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.

[UberAugie]

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@videophan wrote:

I envy your puchase of the ZS30. If the price were $350, I'd pull the trigger and never look back

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I paid $329 for my red case SX280 so it wasn't too big of leap for me to get the ZS30. I'm still keeping an eye out for better prices on it but it's very hard to find it in stock. I have read comments in some reviews where other SX280 owners switched over. I only have you to blame for my decision. 🙂

[videophan]

You need to read my posts. If I didn't still have the camera, how could I have taken the screenshot? Where did you read that I had given up? I just don't like to see  Canon customers treated the way I see now: denying the battery level indicator issue exists, requesting the customer to pay shipping charges to repair a camera that was defective "out of the box" (and only capitulated when I asked to escalate my case), currently have no solution to the issue, etc. Have you looked at other threads at this forum? There are Canon employees that answer questions and attempt to solve problems and post to the thread. Where are our updates? If you believe what CS is telling consumers when called concerning this issue (and I am not really sure which call information you have chosen to accept), why hasn't it been posted by a Canon expert/employee in this thread.

What I will not do is keep this camera past my return date for a refund in hopes that Canon will do the right thing. My only hesitation in returning the camera is that it will not be replaced by a pocket camera, and that is really what i wanted for travel and business needs. The pocket camera replacements I considered are at a price point that I feel I can get a much more full featured camera for a little more money. It will have some features that I would like to have on the SX280, such as a viewfinder, raw support, touch screen, ability to specify focal point, but, but,  but at the expense of size. That is my story and I am sticking to it. 

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@pawl wrote:

It seems really clear that you've made up your mind to jump ship on this camera, videophan. I'm curious why you trouble yourself further with the machinations of this thread? You've already decided to return the camera within the window, right? So move on to another camera and chalk it up to an unfortunate waste of your time.

BTW, I was replying to your own curiosity about why Canon might have built into the CameraWindow software an ability to update firmware and yet are currently asking folks to send the cameras in for repair. Your guess (were you to offer something other than doubt) would be "as good as mine," as they say. Your own recent experience with Canon's tech support was frustrating, we get that—others have had a different experience. Why keep laboring it, since you've made up your mind you don't like the camera and you don't like Canon?

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[mcasale16]

Thank you very much for the information. I already have a free shipping label which Canon provided when they wanted to just LOOK at my camera- before they recognized the issue. I wasn't interested in sending it back then. BUT NOW I am interested- and have emailed them- to make sure that I can proceed with the old label. 

I appreciate your very helpful report! Thanks to ALL the contributors who have offered useful information (testing results, links, canon responses etc) You have made this forum a blessing. I appreciate those who are taking the time to provide accurate, useful, productive data.

[VeryUnhappy]

Seriously, how could anyone who read at least a few of the posts here consider buying a Canon product ever again?  Their engineers are incompetent and management is controlled by thieves and liars.  They don't even have enough honor to defend themselves in their own forum.

[samintx]

Well, fortunately I have corrected the lemon SX and my other Canons work perfectly so I'm happy. I also have a coupld Lumix Panasonics I love. Also have a 1950's Serenar 50mm I'd love to try out sometime. Don't know what size film it takes, tho.

[sneader]

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@samintx wrote:

Well, fortunately I have corrected the lemon SX....

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How?

If you've previously described how to fix this Battery-Video issue in one of the 130 pages of this thread, I apologize for asking (but if you could point me to the solution, I'd be very grateful)

- Scott

[UnionStation]

The fix is no fix - it's a risky workaround that could set your lithium ion battery on fire. This alleged workaround also leaves you with no ability to tell when your battery is going to run out. You may have 1 shot or 100 left, and you'll never know until the camera just shots down on you. There's no fix for that, no matter what anyone tells you.

[iamgeorge]

@UnionStation

Samintx is not suggesting that you cover up the battery to camera contacts with Velcro. I know this was suggested by a few contributors.

His suggestion is to place something like Velcro or a piece of foam between the battery and the lid so that the battery is pushed down and makes a firm contact with the power connectors. Unfortunately, I didn't see his original post from sometime late last year until AFTER I bought a Panasonic.....

[GON22]

As I previouly reported: The "velcro" pressure on the battery compartment had no effect.  The only thing that made the video work was to put a narrow strip of masking tape over the center battery contact. I remove it to charge. I still carry 2 extra batteries. The camera features are great; too bad about this power problem and the quality control people who let it happen!

(also Canon's odd handling of the problem)

[sneader]

Sorry I'm late to this game, and thanks everyone for your input.  I've tried the velcro/foam trick and it did not help at all.  I tried the tape idea, and it solved the problem completely.  Where I couldn't do a one minute video before, now I was able to do two 20 minute long videos with no problem.  Obviously my battery is fine... it's the stupid camera's "sensor" that is at fault.

Canon says to "send it in" and to reference the advisory, which I will do... but based on this thread, I'm pretty sure it is going to come back in the exact condition I send it in as.

- Scott