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]

I don't get how you guys are not getting the flashing battery light after the update. I just tested mine again and as soon as I zoomed the camera turned off. Turned it back on and battery was full again.... Maybe some how the update didn't work right. I will try again later.. All I know is it said I was updated to 1.0.2.0 as the directions said when I finished....

[completelocks]

Same here... I actually got 7 mins of video though, but it went from full to red then off with no warning. Off and on and battery full. Video, it went off.

Just useless, even with the firmware update. It's going back in the morning, and I will never buy another canon product. Its just wrong.

[filipb]

Hmm, Canon, can you mess it up even more, please? 😜

[videophan]

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@scupking wrote:

I don't get how you guys are not getting the flashing battery light after the update. I just tested mine again and as soon as I zoomed the camera turned off. Turned it back on and battery was full again.... Maybe some how the update didn't work right. I will try again later.. All I know is it said I was updated to 1.0.2.0 as the directions said when I finished....

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Are you using a full battery? Was it full before the firmware update and then you started  testing afterwards with the same battery in place? I think once the battery drains some, you are going to see what you are seeing. The firmware has just moved that point nearer the actual critical battery drain point.

[pawl]

I won't be able to update my camera and see for myself, until I get home tonight. Iut if only a partial fix, it's a perfect example of the ancient proverb:

Close, but no cigars.

[bkoldys]

Yes. The shutdowns occur after the installation of the new firmware. Now either I really charged that battery or the new firmware has mitigated the problem somewhat. I got almost 15 minutes of video, with zoom before the red battery icon. After that occured, I could continue video for 5 minutes at a time, with zooming near the end of this period shutting down the camera. I was able to video in these shorter segments about 4 times until complete shutdown in video mode.

The issue may be reduced somewhat, but not resolved. At any time I could restart the camera and shoot stills without any problem .

My problem is I do not know what would be the median time in which a fully charged battery would start to fail while shooting

video without interruption. However LOL I think it is more than 15 minutes. I am past the point of return for the camera and I really like it. I will chill a bit and see if the wind blows in a second firmware update or perhaps the wind sends it back to Canon for warranty work.

[mikearm]

Started with a freshly charged Wasabi battery. Formated the card and ran the update. Shot a couple of quick videos about a minute each with zooming in and out. Shooting on the movie selection. Moved to auto shot a couple of pix.

Started a standard movie in auto. Randon zooming in and out. After 10 minutes, Started flashing. Turned off at 11 minutes. Turned off and turned on - 3 bars. Started another video 4 seconds, flashing. Started another video which ran 6 minutes flashing the whole time until it stopped (but did not shut down) because the card was full.

Cleared 4 gb off the card. Turned it on, took 1 picture, showed 3 bars. Started another video. started flashing after 5 seconds. More randon zoom. Got another 3 minutes before it shut down with a charge battery message.

Turned it back on. 3 bars. shot 2 pictures with zooming. 2 bars. Started another video got about 10 sec with zoom and shut down again. Turn on 3 bars. shot 2 pix 2 bars. Shot about 20 pix with zoom and it remained at 2 bars

Camera does get quite warm after 10 min of video.

Still, quite an improvement.

Mike

[scupking]

Testing on a fresh charge..... No difference, flashing red after five minutes of video......Turned the camera off then back on and battery shows full bars..... I'm getting sick of this and its just over 30 days that I had the camera...

[pawl]

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@mikearm wrote:

Started with a freshly charged Wasabi battery. Formated the card and ran the update. Shot a couple of quick videos about a minute each with zooming in and out. Shooting on the movie selection. Moved to auto shot a couple of pix.

Started a standard movie in auto. Randon zooming in and out. After 10 minutes, Started flashing. Turned off at 11 minutes. Turned off and turned on - 3 bars. Started another video 4 seconds, flashing. Started another video which ran 6 minutes flashing the whole time until it stopped (but did not shut down) because the card was full.

Cleared 4 gb off the card. Turned it on, took 1 picture, showed 3 bars. Started another video. started flashing after 5 seconds. More randon zoom. Got another 3 minutes before it shut down with a charge battery message.

Turned it back on. 3 bars. shot 2 pictures with zooming. 2 bars. Started another video got about 10 sec with zoom and shut down again. Turn on 3 bars. shot 2 pix 2 bars. Shot about 20 pix with zoom and it remained at 2 bars

Camera does get quite warm after 10 min of video.

Still, quite an improvement.

Mike

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Gives "quite an improvement" new meaning, I'd say.

[dswansonil]

Like the old saying, "better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick"