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.

[MarioV]

Thanks for this bkoldys.

Annoying, but at least you can take a decent amount of video.  My 280 could only take about 6 mins of video before shutting itself down.

I can put up with the blinking if I know I can get at least 20+ minutes of 1080p60 video initially..  assuming the video quality and photo quality is very good.  The only sample I've seen which shows good image quality is the one from Canon's site:

http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/digital_cameras/powershot_sx700_hs#SampleIma...

For those who are wondering about the Sonys: Great battery life and very good video quality.  But image quality is a bit hit and miss with its noisy sensor and overcrowding of pixels.

The other camera up for consideration is the Panasonic TZ60/ZS40.

bkoldys, if you are able to upload photos and videos somewhere, that would be very much appreciated.

Thanks,

Mario

[iamgeorge]

@bkoldys

Thanks for the post on the SX700. I suspect the digic6 and or the motor are power hogs and this is why you see the low battery indication when in video mode. IMHO, 40 minutes of video on a pocket cam is not bad if you get decent pictures and movies. Buy a couple of after market batteries for $15 and you are good for a whole day of shooting.

Can you please check to see if the camera is continuously focusing in video mode even when you are not recording.

btw, how is the video quality in 60fps - this is one of the reasons I want this camera 🙂

I had the SX40 which we took on a 3 week trip and I do remember shooting at least 15-20 minutes of video & ~150 pictures everyday.  The battery would be down to 1 bar or flashing by the end of the day.

I have the SX50 now and I have taken a single 20 minute video with some zooming and the battery level was still showing full. I use a Vivitar 1200mah aftermarket battery.

Both the SX40 and SX50 have the digic5. If the problem is in the digic6 processor, then they must have fixed it on the SX700 and from JKS3's experience, I wonder if they released an updated version of the SX280.

[dswansonil]

Where are you seeing Laings updates?

[pawl]

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@dswansonil wrote:

Where are you seeing Laings updates?

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https://plus.google.com/u/0/103519655975029093996/posts/NkuewnzCRKV?cfem=1

[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.