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.

[UnionStation]

Whether the issue is hardware, firmware or whatever, the main problem for me is that Canon treated us all like chumps. They got their money, and stubbornly refused to even concede the possibility there might be a problem. I'll be honest that I, despite many years of good experiences with good Canon cameras, was not about to wait around for this giant company to figure out what its loyal customers were desperately trying to tell them. I returned my camera and got a Nikon that turned out to be a demonstrably superior product. I've guzzled plenty of Canon KoolAid in my days, but this crappy experience (I had numerous contacts all the way up to the supervisor level) convinced me that Canon was not worthy of my hard-earned cash, just based on the arrogance. But actually having a chance to compare the photo quality turned this experience into a net positive because I ended up with a better camera. And I won't have to wait around for Canon to try to fix a problem the company wouldn't admit - a problem that shouldn't have happened in the first place. All of you people patiently waiting for Canon to make good on a promised firmware fix are exactly the kind of suckers Canon hopes are born every minute.

[UberAugie]

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@UnionStation wrote:

I returned my camera and got a Nikon that turned out to be a demonstrably superior product.

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Just curious, what Nikon model did you end up getting?

Thanks.

[UnionStation]

First, I feel the need to point out that some of us are seeing REAL battery drain - not just some erroneous flashing red light. My camera would shut down and give me the replace battery message. There was no turning it back on, and I've read numerous posts about others having the same issue. Some of you may have a false meter issue that's an inconvenience, but make no mistake that a lot of people are experiencing real battery drain. For those hoping it's a battery issue, I had THREE Canon brand batteries, and they all reacted the same way. For those of you hoping Canon is working on a firmware update, I ask this: How long are you willing to wait for Canon to fix this, and is it really worth the hassle?

For Uberaugie: I got Nikon's Coolpix P330. The lens doesn't zoom as far as the sx280, but it opens up to f/1.8 at the low end. The Nikon also has a larger sensor, and the photos look a lot better. I've had a lot of point and shoots - mostly Canons that served me well until I traded up - but this Nikon is the camera I wish I'd purchased in the first place.

[videophan]

I see that PCMAG gave the SX280 their Editor's Choice Award: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2418689,00.asp

If their comp for the review was the SX280 camera, that is about what the review and award was worth.

[dazzlerbe]

I asked!

Actually I already posted this on 28/05 (its on page 23 in this thread) that my wife's SX270 is having the exact same problem.

The empty battery indicator is flashing when making video, but the battery is not actually empty.

I'm waiting for a statement from canon on a firmware update - I hope we can perform it ourselves.

[ortys90]

So when Canon will release an update in what way can We update the camera? Is there an official software?

[mcasale16]

I mentioned this in a much earlier thread- When I called Canon- they told me that this issue SX280 blinking battery issue is not being considered as a RECALL just an ALERT- therefore they will NOT BE CONTACTING all owners about a repair- but if each owner contacts Canon themselves Canon will help the owner to repair the camera for free...and at this time this repair is ONLY being offered by sending the camera back to Canon- we may not like it- but that is my understanding of the process from talking to a 2nd level technician. Canon has told a few members of this forum that their MAY BE a downloadable fix in the future- but there have been absolutely no promises of when or how. 

[pawl]

I'm sorry, but I'm starting agree with all of the negative comments about Canon. First, when I took the camera out of the box, there was no sd card. Okay, I'm sure I didn't read that there WAS, but c'mon, Canon, why not include a card that would cost you $5 or less on a camera that costs as much as this one. So, insead of being able to use the camera right away, I have to go to the store to buy a card.

Next...well, read the last 40+ pages of this thread.

And now, in order to install the freakin firmware, I have to go and round up a card reader in addition to the card. They go to all this trouble to make a WiFi camera and we have to supply a card reader? One word: FAIL.

Why should I sweat over this on my own...I'm just going to send it in, and if it doesn't function when it comes back, I'll keep sending it in...over.....and over.....and over......

[videophan]

Pawl, no card reader on your laptop/desktop?