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.

[guinoronha]

So it's just a false alarm? You can still use the camera for a long time despite of the low battery indicator?

I'm actually happy to read this, as this will probably be solved with a firmware update. If the battery lasts for the "correct" ammount of time, I don't see a reason to return it if you really enjoy the camera.

The only problem I see is that when the battery is really low, you will not know about it, but after some weeks using the camera you get to know when the battery is about to end, based on your type of use, despite of the indicator.

I am going to buy this camera to my trip in October and I was about to give up on it due to reports that the battery life is too short. As I understand now, it's not.

Thank you plfeist for testing the actual battery life. Can you people still with the faulty cameras do the same test? Do a full charge, take pictures until the battery is really discharged, then post the results here?

[factoryguy]

Yes, that's right, it's kind of a "false alarm".  Like I said in a previous post, I have not done a thorough test to see if the camera meets record-time specs but it's plenty long for my purposes.  I recorded about 15 minutes of 1080p60 a few days ago with the red battery indicator on most of the time.  Afterwards, I took a bunch of stills and the battery showed full charge.   I'm really very happy with the camera and I'm confident that Canon will eventually address the issue. 

[plfeist]

guinoronha,

You can always tell the true battery level by turning the camera off then on again. When the battery is half-way down, it is half-white. That's when I'd be ready to put in a fresh battery.

Even though my SX280 goes to flashing red while using the zoom taking movies, it still takes the movie. And yes, it took somewhere around 800 pictures (I clicked that many times!) before the battery truly went dead.

So I plan to keep my camera for now. I want it for a trip overseas in June, and I am confident that it will do a fine job. I bought two extra batteries to be on the safe side. I don't think I'll be taking many movies, but even if I do, I'm sure it will be able to. I'll just ignore the flashing red icon.

Hopefully there will be a firmware update. If not, I'll consider sending it back after my trip, since it has a year warranty.

[mikearm]

This sort of seems to be the case. Although in one of my tests, after a bit of recording after shooting 30 or 40 pictures and a couple of short videos the camera shut down in the middle of a video. But when I powered back up I was able to shoot 20 or 30 more pictures with the indicator showing 2 or 3 bars.

There is definately some sort of firmware miscommunication with the battery logic when shooting video. Debating whether to keep it. But if I do, I will just get a couple of 3rd party batteries and keep them charged. They are cheep enough.

[smith]

Video hogs the battery. On a full charge, I turn the camera on, press the record button (1080p), red low battery light instantly goes on and flashes continuously while recording, I set it on a table and let it record, using no zoom or IS, just sitting there, shuts off at 25 min... before the maximum recording clip length of 29-30min.

[josh_a]

Also having the fake battery low issue. I will probably need to send mine back as well. Disappointed! This is a glaring design flaw.

[UnionStation]

No false warning for me. The camera shut off and I got the 'insert a fresh battery' message - after shooting a few dozen photos and a few minutes of video. I purchased two new Canon brand batteries, so the camera was clearly the issue. What bothers me more than anything is Canon's stubborn unwillingness to even admit there's a problem. I tried several times through email, phone and finally the Canon web site to point out there's a problem, and I hit a stone wall of resistance and denial. I finally got in touch with a nice but unhelpful contact center supervisor who wrote, "Such poor battery performance is not common.  The several PowerShot SX280 HS cameras we have here in our office all perform within specifications." Tell that to the people in two threads here on the forum, and numerous people on Amazon.com who report the same issue that brought us all here. I returned my SX280 and bought another brand. Problem solved.

[josh_a]

Yeah I haven't experimented quite enough to verify whether or not it's affecting when the camera shuts down, but I do know that it's coming up when there is a fresh charge, and that I can still get alot of functionality out of it before the battery truly dies. There is clearly a design flaw with this camera, hopefully they will fess up eventually. Seems like something that might be able to be fixed on the firmware side. Any of you who are replacing your cameras, which make/model have you found comparable to the SX280? I'm sorry to get rid of it, but unfortunately I don't want to have to deal with an inherent flaw in a brand new device.

[UnionStation]

Check out Nikon's model in the same price range. The zoom isn't nearly as good (120mm quivalent, compared to 500) but Nikon's low-end aperture is better (f/1.8 compared to f/3.5). The Nikon's sensor is bigger (1/1.7" vs 1/2.3"). Nikon has a RAW option, but the write time seemed very slow to me. In most other ways - excluding battery life, obviously - the cameras are pretty comparable. One thing I noted with the Nikon versus the Canon, the Nikon's photo quality was much better to begin with. It looks like Canon is doing some aggressive compression that leaves the photos feeling a bit crunchy for my tastes. Had Canon been a little more receptive with their customer service, I probably would never have noticed.

[DP]

BEWARE- PLEASE take this issue seriously! I had the previous version of this camera, the 230. I purchased it 2 years ago from Best Buy with an extended warranty..THANK GOD!! I had Iissues with this from day one, with pictures as well as videos. I could use the camera for a max of 5-10 minutes on a full charge. Last year I found out suddely that I jad been chosen to go travel to India for Habitat for Humanity. I immediately contacted Canon to have my camera repaired asap. I do have to give the Customer Service kudos for making it happen quickly. But it was hell from there. As some of you are aware, they claim they know nothing about this issue. The camera was overnighted to the service center. I did not hear from them until I received it back with a letter saying there was NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAMERA!!! I WAS FURIOUS. I then insisted that they send me a new battery and charger as a last resort. I received two of each. Needless to say no pictures could he taken on my trip because of this LEMON!! I have not used it for a year. Last week I walked in to Best Buy and demanded a replacement on the spot. It was a tough battle, but the store decided to eat the cost. I did have the ext warranty. Well, I decided, through encouragement of the dept mgr, to get the new 280. Bad move. Battery died within 15 minutes. I refuse to go through any of this again. Canon WILL NOT acknowledge an issue. Their tech's will not even find an issue if you send it in. Mine is going back tomorrow and I am going home with a Nikon!! I hope my experience helps.