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.

[bkoldys]

Ok long suffering sx280 owners got a sx700hs from a friend in Japan. In hand Charging up the battery to full and then we will test the video performance. Even though the number sequence is not sequential, I am guessing the sx700 hs as the successor to the 280hs. Perhaps they changed the number sequence to distance themselves from that 280 disaster. will let you know how she goes shortly.

[UnionStation]

My sincere apologies, bkoldys, you are correct. The SX700 appears to be exactly what you said - a successor to the SX280. Perhaps more accurately, and attempt to fix a broken camera without admitting any fault, apologizing to customers, or replacing the sx280s that loyal customers kept in hopes of a magical firmware update. Perusing the specs, it seems that the SX700 is an even bigger version of the already chunky SX280, with a slightly higher powered battery. We all look forward to your report, but I will have a hard time ever again giving my hard-earned money to Canon after this debacle.

[Balb0wa]

He said sx700hs !!! not the 270hs, sx700hs is the new model with 30x zoom

http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Product_Finder/Cameras/Digital_Camera/PowerShot/powershot_sx700_hs/

[loveAZ]

they read everything you guys post...

http://forums.usa.canon.com/t5/PowerShot/Happy-birthday-with-the-SX270/td-p/72946

[bkoldys]

I believe that previous posts had determined that the 270 had the same battery flaw as the 280.

I will be testing the S700HS. I want to make sure the battery is a full charge before trying out the video.

[bkoldys]

Well here is a first non scientific results from my SX700 test. This was mostly focused on video, with some pics and zooming thrown in between video clips. If you are not a fan of the blinking red light, you might be disappointed. I was able to shoot about 27 minutes of video, in increments of 5, 5.5, 11.0 (stopped to see battery indicator which was at 1/2). After another 6.5 minutes your favorite blinking battery returned. I stopped recording and turned on the camera again, showing a FULL charge, just like on the SX280. The blinking battery stayed blinking for about another 11 minutes which included some zooming. At the end of this it seems that I got about 42 minutes of video, having to insert another card . I was shooting at the highest 60p video setting.

I will run a few more tests to see if the data parallels what I have here, but first impression is that the battery life is significantly better better better. I just dont understand the blinking battery, as with my 280sx the blinking would not give me 17 additional minutes. When the battery gave up the ghost on video, I restarted the camera in picture mode and the battery DID show depletion.

So charging the battery and trying to replicate the data I have so far. Non scientific but a real world test would indicate sigificant improvement. I wonder if the blinking battery on video now somehow indicates the amount of power left in video mode, while changing it to picture mode, the battery shows full power indicating adequate charge. HMMMMMM

[peterdev]

@bkoldys

Thanks for going to the trouble of finding an sx700 and reporting on its performance - I personally really appreciate it.

I have just a few days left to send the sx280 back so anxiously await your further tests.

One non-defect related question - what is the size of the sx700 in relation to the sx280?

From the past few posts it is clear that Canon is perfectly aware of this defect, and believes that their Brand Image is strong enough to withstand a defective product in the market.

So this product today is the best it is ever going to be - and those of us fortunate enough to still have the opportunity to return the product need to decide whether it works well enough to keep it.

I wish I could post picture here - its performance on stills is excellent.......

[bradmoss]

just curious, what's the wattage (mAh) for the battery the new camera uses? Better could you please take note of the batery model?

[Davy]

SX700 uses a NB6-LH rated at 1060 mA/Hr.

See the review near the bottom. http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/canon-sx700/canon-sx700A.HTM   

Thought they may have fitted a outboard motorcycle battery...!

I won't be rushing out and grabbing one, right now I'm wondering what Panasonic and Sony will bring out.  I'm wondering if the SX700 will be a slow starter after this fiasco.

Dave

[loveAZ]

So this new CANON SX700  does not  even come close to the SONY  HX50V with 30X  zoom (  I exchanged the defective CANON  280 for the SONY).  Ans SONY's battery keeps on going.  
Here is another comparison
http://snapsort.com/compare/Canon-PowerShot-SX700-HS-vs-Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX50V

It was nice to see this morning the CANON people finally replying to the poor guy fromGFermany who just found out how deffective these CANONs are.
http://forums.usa.canon.com/t5/PowerShot/Happy-birthday-with-the-SX270/td-p/72946