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.

[RCJ]

The software that comes with the camera has an obvious firmware upgrade path. Discussed earlier on this thread.

[UnionStation]

There's no guarantee the software can install this firmware. Everyone who's gotten action from Canon to date has been asked to return the camera for repair - with a week or two turnaround time. The fact remains that Canon has yet to answer us with anything other than a weekly "we're workin' on it" message in this forum. And that's only for users in the U.S. Users in the U.K. aren't even getting Canon to admit there's a problem. Anyone who's thinking about buying this camera should learn from our experience, and anyone thinking about returning theirs should realize that we seem to be a lot more interested in solving this problem than Canon seems to be.

[RCJ]

Didn't say there was, and I share all the frustrations I was simply responding to your suggestion that there was no way to do firmware updates, in general, in the camera, when clearly there is. It's also quite possible that Canon has developed some sort of temporary patch that will make the camera work, but don't want to put it out for mass distribution until it's been fully tested.

[UnionStation]

All we know for sure is that this camera has a serious flaw, and that Canon has done precious little to address our frustration. Whether Canon solves the problem today, or never solves it, it's my opinion that Canon has done damage to its brand. I think we all should keep pestering Canon - or just return the cameras - to deliver the loud, clear, united message that we don't appreciate being taken for granted as customers and that we can/will go elsewhere if they release a substandard product and then go radio silent for days (or deny there's a problem, as they're apparently doing in the U.K.). Forgive me if I'm being repetitive, but for those thinking about buying this camera right now, is it really worth the hassle?

[pawl]

UnionStation,

It may be worth your while to feel better simply for sake,of your venting, but I can assure you that "pestering" does zip towards getting Canon to fix this. Canon would have to be the lamest company around to not be working on solving an issue that will (already has) bite into their profits. And Canon is not the lamest company around, they are and have been right up at the top of the heap for consumer electronics. Mistakes? Sure, they make em. Piss of some consumers while making these mistakes? Evidently. But really, can anyone here think that Canon, with the already thousands of posts on this thread, will work any faster from any ongoing nagging? No.

[UnionStation]

I respectfully disagree, pawl. If nothing else, we're doing fellow consumers a favor by alerting them to the ongoing nature of this problem and the uncertainty of a solution. And I sincerely hope this mistake is eating into Canon's profits. We can agree to disagree on this, but I don't think that quietly waiting for a fix and assuming that Canon cares is a good strategy. My investment of $350 gives me the absolute right to raise hell for a substandard product. I tried to deal with Canon, and they dismissed me. From then on, I decided to make my complaints publicly and frequently. I firmly believe that every customer who vents, every customer who returns this lemon of a camera and every customer who refuses to buy one votes in favor of better customer service.

[RCJ]

They have the message, and any consumer who buys one today in spite of 25 pages of posts on here won't be dissuaded by a 26th. Being stuck past a return window, I'm not happy about it, either. But I'm also realistic enough to know that more ranting about whether a major global corporation "cares" about me personlly (hint: No, they don't) is going to make a difference. Maybe you should sue them in small claims court to get your money back.

[myasg]

Sorry guys and gals. The Canon took great pics. No doubt a out it. But the Sony DSC WX300 does just as good an imaging job with a much better battery life at the same price. I have always been a major Canon fan and loved their products and customer service. This is just an unfortunate situation and in the future I will still look at Canon.

[UnionStation]

Actually, this is tailor-made for a class-action suit. And if my "ranting" is bothering you, please forgive me. I want to get the message out that this camera is terrible and that there's no ETA on a fix for a design flaw that Canon acknowledged two weeks ago (and denied weeks before that - and is currently denying now in the U.K., from what davy is reporting). Personally, RCJ, I don't believe you are stuck past a return window. There's a documented flaw with this camera, and reputable retailers will likely work with you to keep your business. Mine did, no questions asked. I got my money back on my first camera, and will be returning the second shortly. And please keep in mind that Canon has clearly been monitoring this forum because this is where they've responded to tell us that they're working on the problem. If you want to go ahead and give Canon a pass on this, feel free. But there are a lot of us here that want Canon to know that we feel burned and want answers.

[RCJ]

Union, if I was giving Canon a "pass" on anything, I wouldn't be wasting my time here. And yes, I could probably persuade B&H to give me my money back. But the fact is I bought the camera primarily to take stills (anyone buying it primarily to take video was bound to be disappointed and should buy a video camera, which would do the job better and for less), which it continues to do without any problem, so I probably will wait for Canon to fix it. I'm tempted to return it anyway, just for the benefit of getting one for a substantially lower price, and hopefully solution to the problem, later on.