with 18-35/4-5.6 J.

To be fair, all models should be tested with Sigma 18-125 or
another lens that fits all mounts. Then each manufacturer should
get the opportunity to prove that USM or AFS could be faster.

"Bill Tuthill" <> wrote in message news:...
> Dave R knows who <> wrote:
>> I would only trust the full-manual times.
>
> Why do you say this? For people like me who use autofocus a lot,
> AF times are most important.
>

Probably because AF times can vary from one lens to another, and can vary
given distance to subject, too many variables.

--
Skip Middleton
http://www.shadowcatcherimagery.com