rob@eggplant rob$ echo; echo; echo; for n in `seq 1 4`; do echo === 4 levels ====; time du -sch new_new_image_files/; echo === 16 levels ===;  time du -sch new_image_files; done



=== 4 levels ====
18G     new_new_image_files/
18G     total

real    0m0.711s
user    0m0.244s
sys     0m0.464s
=== 16 levels ===
18G     new_image_files
18G     total

real    0m2.442s
user    0m0.560s
sys     0m1.884s
=== 4 levels ====
18G     new_new_image_files/
18G     total

real    0m0.724s
user    0m0.212s
sys     0m0.512s
=== 16 levels ===
18G     new_image_files
18G     total

real    0m2.244s
user    0m0.544s
sys     0m1.700s
=== 4 levels ====
18G     new_new_image_files/
18G     total

real    0m0.742s
user    0m0.208s
sys     0m0.532s
=== 16 levels ===
18G     new_image_files
18G     total

real    0m2.265s
user    0m0.516s
sys     0m1.744s
=== 4 levels ====
18G     new_new_image_files/
18G     total

real    0m0.722s
user    0m0.172s
sys     0m0.548s
=== 16 levels ===
18G     new_image_files
18G     total

real    0m2.415s
user    0m0.588s
sys     0m1.828s


rob@eggplant rob$ echo; echo; echo; for n in `seq 1 4`; do echo === 4 levels ====; time find new_new_image_files/ -type f | wc -l; echo === 16 levels ===;  time find new_image_files -type f | wc -l; done



=== 4 levels ====
100172

real    0m0.847s
user    0m0.220s
sys     0m0.632s
=== 16 levels ===
100172

real    0m2.417s
user    0m0.632s
sys     0m1.788s
=== 4 levels ====
100172

real    0m0.854s
user    0m0.240s
sys     0m0.616s
=== 16 levels ===
100172

real    0m2.421s
user    0m0.492s
sys     0m1.920s
=== 4 levels ====
100172

real    0m0.854s
user    0m0.260s
sys     0m0.596s
=== 16 levels ===
100172

real    0m2.444s
user    0m0.576s
sys     0m1.872s
=== 4 levels ====
100172

real    0m0.833s
user    0m0.220s
sys     0m0.612s
=== 16 levels ===
100172

real    0m2.471s
user    0m0.604s
sys     0m1.868s