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.

[iamgeorge]

@yoron

I noticed a couple of finer details from your post that I missed on the first pass.

1. You are using a high speed card (45 MB/s). I recall another poster using a similar Sansisk card and reporting a good user experience from the battery life perspective.

2. What was your video setting to get the 4GB file in 30 minutes of shooting - were you capturing at 60fps.

With my Pana, I did about 14 minutes of video with some zooming and the battery still shows 100%.

On the battery heating up, this is an issue with Li-po batteries I have seen it under heavy load. I use Li-po RC batteries to replace the nicad on my older tools and I had an instances where the connector burnt on an extended use.  I suspect the Digic6 is a power hog and that account for all the battery issues. I have the SX50 and no problems with it.

btw, you should check out the reviews on the SX700. The battery life is similar to the SX280 BUT they have improved the feedback mechanism.

[yoron]

What I'm doing now is to test my cheap 32 GB sd (from my 'platta' as we call it in Sweden) or tablet in English. This thread made me wonder about whether I could get out more use of a faster read and write but in smaller chunks for some types of photographing, especially the one where the camera first make a short movie (if I got it correct?) to then make that still, to show the subject as he/she really might be before they start to 'pose' ..Never thought of that one, but it seems possible that we all do so?

And thanks guys, was feeling like I'd gotten into the wrong place for a moment. The price I paid was 1990 kr, for this little engineering marvel. And to me it beats whatever camera systems I ever used before. I know there should be better stuff out there now, but I'm tired of bulky equipment. if I see that lovely maiden as I'm out wandering I think I would want that photo 'now', not in three minutes of frantically assembling the 'correct equipment' for making that perfect shoot. We all know how hard it is to capture those shy animals in the wild, ahem...

Ridiculous at my age, naturally.  On the other tentacle, don't we all live on hope?

Here's the thread on SD cards I liked. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=14456360&postcount=42 The guys there are experimenters, and I enjoy reading them.

As for the questions iamgeorge

1. Well, could be? But I hope not, as I want to use it as a camera firstly, I'm looking at my sandisk 32 GB (class 4) now testing it out, and that will take some time for me as I mostly goes on if it feels better in the long run. So far this class 4 card seem to be the same as the class 10 when it comes to video taking. Meaning that I haven't tested the time fully out yet 🙂 But I won't use that highest setting anyway, I think? Can't see a reason for it, except maybe to show of my new bike, eh, if I could afford one, that is 🙂

2. Yep, the highest settings you can get, and I totally missed it growing so fast.. That's why I first referred to that one, as I prematurely associated the big file size with the time taken later at 30. Don't remember if the camera closed down after making those 4 GB on 60. but I think it did? And if that is the case then I guess it has to do with limitations of file size I read someone write about when it comes to Canon movies?

Maybe???

Or heat too? As it got really warm there? Anyone that have tried it with better batteries?

Like 1400 or 1600? Seems both types exist but not here in Sweden.

==

Using NoScript here, and forgot to 'allow' all of this page, that's why the 'edit'..

And starting to hate those smileys I keep using here too

🙂

====

Ok IAG, reading you "With my Pana, I did about 14 minutes of video with some zooming and the battery still shows 100%." I'm going to take some wild guesses here.

I think a partial answer is that the new processor on the SX isn't optimized for videos at all, and also that it is because of that we see the batteries getting so hot on those cameras. The developers got carried away by its newfangled possibilites I think, and I suspect it to be a really good processor.

They thought it fast enough, and it probably is, but didn't count on heat, as the processor got 'carried away' by the videos demands. Heat can do some really weird things to IC (intergrated circuits) equipment, damaging it so that you get intermentent errors 'for ever' if you're unlucky.

That's why I really would like someone having those new batteries I've read about, testing the video, and how hot it becomes. For me half an hour of video is good enough, but for a really good concert I might want to shoot more? Not that I do a lot of concerts but, who knows? I think you made a fine choice if it's videos you primarily want from your camera. But I also think this one have real capabilities there, with a correct battery for its power consumption. And naturally , a more adapted software? Otherwise it might be a hardware problem, not neccesarily the processor though, but, I can live with that, and still want to know if a better battery gives you a better video time, and less heat?

