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]

I Emailed Canon about the battery indicator problem. Apparently Canon is aware of this problem. Here is their response:

Dear Ruko

Thank you for contacting Canon product support. I'm sorry to hear of difficulty you've encountered with battery life on your PowerShot SX280 HS. Canon has issued a firmware update to resolve this issue. You may click here for a description of the issue and click here to access the firmware update. Once there, if your operating system is not correctly detected, please choose it using the drop-down menu. Now click on "firmware" to show the update. Click on "PowerShot SX280 HS Firmware Version 1.0.2.0 [Wi..." (or "PowerShot SX280 HS Firmware Version 1.0.2.0 [Ma..."). After accepting the required disclaimer, download the firmware update to your computer. Once you've downloaded the "pssx280hs-v1020-win (or mac)" firmware update, you may open the folder by double clicking it. You'll find detailed instructions for updating the firmware in the "update-procedure-pdf" folder. Double click the "PSSX280HS_Firmware_Update_Procedure_EN" to open it.

Please note: If you're not able to locate the "Firmware Update" menu selection, it means that the camera is not able to detect the firmware update file on the memory card. When installing the firmware update, the "PSSX280HS.FI2" file (not the "pssx280hs-v1020-win" folder must be in the root directory of your freshly formatted memory card. It's important that you follow the update instructions, contained in the "update-procedure-pdf" folder, carefully to avoid damage to the camera. Because of the potential for damage to your camera, Canon will perform the firmware update for your camera, at no charge. Here's how to proceed if you decide to do this: Please mail your camera to the Factory Service Center (FSC) shown below. When shipping your camera, be sure to remove the memory card and batteries.

Please do not to send any accessories or manuals to the FSC. Include your name, email address, physical address, telephone number, and a letter requesting the firmware update. Please remember to pack the camera well to prevent damage during shipment and send it using a service that can track and insure the package. Please send your camera to the following address: Canon Factory Service Center 12022 Canon Blvd Newport News, VA 23606 Upon arrival at the FSC, your camera will be entered into our repair database and assigned a repair number. A technician will visually inspect your camera and advise you of the findings. When the repairs are complete your camera will be shipped back to you via Federal Express. Usually, a warranty repair is completed within approximately five to seven business days of the camera's arrival at the FSC.

If the repair entails something that is not covered by the warranty, a written estimate will be emailed or mailed to the address that you have provided. All repair work will begin once the estimate is approved and payment is made. You can decline the repair if you wish by notifying the FSC and the camera will be returned to you. Please let us know if we can be of any further assistance with your PowerShot SX280 HS. Thank you for choosing Canon.

[ruko]

More info from Canon:

Canon has released a firmware update for the PowerShot SX280 HS. Affected Product PowerShot SX280 HS Details Firmware Version 1.0.2.0 incorporates the following fixes and improvements:

() 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 Version1.0.1.0 through a reduction in the power consumption of the optical zoom. *Time under default camera settings, when normal operations are performed, such as shooting, pausing, turning the camera on and off, and zooming. (based on conditions established by Canon). ･Under some shooting conditions, the recording time may be shorter than mentioned above. ･Recording time with a fully charged battery.

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. Firmware Version 1.0.2.0 is for cameras with firmware Version 1.0.1.0 or Version 1.0.0.0. If the camera's firmware is already Version 1.0.2.0, it is not necessary to update the firmware. Please note that, once the camera is updated to the latest version, it cannot be restored to a previous version. How to Identify Cameras that are eligible for the Firmware Update: Please check the serial number on the bottom of the camera.

This firmware update is for products with the following serial numbers. ■Serial number Products whose sixth digit from the left is “2” or less [*****2******] , [*****1******] , [*****0******] Support The new Firmware Version 1.0.2.0 can be downloaded by clicking here. This information is for residents of the United States and Puerto Rico only. If you do not reside in the USA or Puerto Rico, please contact the Canon Customer Support Center in your region. Please register the PowerShot SX280 HS. By registering, we will be able to notify you via email when service updates are available. Thank you, Customer Support Operations Canon U.S.A., Inc

[shalomalee]

Does not work. I updated the firmware when it came out. You can take video but battery still shows dead. Must turn camera off and on again to get battery icon back to normal.

[Davy]

I'm curious now..... did the SX260 the older version  have the same problem, mind you it didn't have the same processor.

How was the battery life in that? No one seem to complain about it, any one ran a comparison?

Dave

[shalomalee]

Have only heard about the problem with the SX280. Great camera, stupid annoying problem. Wish the Canon people would find a fix for it.

[flyingski]

The 260 takes great video and has good battery life, just like the 230 and 240 before it.   

[dswansonil]

I believe this is the same response they have been mailing out since they announced the firmware update months ago.  If you read back through this thread, you'll see that the change was cosmetic in most people's eyes and didn't really improve the situation with the battery life and its mispresentation by the warning light for video.  Most of us that truly wanted a strong video performance have moved on to other cameras.

[ruko]

I'm sure for some of us "moving on" is not a viable option. The only thing I truly wanted from this camera was 20x optical, GPS logging and the WiFi feature. Excellent video I get from my dedicated HD video camera. Of course it's nice to have good video from a P&S but not necessary. The video I have taken with this camera is, however, very acceptable in my opinion. I'm going to try the update and if it works or doesn't work I will post.

[Sktr]

This is the answer to all .... but it is not a solution !!! The camera still have a problem ...

[byronbay]

Everyone has the same problem with the SX280 Camera, even with the latest firmware. The camera still crashes when you zoom in video mode and the battery warning light is always flashing.
In Japanese culture, it is difficult to admit that they are not able to fix a bug in the firmware so we are all stuck with one of these cameras that doesn't work as expected until you can afford to replace it with a better brand. I will be reading the reviews to check for firmware bugs before my next camera purchase.