As shown in the forum post I linked, here is a strace for 6.8.9.7: $ strace -c convert /tmp/test.jpg -limit thread 4 -thumbnail 100x100 -gravity center -background none -extent 100x100 /tmp/mpdcover.png % time seconds usecs/call calls errors syscall ------ ----------- ----------- --------- --------- ---------------- 100.00 0.000033 1 47 read 0.00 0.000000 0 3 write 0.00 0.000000 0 84 31 open 0.00 0.000000 0 54 close 0.00 0.000000 0 12 3 stat 0.00 0.000000 0 52 fstat 0.00 0.000000 0 10 lseek 0.00 0.000000 0 117 mmap 0.00 0.000000 0 72 mprotect 0.00 0.000000 0 25 munmap 0.00 0.000000 0 9 brk 0.00 0.000000 0 11 rt_sigaction 0.00 0.000000 0 19 rt_sigprocmask 0.00 0.000000 0 4 1 access 0.00 0.000000 0 1 clone 0.00 0.000000 0 1 execve 0.00 0.000000 0 2 getdents 0.00 0.000000 0 1 getcwd 0.00 0.000000 0 1 readlink 0.00 0.000000 0 2 getrlimit 0.00 0.000000 0 18 times 0.00 0.000000 0 1 arch_prctl 0.00 0.000000 0 8 futex 0.00 0.000000 0 1 sched_getaffinity 0.00 0.000000 0 1 set_tid_address 0.00 0.000000 0 2 1 openat 0.00 0.000000 0 1 set_robust_list ------ ----------- ----------- --------- --------- ---------------- 100.00 0.000033 559 36 total and for 6.8.9.8 $ strace -c convert /tmp/test.jpg -limit thread 4 -thumbnail 100x100 -gravity center -background none -extent 100x100 /tmp/mpdcover.png % time seconds usecs/call calls errors syscall ------ ----------- ----------- --------- --------- ---------------- 56.99 0.001325 29 46 munmap 43.01 0.001000 18 56 futex 0.00 0.000000 0 50 read 0.00 0.000000 0 4 write 0.00 0.000000 0 89 31 open 0.00 0.000000 0 59 close 0.00 0.000000 0 23 13 stat 0.00 0.000000 0 55 fstat 0.00 0.000000 0 10 lseek 0.00 0.000000 0 139 mmap 0.00 0.000000 0 76 mprotect 0.00 0.000000 0 12 brk 0.00 0.000000 0 11 rt_sigaction 0.00 0.000000 0 19 rt_sigprocmask 0.00 0.000000 0 5 1 access 0.00 0.000000 0 9 madvise 0.00 0.000000 0 3 clone 0.00 0.000000 0 1 execve 0.00 0.000000 0 2 getdents 0.00 0.000000 0 1 getcwd 0.00 0.000000 0 1 readlink 0.00 0.000000 0 2 getrlimit 0.00 0.000000 0 56 times 0.00 0.000000 0 1 arch_prctl 0.00 0.000000 0 1 sched_getaffinity 0.00 0.000000 0 1 set_tid_address 0.00 0.000000 0 2 1 openat 0.00 0.000000 0 1 set_robust_list ------ ----------- ----------- --------- --------- ---------------- 100.00 0.002325 735 46 total If you have a specific perf command that would be more revealing? > Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2014 19:54:21 -0700 > From: anatol.pomozov@xxxxxxxxx > To: arch-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: Re: [arch-general] imagemagick 6.8.9.8-1 is slower than 6.8.9.7-1 > > Hi > > On Thu, Oct 16, 2014 at 7:39 PM, Matthew Wynn <m-wynn@xxxxxxxx> wrote: > > > After upgrading to imagemagick 6.8.9.8-1, I've found it to be a lot slower > > than 6.8.9.7-1. I only get this issue when downloading from the > > repositories or using the PKGBUILD, not when compiling using the > > instructions at imagemagic.org. > > > > I've discussed the issue with the ImageMagick developers, which you can > > find at > > http://www.imagemagick.org/discourse-server/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=26369&sid=a29400f51bd723e98da6b74c0819e9b3. > > Even when trying to convert a 500x500 image to 100x100, it appears that an > > image that is 2048x1536 is created. > > > > I've tried this on multiple Arch machines with the same result. > > > > Use code profiler (e.g. 'perf') to record information where the tool spends > its CPU cycles. Then compare what is the difference and why newer version > is slower.