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.

[pawl]

Well, I just called Canon yesterday and they are sending the shipping label. I asked the rep if he had any info on the issue and he said "no," but that it is a known issue. (No news there.) I wonder if the phone reps are told not to give any further details. No question they are supplying the shipping return labels, at least.

[pawl]

Setting aside an annoying red blinking light which does not reflect any true sense of the word "warning" (and which I can't imagine Canon will get away with with its customers), when Naomi (Canon) stated "...movie recording can still be carried out for the officially stated length of time (25 minutes on a full charge)" even with zoom in HD, I think she put the company in a very tough position. Simply put, if anyone does not get the HD, zooming, 25 minutes of video, then the camera is faulty and can rightly be returned for repair or replacement (or refund). Canon would be beyond foolish if they were not currently working on another firmware update; I believe they are doing just that, and I don't consider it positive thinking.

I've copied the page with Naomi's statement, and suggest do the same, in case it is ever removed.

My repaired unit is due back today.

[UnionStation]

Pawl: Have you sent your camera in twice - or is it just now coming back after you sent it in the first time. What's the turnaround time, just out of curiosity?

[pawl]

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@UnionStation wrote:

Pawl: Have you sent your camera in twice - or is it just now coming back after you sent it in the first time. What's the turnaround time, just out of curiosity?

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First time for the return. One week turnaround. (I'm here in SoCal, near the service center.)

[Clochard]

I have noticed vastly different video recording performances with different batteries: the Canon original battery performs best: at least several minutes at full resolutions with repeated zooming in and out without the flashing low battery indicator (I haven’t yet tried how far it will go); a 750 mAh replacement battery goes for about 2 minutes before the red light with a tendency to improve with every re-charging; a no-name cheap replacement rated at 1200 mAh shows the flashing red sign after a few seconds and 1 zoom. All batteries were fully charged in the Canon charger and I have the latest firmware installed. All batteries were back to "fully charged" (3 bars) after turning the camera off and on again and I was able to continue to shoot stills with zooming.

I wonder: has anybody compared different batteries and noticed substantial differences? I suspect that not the total capacity is that important but rather a combination of voltage and current output.

[UnionStation]

A couple of users have reported better results with the Wasabi BTR-NB6L-JWP (1300mah vs. 1000mah for the original Canon NB-6L). Amazon has a two pack of those with a car/wall combo charger for $25 with shipping. Even though your no-name replacement is rated at 1200mah, there's obviously no guarantee with these aftermarket batteries are pumping out that the kind of power the sx280 needs.

[mcasale16]

I have the wasabi batteries and I like them.

Today, I have decided that the Canon SX280 HS is a keeper! I went out just before sunset and took some fabulous pictures of my flowers using the special effect settings, I also took long range crisp shots of the neighbors flowers 3 doors down- took multiple flash shots - all this after I had taken 2 videos with plenty of zooming that totaled 34 minutes- and yes for the last 10-15 minutes of video the indicator was flashing. And finally- when I turned the camera back on there was 1/2 the battery left and I could watch movie playback and take more stills.

Was it a pain not knowing how many minutes/seconds I had left while taping? Absolutely!!!!!! But since I originally bought the camera for the stills, the sharpness of the photos, the excellent low light quality, the quickness etc etc -I can live with the blinking indicator.

Now I'm going to post my flowers on FaceBook using the wifi- good luck everyone- make an informed decision for yourselves!! without being swayed by the whiny Canon hater!

[clrdogrl]

How do I update the firmware?

I just assumed I put the zip file on a memory card saved from my computer and then insert that memory card into the camera.  But I can't find the tools or settings on the camera to enable that.

Help!

[dswansonil]

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@clrdogrl wrote:

How do I update the firmware?

I just assumed I put the zip file on a memory card saved from my computer and then insert that memory card into the camera.  But I can't find the tools or settings on the camera to enable that.

Help!

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There's some instructions on this thread about 7 to 10 days ago.  There's a trick related to how you turn the camera on to get the right menu but I don't remember the details as I returned my 280 prior to that.

[mcasale16]

Cirdogrl, after you download the firmware and open the folder- the PDF directions are in the folder.