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.

[videophan]

Yes it does, but just make sure your battery is fully charged. It takes about 3 minutes of power for the firmware update.

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@filipb wrote:

From the requirements:

5. A fully-charged, dedicated battery pack in the camera or a dedicated AC adapter kit

Does that actually exist for this model, an AC adapter kit?

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[filipb]

videophan, that sounds disapointing your first test - and when switching off again full battery as before?

[completelocks]

I have my battery on charge.... another 2 hours and i would be on my way to buy the nikon !!

Saved by the firmware.... Just hope it works.. no, REALLY hope it works. I love the camera

[videophan]

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@filipb wrote:

videophan, that sounds disapointing your first test - and when switching off again full battery as before?

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Yes, full battery indication when I switch back on to any mode but movie mode. I will say that if I zoom in a mode other than video mode, I lose one bar from the battery level indicator so the battery I guess is not fully charged but close enough the battery level indicator reports as full in modes other than video mode.

[Stephen]

Hi everyone,
We have another important update on this topic. A firmware update for the PowerShot SX280 HS has just been released. The new firmware offers movie shooting performance enhancements as well as a resolution for the premature display of the low battery level when shooting in movie mode.

To learn more and download the firmware update, click here. 

[filipb]

videophan, switching back to any non-video mode AFTER power cycling I presume?  If no power cycle would be needed, that would be an improvement.  If not, that sounds like the same as before - weird!

[tzm]

Just did it using the Macintosh Firmware updater. Very easy to do. Seems to be working. No flashing battery indicator.  So far recording for 13 minutes, zooming in and out.

Thanks Canon!

(update - Recorded for 23 minutes before started to get flashing battery. Then it shut off when it reached its recording maximum. Took a few picutres then recorded another 13 minutes and then it shut off saying battery needs to be charged. Works for me!)

[videophan]

Here is what I have found with some further testing: I still am using a battery that has some drain. After taking a few stills and recording a movie of less than one minute duration, when I turn the camera on in M mode, battery indicates a full charge. If I zoom, I lose a bar on the batterty level indicator. I turn the camera back off and on again. Battery level indication is full. I go to movie mode and get the flashing red low batterry level indication. I zoom twice and the camera shuts down with a "recharge the battery" indication. I switch to M mode and turn the camera back on...battery level indicator indicates full battery. I just don't think this should be happening. Also, I checked and Camera Window is reporting firmware version 1.0.2.0.

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@Stephen wrote:

Hi everyone,
We have another important update on this topic. A firmware update for the PowerShot SX280 HS has just been released. The new firmware offers movie shooting performance enhancements as well as a resolution for the premature display of the low battery level when shooting in movie mode.

To learn more and download the firmware update, click here. 

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[filipb]

So yes, why not using the camera software on computer for doing the update, indeed?

[videophan]

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@filipb wrote:

videophan, switching back to any non-video mode AFTER power cycling I presume?  If no power cycle would be needed, that would be an improvement.  If not, that sounds like the same as before - weird!

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No, power cycle required to restore battery indicator to full. All of this, of course, is being done with a battery that does not have a full charge.