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.

[videophan]

Eazycanon, you may be in luck. I just found this at http://www.canon.co.uk:

http://www.canon.co.uk/Support/System/Search.aspx?TcmUri=tcm:14-1062668&SearchType=3

They have a firmware version for release. I wonder why Canon USA doesn't have the same firmware version available?  Incidentally, my Canon USA SX280's serial number qualifies for the firmware update with a 0 digit in the 6th place. Also, regardless of where the Canon 280SX is manufactured, it would seem they would have to adhere to a rigid set of manufacturing specifications! Any comments, Jessica?

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@eazycanon wrote:

Hi Dave

I've ordered mine from ebuyer and I'm expecting it tomorrrow. I'll post an update after that.

I did speak to Canon UK's technical support team before ordering who  stated there were no issues recorded on their system. What they did say was that even though each model may look the same from different parts of the world ,they are not. I'm presuming that they are manufactured in a number of different locations and that they are made available in the order of Asia Pacific-> Australasia -> USA ->Europe.

That said the proof will be when the goods arrive. At least in the UK we protected by the Sale of Goods act and also Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

I'll update ASAP.

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[videophan]

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Firnmware version is also available at Canon USA!!! WPPHOO, I will tell you how it goes when I am on the other side!

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@videophan wrote:

Eazycanon, you may be in luck. I just found this at http://www.canon.co.uk:

http://www.canon.co.uk/Support/System/Search.aspx?TcmUri=tcm:14-1062668&SearchType=3

They have a firmware version for release. I wonder why Canon USA doesn't have the same firmware version available?  Incidentally, my Canon USA SX280's serial number qualifies for the firmware update with a 0 digit in the 6th place. Also, regardless of where the Canon 280SX is manufactured, it would seem they would have to adhere to a rigid set of manufacturing specifications! Any comments, Jessica?

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@eazycanon wrote:

Hi Dave

I've ordered mine from ebuyer and I'm expecting it tomorrrow. I'll post an update after that.

I did speak to Canon UK's technical support team before ordering who  stated there were no issues recorded on their system. What they did say was that even though each model may look the same from different parts of the world ,they are not. I'm presuming that they are manufactured in a number of different locations and that they are made available in the order of Asia Pacific-> Australasia -> USA ->Europe.

That said the proof will be when the goods arrive. At least in the UK we protected by the Sale of Goods act and also Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

I'll update ASAP.

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[mcasale16]

Videophan is the Camera Utilities accurate when it comes to firmware? The firmware on mine (sent back  to Canon for a fix and in transit being returned to me as I type) is Firmware: 1-14.0.1.0. I plan on checking the new firmware data when I receive the camera back. 

[mcasale16]

Here is the SX 280 firmware update USA-

https://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/support/consumer?pageKeyCode=prdAdvDetail&docId=0901e024808f7d56

[filipb]

Yeeha!  Even before Jessica told us here!

Canon USA, UK and Europe has it, but not yet Belgium - will come through later I guess (translation needed?).

More info on the fix in the support page:

1. Increases the duration of movie shooting by 20% in cases where the optical zoom is used compared to cameras running Firmware Version 1.0.0.0 or Firmware Version 1.0.1.0 ...

2. Fixes a phenomenon with cameras running firmware version 1.0.0.0, in which the low battery level warning is prematurely displayed while shooting in movie mode.

I will try this tonight and report back!

Regards,

Filip.

[filipb]

... so this would imply that the flashing battery indicator is indeed not for all cameras out there - mine indeed has 1.0.0.0...

[mcasale16]

Videophan- we should change your name to JESSICA!!!!!

[videophan]

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@mcasale16 wrote:

Videophan is the Camera Utilities accurate when it comes to firmware? The firmware on mine (sent back  to Canon for a fix and in transit being returned to me as I type) is Firmware: 1-14.0.1.0. I plan on checking the new firmware data when I receive the camera back. 

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Camera Window (is that what you're talking about?) reported my firmware as 1.0.1.0 (now updated to 1.0.2.0).

For what it's worth. I updated the firmware to 1.0.2.0 per instructions with a fully charged battery after a spare battery was removed that was reporting what you saw on the Camera Window screenshots in my previous post. I put that battery back in the camera, swtiched to video mode and battery is reporting as full. However, as soon as I zoom, low battery indicator begins flashing (not in auto mode, but in movie mode)...not exactly what was expected if the firmware fixed the issue. I will experiment some more....

[filipb]

From the requirements:

5. A fully-charged, dedicated battery pack in the camera or a dedicated AC adapter kit

Does that actually exist for this model, an AC adapter kit?

[eazycanon]

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@videophan wrote:

Eazycanon, you may be in luck. I just found this at http://www.canon.co.uk:

http://www.canon.co.uk/Support/System/Search.aspx?TcmUri=tcm:14-1062668&SearchType=3

They have a firmware version for release. I wonder why Canon USA doesn't have the same firmware version available?  Incidentally, my Canon USA SX280's serial number qualifies for the firmware update with a 0 digit in the 6th place. Also, regardless of where the Canon 280SX is manufactured, it would seem they would have to adhere to a rigid set of manufacturing specifications! Any comments, Jessica?

---

@eazycanon wrote:

Hi Dave

I've ordered mine from ebuyer and I'm expecting it tomorrrow. I'll post an update after that.

I did speak to Canon UK's technical support team before ordering who  stated there were no issues recorded on their system. What they did say was that even though each model may look the same from different parts of the world ,they are not. I'm presuming that they are manufactured in a number of different locations and that they are made available in the order of Asia Pacific-> Australasia -> USA ->Europe.

That said the proof will be when the goods arrive. At least in the UK we protected by the Sale of Goods act and also Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

I'll update ASAP.

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Sneaky, Sneaky, Sneaky....