img_load_benchmark.py

import functools
import cv2

from skimage import io
from PIL import Image

def time_logger(func):
    
    @functools.wraps(func)
    def wrapped(*args, **kwargs):
        start = time.time()
        result = func(*args, **kwargs)
        finish = time.time()
        stage_time = time.strftime('%d.%m.%Y - %H:%M ') + "*** METHOD {} TOOK {} SECONDS! ***\n"\
            .format(func.__qualname__, (finish - start))
        print(stage_time)
        return result

    return wrapped

############ OpenCV ############
@time_logger
def opencv():
    imgs = []
    for fname in x_tr_fnames:
        imgs.append(cv2.cvtColor(cv2.imread(fname), cv2.COLOR_BGR2RGB))

############ SciMage ############
@time_logger
def scimage():
    imgs = []
    for fname in x_tr_fnames:
        imgs.append(io.imread(fname))
        
############ Pillow ############
@time_logger
def pillow():
    imgs = []
    for fname in x_tr_fnames:
        imgs.append(np.array(Image.open(fname)))

opencv()
scimage()
pillow()

1000 images results:

10.08.2018 - 06:38 *** METHOD opencv TOOK 0.28897571563720703 SECONDS! ***

10.08.2018 - 06:38 *** METHOD scimage TOOK 0.8074595928192139 SECONDS! ***

10.08.2018 - 06:38 *** METHOD pillow TOOK 0.7951657772064209 SECONDS! ***