The quantum yield of photoisomerization and the energy content of the K intermediate in the photocycle of bacteriorhodopsin and its mutants D85N, R82Q, and D212N and deionized blue bR were measured. Transient optical absorption and photoacoustic spectroscopy with excitation using 400 fs laser pulse were combined to obtain results. The spectroscopic characteristics of the excited state, the J and K intermediates in the photocycle of the mutants, and deionized blue bR were determined. The presence of both 13-cis and all-trans isomers in the ground state of light-adapted D85N, R82Q, and D212N and deionized blue bR makes extraction of the quantum yield for each isomer difficult. Thus, only average values of the quantum yield for these samples were determined. The replacement of charged groups in the vicinity of the retinal Schiff base was found to decrease the rate of the photoisomerization by up to 30 times, but with no signficant change in either the apparent quantum yield of the photoisomerization or the energy stored in the K intermediate. The results are discussed in terms of the different models for the excited and ground state potential surfaces of the retinal configuration in bacteriorhodopsin.