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.

[ruko]

Thanks.

[Davy]

Thanks dswansonil - spot on, you saved me an explantion.

Guess I should have put it a different way.... yes I KNOW the GPS is a battery drain,  is it any worse than the others, I thought  this might have provided a clue?

If it isn't then doesn't then does that not imply there is nothing wrong with the battery and that the digi 6 processor engine could the problem, being power hungery.

The zoom motor is a zoom motor, admit it's carrying extra weight which will cause extra torque on the motor thus increasing it's drive current consumption... just thinking others camaras has  x20 optical and they don't suffer so does this not point down to the processor?

Whatever the cause, Canon did not clearly test the camera..... or they supplied a lower capacity battery to save cost. If they knew about the problem and thought they could get away with it then it's a very sad state of affairs, same if they didn't see the problem.

Canon has only themselves to blame, these complaints are plastered all over the internet.

[2aussies]

My SX280 has the same problem.  I read about it after ordering it, so I did the firmware update before even using the camera.  The HD video was one of the major reasons that I bought this camera, along with the Digic 6 chip.

I previously owned the SX260 and loved it, no battery issues like the SX280.  I got a scrath on on the lens, so quickly ordered the new SX280 thinking it would work fine.

I called Canon tech support, and they say they are not aware of any issue and to send the camera in for repair.  I told them that every Forum on the internet including their own was chatting about it, and asked to have it replaced.  So far no response, waiting for a Canon supervisor to contact me.  It has been  a week now.

Come on Canon, fess up to htis problem and let us know what is gong on !

[Sktr]

 ...   "I told them that every Forum on the internet including their own was chatting about it, and asked to have it replaced.  So far no response, waiting for a Canon supervisor to contact me.  It has been  a week now."

The same ... but 14 weeks now 😕

[UnionStation]

Sorry about your experience, 2aussies, but Canon has already answered: The sx280 works just fine, as far as Canon is concerned. If you don't like a flashing red light, that's your problem. Read back over the past 75 pages, and you'll see that Canon at first denied knowing about a problem, then suggested it was an isolated problem (suggesting some of us send our cameras in so they could inspect them), and then tried the firmware update. Some users claimed an improvement in battery life, but virtually no one reported the flashing battery light went away. Canon said, despite the flashing light, the camera records 25 minutes - which some users disputed. Either way, you have no way of knowing whether you're going to get 25 minutes or 25 seconds before the camera shuts off. Canon has not answered on this forum in months, and those answers suggest that this matter is officially closed. Some have suggested just not shooting video. I suggest returning the camera - a consumer vote for Canon never to dump a lemon like this on the market ever again.

[ruko]

"but virtually no one reported the flashing battery light went away."

Yes they did. Post 744 (09/24/2013) The little red light went away after I downloaded the new firm ware in my wife's 280 camera. She has taken a total of 18 minutes of video on a new battery charge plus some pictures and the light remains off. The battery charge indicator shows some life gone but it is not red. She and me satisfied with Canon's fix although they should have known better than to send out a device with flawed programming and then hope for the best. Not very professional.

[LSousa]

You must see one thing the Canon doesn't never care about SX280 model, and now they are preparing a new camera 280 is about the past...... Canon is a terrible decision for my choice.... 0% support 0% about their customers support....

[UnionStation]

Ruko: "Virtually no one" means almost no one. One post - or a couple of posts - out of 750 reporting everything is hunky-dory doesn't exactly make for a good track record. Maybe you got lucky, because there are a LOT of people here - me included, with TWO cameras - who found the firmware "fix" did not end red-light problem - and Canon acknowledged that here. I'm not going to bother to look up the post number, but Canon's rep said not to worry about the blinking red light - everything's okay. Glad you're satisfied with the camera, because "virtually" no one else here has been. Canon owes each and every person here a refund and an apology.

[iaroslav]

Hi everyone.
I found this thread too late, after my purchase SX270 in Ukraine. I think i bought one of returned cameras, because there is "new" firmware 1.0.2 . Anyway, same problem with my camera, 25 min to red light of video IF you dont touch zoom. When you touch zoom, video recording may record about 5-10 min than red light appear, than you can shoot other short movies - 2-3 minutes (maybe couple) than just shut down when you try to record more video. I can make 20-50 stills without flashlight after that.

So i think the camera is good, but for such money (i bought it here about 312$) i dont think its good deal.
Look at Sony RX100 - yes! 625$ But there is all perfect.

[fmlisboajr]

For me is the samething, batery goes off while in video mode. in minutes battery draw. Do you find solution ?