SX280 - battery life shooting video

[factoryguy]

UPDATED May 5:

I apologize to the forum for mixing two different problems.  They are unrelated.

Problem #1:  User error.  I thought I was using a class 6 SD card but I was wrong. The yellow "!" indicates a pathologically slow card.  Upgrading to a class 10 resolved this problem.

Problem #2: UNRESOLVED.  Red battery indicator comes on prematurely.  On a fresh charge, it'll turn red after recording for a couple of minutes.  On a partially drained battery, it turns red immediately upon entering movie mode or pressing the record button.  Turn the camera off and then right back on in "still" mode and it shows full charge and works fine ... until trying to shoot video.  I have not precisely measured recording times but it'll record for at least 20 (maybe 30?) minutes while flashing red.

[bradmoss]

Forget it fellows.
This camera has already been forgotten, Amazon does not sell it anymore even at a huge discount.

[jomjo]

Don't get me wrong. For photography, it's an excellent camera. Superb, even.

I tried the sx160 before and I was shocked by the lack of quality. So many digital artefacts that working with images at 100% was very difficult.

The sx270 and sx280 are splendid. No camera matches up to them, in the same segment, in today’s offer from Canon.

If it wasn't for this huge bug, I would still have kept my sx270. However, if it has a video shooting mode, and I paid for it, it should work when needed.

I have the feeling Canon cameras in general are underpowered. It's their week department.

My main concern was the way Canon dealt with this problem: first, denying it, then pretending to fix it. Consumers are cattle, obviously, but cattle have feelings.

Yes, the tape over de middle contact works – remove the tape when charging, for security reasons (overheating, mainly, and for the charger to know when it’s full) – but if the battery runs out in the middle of a video, this one won’t be readable.

[dswansonil]

People still trying to make a silk purse out of a pig's ear.

[Gizbeat]

I have recently received the sx270hs. My sole purpose for the camera is shooting video. It was 2nd hand and in great shape. I got 17min 1080p30 and 13min 1080p 60 with a lot of zooming. Battery warning came on about 1 minute before it would shut itself off. Turning it back on would show a full battery, but any attempt to shoot more video would shut it down.

The seller has graciously offered to accept it back, but I am wondering what people's opinions are on my shooting times. Is this within spec?

Should I give the update a go? It seems that for some people it has done more harm than good.

Thanks for the replies. Regards.

[Mylze]

Gizbeat - after downloading the update, it was my experience that the video zooming time performed much worse (with my old class 10 memory card). before performing the download, when zooming video, with a fully charged battery, the red blinking battery icon would come on about 30 seconds after first using the video zoom but it rarely shut off the camera until the battery was about half used; after doing the download update, the blinking red battery icon would come on about 15 seconds after first using the video zoom and then almost always shut down the camera about 20 or so seconds later. in my particular case, i wish that i had never performed the update. but, of course, you could have a better outcome...Mylze

[UnionStation]

Get the refund, Gizbeat. The seller isn't being gracious. They knew the camera was a lemon.

[texascanonuser]

Still having problem with battery life.
I did contact Canon in March 2014.
They acted like it was fixed and didn't realize there was still a problem!

What's up Canon?

[jomjo]

A good example of what I said before about the problem in the power department at Canon:

I had a set of batteries that I was going to throw away because they couldn’t even power up simple compact canon cameras, and I tried them on three models. Last week I used them on a sony 20x zoom, on a whole day event, and they are still alive and kicking. 

There's something wrong about the way canon uses power. That's my thesis.

[Guyp16]

This is totally unacceptable Canon I bought my wife a 280 about 9 months ago for quick point shoot and vids. The Video element / battery zoom issue has been left by you guys and gals to fester WHY?!? I suggest you can't fix it...... If this is the case come clean.

[Ralu]

Hi! I'm a beginner and I'd like to ask you guys some things.

I was considering buying a SX270, but now I'm skeptical about it.
As crazy as it may sound I would need just taking photos, and not so much videos.

However, I wouldn't like to have issues like battery runing low sign on the camera or like the camera shutting down.
I read that turning the camera off and on again sometimes helps. Still it doesn't sound that nice.

I saw that Mylze found that a SanDisk Extreme Plus SDHC UHS-I memory card would increase battery life.

My questions are as follows:
(1) If I use sx270+a fast memory card (up to 80MB/s)  just for stills, will I get a reasonable battery lifetime?

(2) What serial number would ensure the Firmware 1.0.2.0?

(3) Does anyone know if Canon Powershot SX 510 HS has the same battery problems?
Thx