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.

[filipb]

Ha, I am unpacking the firmware update zip and the actual binary is dated May 17!

Why the long delay in publishing?

[filipb]

Oops, when trying to update via Camera Window, it complains about a missing information file (*.xml), though it is only asking for .fi2!

Anyone tried via this way?  I would rather avoid formatting my card ...

[filipb]

Ok, firmware update also works without formatting the card ...

[videophan]

On the Canon USA site, this is the way I would assume an SX280 customer would check for updates:

Go to http://usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/digital_cameras/powershot_sx280_hs#DriversAndSof...

click  Drivers and software; select OS;  click firmware. In the compressed file you download, there is the firmware update, instructions for updating in several languages and that is it. How hard would it be to include a text file with release notes/changelog? ... or at least explain what it does on the page prior to download.

I tried to find the page you linked to on my own and was unsuccessful until I entered Product Advisory in a search window. How would Canon expect me to know that, a priori? If you hadn't sent me to a page titled Product Advisory, I would have been clueless searching on my own.

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@filipb wrote:

videophan, it is on the USA site, but not immediately visible when downloading indeed - it is a product advisory, but how to navigate to it easily, I don't know:

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

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[completelocks]

well... its been interesting reading. But I am gonna turn email notifications off now.

I sent mine back. I dont believe you should have to either search for a bigger battery, or spend ages chasing a company down for a fix when they dont even acknowledge there is an issue.

I realised there was a problem, they denied it, then released a firmware up date, it failed, I sent it back, they lost a sale and a loyal canon buyer (£1500 in the last 3 years)

Guys, your posts have been invaluable. And i hope you get the issue sorted, or get a camera you're happy with.

Cheers 🙂

[mcasale16]

Well after downloading the firmware update I have somewhat of a success story. Fresh canon battery- I recorded 24 minutes of video with NO flashing indicator at all. the camera simply records-- when it gets to 23 minutes the timer turns RED and at exactly 24 minutes the camera stops recording with no notice. I turned the camera off, I let the camera cool, turned it back on, started videoing again, this time the red battery indicator blinks and I record an additional 24-25 minutes, indicator blinking the entire time and it stops recording, but doesn't turn off the camera- let it cool and I could take a few flash pictures. I recharged the battery and repeated the scenario above and got the exact same results! Quite an improvement.

Then I inserted a fresh wasabi 1300 battery, - I took 250 non flash photos, I started a movie, the red battery flashing kicked in at 19 minutes, the camera stopped recording at 24 min. I turned off the camera, let the camera cool, turned it back on and took 15-25 flash photos before the camera died and the charge your battery indicator came on.
Very interesting, and very confusing as to why there are varied results among so many.

[dswansonil]

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@mcasale16 wrote:
Well after downloading the firmware update I have somewhat of a success story. Fresh canon battery- I recorded 24 minutes of video with NO flashing indicator at all. the camera simply records-- when it gets to 23 minutes the timer turns RED and at exactly 24 minutes the camera stops recording with no notice. I turned the camera off, I let the camera cool, turned it back on, started videoing again, this time the red battery indicator blinks and I record an additional 24-25 minutes, indicator blinking the entire time and it stops recording, but doesn't turn off the camera- let it cool and I could take a few flash pictures. I recharged the battery and repeated the scenario above and got the exact same results! Quite an improvement.

Then I inserted a fresh wasabi 1300 battery, - I took 250 non flash photos, I started a movie, the red battery flashing kicked in at 19 minutes, the camera stopped recording at 24 min. I turned off the camera, let the camera cool, turned it back on and took 15-25 flash photos before the camera died and the charge your battery indicator came on.
Very interesting, and very confusing as to why there are varied results among so many.

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Isn't there a note somewhere that 24 minutes is the max on a single video before the camera has to stop and save it off to the memory card?  I'm assuming you were shooting 1080 at 50p or 60p.

[scupking]

Well I may keep an eye on the post but I'm off to the panasonic world. Going with the Lumix ZS30. That will be my first non Canon point and shoot. Good luck guys....

[mcasale16]

Standard movie settings were used, zoomed in at the beginning and then let it run

[RCJ]

Note to Videophan: Yes, my camera was v. 1.0.0 before the firmware update.

Here is my experience:

After the update, I put in a fresh Wasabi 1300 MaH battery. I shot probably 40 still shots and a series of about 5 brief 1-3 minute (simulating how I would use the camera in real life) videos (1080/60f). No warning light, battery still showed full.

Later, I repeated the video sequence. Same result.

This morning, on same battery charge (I'm estimating now about 3/4 full), I turned on video and it shot for 12 minutes (a few zooms during), at which point the low-battery light came on. I stopped the shot and let it write to the card, then started a new video, with camera just sitting and shooting. While the low-battery warning light was on the whole time, it continued to run for another 20 minutes. At that point I operated the zoom and the camera shut down. 

I then repowered and immediately began taking still photos, superfine setting, in program mode, and went through 100 frames in rapid succession, with zero problems or delays. I finally got bored and stopped. The battery indicator in still mode still shows two bars.

All things considered, I think that's pretty **bleep** good performance for one charge from this McDinky battery. It's a far more rigorous battery-drain test than the camera will ever face in actual use, at least for me. I haven't repeated the same test wit the OEM battery, and don't plan to: With extra batteries available for about 9 bucks, I consider the problem basically solved.