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.

[dswansonil]

Is anybody from Canon still listening? 

If Canon is not going to make any additional improvements in the power draw/battery life or the low battery warning accuracy, how about publishing some advice on what settings to use to maximize battery life for video recording particularly for HD.  (i.e. Suggesting one shoot SD is not a rational answer and ECO doesn't work in video mode.)

[dswansonil]

On the other side of the coin, has anyone gotten a replacement (ZS30, HX50V, etc.) that works well for HD video with decent battery life?

[pawl]

Ever since UnionStation and videophan left, this place has been like a ghost town (cut to tumbleweeds rolling across a wide, empty dirt road and shutters, half-hanging, swinging in the wind).

I'm still hanging around for the stagecoach to bring my repaired camera, soze I can see fur meeself. They only deliver here once a fortnight seems....no sign....back to the saloon.

[scupking]

Dswansoni, I ordered a ZS30 I will let you know when I get it in...

[RCJ]

Hey Pawl, I'm still interested in your repair! I've done more shooting with my camera and have asked myself: If I picked this up today, without knowing any of what's gone on, would I be satisfied with it? I had to say yes, although others might not. BTW I appealed to B&H to waive their 30 day return window on this camera, for store credit. They ultimately said OK, which is a credit to them. But at this point I think I might just keep mine. There's nothing else out there in the same class for about the same price that doesn't have some small thing I don't like. 

[pawl]

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@RCJ wrote:

Hey Pawl, I'm still interested in your repair! I've done more shooting with my camera and have asked myself: If I picked this up today, without knowing any of what's gone on, would I be satisfied with it? I had to say yes, although others might not. BTW I appealed to B&H to waive their 30 day return window on this camera, for store credit. They ultimately said OK, which is a credit to them. But at this point I think I might just keep mine. There's nothing else out there in the same class for about the same price that doesn't have some small thing I don't like. 

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I suspect I'll be okay with it (until I'm not?), but will report my findings here. I'm just a casual photographer, so I may not have as rigorous a testing as others, but will try to keep track of what I do to test the update. I chose the repair over doing it myself because it was already set up to send in, I didn't need the camera right away, and I figured, let Canon spend the time dealing with it (the update did not seem as easy to me as many other firmware updates on other electronics I have had). 

Regarding B&H, mine was about 30 days past the 30 day window. I understand that they're more flexible when it's within a week or even two. (How far past the window were you when you asked them?)

[mcasale16]

I contacted Canon thru email- indicating that the situation had improved- but that there is still an issue- they said SEND THE CAMERA BACK- well that is NOT going to happen- I will be interested to hear how your camera turns out!

[bkoldys]

My suspicion is that this is not resolvable through firmware, that this is a basic hardware issue. I am concerned that if even a small portion indicate satisfaction with the firmware fix, then Canon will figure they cut their losses and move on. If firmware cannot fix the cameras, then they should be recalled. Not holding my breath. I was able to shoot nearly three times the time with the sx260HS, and that was at a similar video resolution.

[dswansonil]

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@bkoldys wrote:

My suspicion is that this is not resolvable through firmware, that this is a basic hardware issue. I am concerned that if even a small portion indicate satisfaction with the firmware fix, then Canon will figure they cut their losses and move on. If firmware cannot fix the cameras, then they should be recalled. Not holding my breath. I was able to shoot nearly three times the time with the sx260HS, and that was at a similar video resolution.

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Check the specs.  The 280 captures 1080p MP4 movies at 60fps or 30fps whereas the SX260's videos were only MOV format and maxed out at 24fps.  While 24 or 30 fps HD is good, the 60fps is better at capturing action like sports. 

[RCJ]

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@bkoldys wrote:

My suspicion is that this is not resolvable through firmware, that this is a basic hardware issue. I am concerned that if even a small portion indicate satisfaction with the firmware fix, then Canon will figure they cut their losses and move on. If firmware cannot fix the cameras, then they should be recalled. Not holding my breath. I was able to shoot nearly three times the time with the sx260HS, and that was at a similar video resolution.

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My guess is that there might be more small refinement in the future. But I wouldn't be betting on that, and certainly NOT on a wholesale improvement in battery life for video, ever, for this camera. It's simply underpowered for long-term video use. At the risk of repeating myself, anyone expecting to shoot hours of HD video with any pocketable p/s camera would be better off investing in a video camera engineered for that sort of battery drain as its primary purpose. As to the 260 vs. 280: I never owned the 260, but clearly the video and processor circuitry for the new camera and its 60fps is substantially more power hungry.