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.

[scupking]

The hx50v seems good but at 20mp the picture quality will probably not be very good. Now if they went with 12mp it would have been great. I still think the nikon p330 even though its only 5x zoom is the best bang for the money right now. Since it has a bigger sensor and has 12mp. Picture quality is prob fantastic on that camera!

[UberAugie]

---

@myasg wrote:
Any words on the Sony hx50v.

---

 I looked at the HX50V but couldn't justify $450 for it.

[pawl]

B&H (NFI) just added the Lumix back in stock.

[videophan]

---

@pawl wrote:

B&H (NFI) just added the Lumix back in stock.

---

Pawl, thanks for noting this. While there I saw something very odd. B&H is reporting the Canon SX280 as "no longer available." This could be a good sign...or a bad one.

SX280 availability

[pawl]

Your welcome, videophan. btw, sorry for the snippy tone in my previous post. think I might have confused you with another poster.

[videophan]

---

@pawl wrote:

Your welcome, videophan. btw, sorry for the snippy tone in my previous post. think I might have confused you with another poster.

---

No problem. I just feel that we,  who have purchased an SX280 that clearly has a serious issue, deserve better treatment from Canon. Props to you for keeping such a positive attitude throughout.

As I said, I had a Canon Powershot A70 whose sensor failed. Because there was a defect in the manufacture of these and were supplied to several maufacturers of cameras, Canon chose to replace the sensor free of charge regardless of the age of the camera. Mine was three years old at the time, I did have to pay shipping to the repair center (which I had no problem with), and the camera was returned fully functional. What has happened to that kind of oustanding customer service in such a short period of time?

[UberAugie]

---

@videophan wrote:

---

@pawl wrote:

B&H (NFI) just added the Lumix back in stock.

---

Pawl, thanks for noting this. While there I saw something very odd. B&H is reporting the Canon SX280 as "no longer available." This could be a good sign...or a bad one.

                                                                                                                                                                                                              

I don't know if the "no longer available" means much. The white Lumix was out of stock last night at B&H but now it says it's been discontinued.

UPDATE: Last night I pulled the trigger on the Lumix DMC-ZS30 and requested a return label for my SX280. I don't take enough photos to notice the difference in image quality between the two models but I will appreciate the features of the Panasonic. Last night I was taking a picture with my SX280 and once again my finger inadvertently blocked the flash from popping up. Glad I won't have to worry about that with the Lumix.

[videophan]

Yes, I thought after I posted, the "no longer available" may just be an error. B&H did reduce the price to $269 to match Amazon a couple of days ago. Maybe they are just sold out. I envy your puchase of the ZS30. If the price were $350, I'd pull the trigger and never look back

---

@UberAugie wrote:

---

UPDATE: Last night I pulled the trigger on the Lumix DMC-ZS30 and requested a return label for my SX280. I don't take enough photos to notice the difference in image quality between the two models but I will appreciate the features of the Panasonic. Last night I was taking a picture with my SX280 and once again my finger inadvertently blocked the flash from popping up. Glad I won't have to worry about that with the Lumix.

---

.

[mcasale16]

I made the plunge. I returned the SX280 camera to the store as I only had a 15 day window. I repurchased the camera from Amazon at a much lower price, tested it and determined that it had the very same issue. Now with a 30 day window I dropped it off at UPS and sent it back to Canon. I figure that I have nothing to lose, and everything to gain as the camera fits my needs at the $269 price. I'll let you know what happens as the saga continues.

Now regarding batteries- I purchased the wasabi batteries from Amazon - 1300 mAh- fully charged it, put it in the camera 2 days later. I recorded a 13 minute, 5 minute and 19 minute video. The camera shut down, and said to charge the battery. After a bit I turned it back on - the indicator showed 1/3 battery left- I continued to take 105 non flash non zoom pictures. Unfortunately the ad for these batteries say that there is a 3 year warranty. The batteries arrived with no paperwork whatsoever. No directions, no warranty, no directions on how to register for a warranty.

[smith]

---

@mcasale16 wrote:
I made the plunge. I returned the SX280 camera to the store as I only had a 15 day window. I repurchased the camera from Amazon at a much lower price, tested it and determined that it had the very same issue. Now with a 30 day window I dropped it off at UPS and sent it back to Canon. I figure that I have nothing to lose, and everything to gain as the camera fits my needs at the $269 price. I'll let you know what happens as the saga continues.

Now regarding batteries- I purchased the wasabi batteries from Amazon - 1300 mAh- fully charged it, put it in the camera 2 days later. I recorded a 13 minute, 5 minute and 19 minute video. The camera shut down, and said to charge the battery. After a bit I turned it back on - the indicator showed 1/3 battery left- I continued to take 105 non flash non zoom pictures. Unfortunately the ad for these batteries say that there is a 3 year warranty. The batteries arrived with no paperwork whatsoever. No directions, no warranty, no directions on how to register for a warranty.

---

You are the first to document a return for repair.  Please do post the outcome when you receive your fixed camera.  I will continue to use mine under normal circumstances- not neurotically testing the battery performance by video recording or previewing shots and playing with settings which undoubtedly drains the battery, but rather snapping a few still shots and video clips here and there.  I think once I learn that Canon can in fact repair the low battery indicator issue and the camera functions well under normal usage situations I will be satisfied with my purchase.  Looking forward to using my compact, high zoom, HD video, all-in-one camera that I was so excited about when I purchased it!  Big bummer to have to deal with this bug, but hope the ultimate outcome good.