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.

[RCJ]

Canon actually has acknowledged the problem on this forum. Just no solution yet, and an admonition to sit tight. Which I guess I shall, because I waited beyond my vendor's 30-day return window (which should be waived IMHO in event of a defect; I haven't argued that point yet.)

[UnionStation]

I returned my camera to the retailer, even though I used it more and longer than their return policy allows. I called up and explained the battery issue (this was before Canon acknowledged the battery issue)  and begged them to take the camera back. They did, without any hassle. In following this thread, I've been impressed with how loyal and patient Canon customers are, and appalled at the way Canon treats them.

[myasg]

Sony. 400 pics per battery. Over an hour of video. Snapshots within video. Along with its many other wonderfull options. Might be a winner.

[filipb]

Hi all, back with some further results from Belgium ...

I've tested with fully charged battery and no sign of the problem.  In fact it is evening here and I am taking pictures without flash even when the moving camera warning is on and have excellent quality!

I've zoomed quite a lot, took some stills, zoomed during filming - is this problem supposed to be there right away with completely full battery?

I did notice on both test occasions, a faint sound coming out of the camera from time to time - as if I hear it working 🙂 though it was not doing any hard work I could think of.  Anyone else noticed the sound?

Oh and yes this morning I had the famous flash pop-up experience - though it does seem more a problem of surprise now than a real problem since my finger is only very lightly resting on it in the natural grip I hold it ...

Just curious about the lens warping on the fringes?  Is this normal for this strong lens to have have the fringes warped?  No zoom, indoor, looking at walls about 1.5 - 2 meters away?

Regards,

Filip.

[RCJ]

Filip,

In my camera the red symbol has come on both immediately upon shooting with fresh battery, and sometimes a bit later, after several minutes of shooting. It will shoot 15-20 minutes of video with the flasher going, then start to shut down.

Odd about your "lens warping." I haven't seen that. Do you mean for still shots or video, and by "warping" do you mean blurring, or vignetting with dark shadows?

[filipb]

Ok, after a few minutes of filming and then zooming while filming the red battery indicator came to live, and stayed there till power cycle - so I guess this confirms the problem after all?

One interesting fact may shed some light on this:  I am using the camera at night indoor with not so strong light condition and I noticed that the screen (naturally) shows a lot of noise in still mode (which only gets corrected in the actual still taken) but as soon as I turn to movie mode, the noise is being reduced at full power (DIGIC 6)!  So this can explain that with the battery a little less full, the problem can start as soon as you switch to movie mode ...

The warping I meant (sorry for the SF term) is curving, bending of the picture.  But I checked it again and it only occurs when I am looking at the corner of two walls and on the right wall there is a small circular picture hanging (a child's mandala drawing) which gets distorted into an elliptic form, skewed angles.  I guess it is just normal in that condition, but it seemed worse this morning ...

Still hearing the faint sound, even with display off - unpredictable when it starts or stops - anyone?

Regards,

Filip.

PS: with regards to the curving: of course perspective will do that, but it seems more skewed than perspective would do, but it may just be a brain trick ... 🙂 - UPDATE: I checked the bending with an old A80 and it is also there, so I think it is normal (is it called spherical aberration?), just now it so visible with the big screen compared to the 9 years old A80! 🙂

[Jessica]

To our valued customers,

We have an important update on this topic.  A firmware update is currently being created to address our customers' concerns and we anticipate having more information for you soon.  We will keep you posted as developments occur.

Thank you for your participation on our Forum.

[RCJ]

Jessica: Thanks much. I like this camera a lot, otherwise. And the video quality when it is working is excellent.

Filip: Ah, yes. That makes sense about the lens. 

[scupking]

Thank you Canon for that update!! Looking forward to the battery light not flashing and better battery life!!!

[MarioV]

Thanks Jessica/Canon.  But please DO NOT reduce the image or video quality while you're fixing the firmware!