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.

[loveAZ]

If the battery were not up to par or the camera could not use it I would had returned on the spot. But it lasts as expected.
Also if you can point me to a better camera.. I  just cannot own a camera that has a longer battery and the picture is not as good - can you?

Here is a youtube video with an interesting idea of why this is happening to the indicator ( just in case someone has not seen it)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLRAFok3jfc

[dswansonil]

The youtube video adds nothing to the information on the battery's performance and the speculation on the cause that previously appeared on this forum which you said you had read.  I tend to agree with UnionStation that you are probably a die hard Canon owner and, as you say, are focused on picture quality.  As with many other users, the severity of the battery issue is dependent on how important the video capability is.  While the SX280 may meet your needs, for many of us, it is not worth even the reduced price you bought it at.  Maybe you should consider why the price has been discounted so low and why Canon never advertised it in their Holiday sales ads.

[Gus]

Absolutely agree... in fact if Canon would give me the reduced price you bought yours at I would take it in a heartbeat.

My poor daughter is constantly charging extra batteries and having this piece of crud die on her as she is out 'just having fun'

Excuse me if I do not believe your story of constantly zooming and getting 25 minutes then shutting it down and getting another 10 minutes... your phrase "lasts as expected" is very close to Canons official explanation after their 'firmware update'

Guy I know works at best buy and he told me the 280's are already being returned from Christmas... Same story, shutting down.

And PS...   I own the SX50 and the photos from the SX280 are filled with NR artifacts at anything above base ISO... Shoot ISO 400/800  and tell me of the good images at anything other than Facebook sized photos

If anyone is still considering this camera after all these threads...  GET THE SX260

[ruko]

I have lots of Canon stuff in my home at present. When these things need replacement I will not consider Canon. This SX280 thing has soured me on thinking Canon really cares about their customers.

[loveAZ]

Covering the middle pin with clear tape RESOLVED the issue with camera shutting off when zooming - Battery was at 3/4 or less at that point when I covered the pin.  Camera then continued recording for  I would say  25 minutes with repeated zooms in and out. I was thrilled!   Of course you do not get the indicator so you do not know how much juice you have left until you uncover the middle pin.  Once it shut down,  I turned it back on and continued recording for 3 more minutes even with zooming.

I was surprised to see that some pics I took yesterday,  and looked good in the camera,  did not come out all that clear  I will test some more but if the pics do not come out great I will return it. It is all about the picture quality after all.  Thanks for reading.

[UnionStation]

I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm not comfortable guessing how much battery life I might have left. As for the photo quality, I've seen the reviews, and I know some people here have disagreed with me, but I was REALLY underwhelmed with the picture quality of this camera. I used to be a Canon fan, and really believed for a bit that I had accidentally changed the ISO. Canon has given up on this camera. I can't imagine why anyone here would defend it.

[bradmoss]

My firmware version is 1-14.0.1.0 after updated it to 1.0.2.0 from 1.0.1.0.

1-14.0.1.0 doesn't appear even to be a firmware version any idea what 1-14.0.1.0 is??

[loveAZ]

Mine came with that 1-14.0.1.0.   I wanted to keep this camera reading all the good stuff but the picture quality is not there( took more than 500 pics and tried all kinds of settings).
The issue with the video ( you need to cover the middle metal pin ( battery) - fix that worked for me),  the fact that only has 12 MP resolution ( the new one coming in March has  16MP like most cameras thses days),  the fact that you cannot charge via USB like the rest, and the average  ( some times below average)  quality of the pictures,,  forced me to send it back.   At the end I have to agree with most here,  it should be recalled and the people that wrote about the great pictures it takes must be expert photographers  or got lucky  🙂  This was my 3rd CANON, 
Goodbye CANON....

[bkoldys]

The SX260 HS is really close to the 280, got an almost brand new one on ebay for 150

[karamgh]

i have the same issue with shooting video but now its also when i use the zoom with normal photo capture, sorry to say but this model is a complete fail and a waste of money.