i want to write (or you write it and i just give the ideas, as i am not a good script writer
) a script or a set of scripts or anything that benchmarks the cameras in several aspects (all having to do with ENERGY, nothing else like speed or anything)
a) normal camera benchmark according to CIPA (as close as possible to
THIS - should be feasible to a certain amount)
b) benchmark of CHDK commands (motion detect, raw average, such things)
c) benchmark of camera functions possible through CHDK (LCD backlight off for example)
d) benchmark of normal camera functions (like
http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/Camera_Power_Consumption )
e) benchmark of batteries, for this we need a vbatt command in lua/ubasic, if not already existing
having a set of standardized scripts that make use of functions present in all cameras / CHDK versions, we could then compare a lot of things (for example i can find out if my eneloops perform on my s3is much better than on the a570).
feasability:
a) should pose no problem (except the "shut off camera after 10 pictures rule") - to really be "in sync" with CIPA, we would need an external timer using USB to wake the cam after a given time which then automatically proceeds, this test is of use for batteries only of course
b) this might only be tested using a lab power unit, as it can note the subtle differences. with batteries it is possible as well, but only makes sense if you benchmark the cam according to CIPA first, so you can compare runtime
c) like b, better to check with a lab power unit, but can also be tested using batteries (think of long time lapse photography)
d) like b & c
e) no problem creating such commands. in each script you could have a param you could set like "battery set", which you use to indicate the set of batteries used in a benchmark session (like eneleloop = set 1, primary batts = set 2, and so on)
do we need for any of this more functionality in lua/ubasic? for example for CIPA you need to note the resolution, which in standard chdk would only be a number (0 being biggest resolution). using propcase 194 (on digic II) we can at least return the width of an image (and thus, through the fixed ratio, also the height, unless widescreen mode is engaged...) to the logging function, so we can easily share the benchmark logs and even automate the parsing of benchmark logs from different people and different cameras so they can be put in a graph nicely.
there is no actual work done yet, i havent given it much priority. started the topic to gather opinions, suggestions, criticism.
as a convenience, i attached the CIPA PDF here, because for example germany is blocked from accessing the japanese site...
edit: a little bit more information:
http://www.i3a.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/digitalcamerabatterystandards.pdf