==

'optimized' here meaning that the code controlling the processor might be slightly slower/bulkier than it need to be? Maybe taking updates in real time adapting them as it is faster? Then you have the zoom added to that. I don't really care for video myself, half an hour seems ok to me, although I definitely would prefer less heat when using it.

==

Maybe that is what the update is about, making a slimmer faster code, without so many 'real time' updates involved? But that is only the processor, then we have this fast zoom. Making it that fast crave some power consumption. In fact, most of this camera reminds me of a porsche carrera. Everything reacting 'instantly'. And then there is the placement of the processor, relative what heat generated by the battery, etc etc. It's small, and we all want it small those days, don't we?

It's perfect, so far, for my own needs, that doesn't state that it is a perfect cam recorder though 🙂

[UnionStation]

Buyer beware. This camera was, is, and will always be a lemon. There is no fix for the sx280 and its problems, and no excuse for the way Canon has ignored consumers throughout this debacle.

[QualityPictures]

I will always hesitate to buy another Canon product, after the way Canon has just ignored this video problem.

[yoron]

So you lost all your money, and now you sit there, staring at a camera you don't want?

Or you got it solved for you?

Don't trust Cannons products, stop buying them.

I knew about this before I bought it, and I made up my mind while testing it.

I'm gonna keep it.

[UnionStation]

Interesting that someone would show up so late in the game to sing Canon's praises. This 119-page thread is about a problem that Canon tried but was unable to fix, and the few diehard Canon defenders here were mostly forced to concede that the sx280's problems were unfixable. The problem, for the record, is the unpredictability of the battery. You might get nice pics and several minutes of video, but you never quite know when the camera is going to die on you. Is anyone such a fan of the Canon brand that you're willing to risk losing that once-in-a-lifetime moment when your camera shuts down?

[yoron]

Naah, what is interesting here is that some folks try their hardest to produce 119 pages of whining. If it was so that one had bought this camera, hated it because one lost the ability to constantly know your battery's life length, as this, and making '20 GB' one hour movies in 60 bps was ones expectation of it? And then when you tried to exchange it furthermore got rudely refused?

Sure, I would feel for you, even if I didn't agree with your expectations.

But that doesn't seem to be the problem here. Most of the folks being disappointed seem to have solved it, one way or another? And as I look to what I want, not what others want, that battery-meter problem may be solved through some later fix, or it may not? Doesn't really matter, I want this camera anyway. I'm having a lot of fun with it, battery meter or not. And it does produce videos, although I definitely will avoid 60 bps movies myself. Both for the battery not being dimensioned for it, creating too much heat for my taste, as well as for the file size growing all too big, too fast, even for a 32 Gb SD card.

Otherwise?

I like it.

==

That 'unpredictability' you refer to hasn't showed up yet, and as the number on this one is '2', then according to the thread I should update it. But as long as I find it predictable in its behavior I decided to wait. Would it be so that it started to die, while photographing, I definitely would reconsider though.

But as it is it seems to 'die' only when the battery gets exhausted, making videos, and as it tries too hard to please the processors and zooms demands. When I took those movies I made sure to constantly move the zoom, as that seemed to be a major problem. Doubt I ever will zoom that much filming a event. And please, stop assuming that because I enjoy, and so are prepared to defend, this camera I also must be some 'Canon affiliate'.

It embarrasses us both, and makes me grouchy.

[Bluestar48]

Yoron wrote: "But that doesn't seem to be the problem here. Most of the folks being disappointed seem to have solved it"

 Really? Look  if you want that camera badly, no argument from me, but coming here to say that " Most of the folks being disappointed seem to have solved it"  it's kind of saying the world is flat.

Yoron wrote: "one way or another? And as I look to what I want, not what others want, that battery-meter problem may be solved through some later fix, or it may not"

Sorry mate, this is delusionnal thinking, Canon has already forgotten that lemon, they have moved on, you are the only one who seems unable to move on.  Anyway good luck. 

[yoron]

Don't agree Mr Blue. I came to see if there was more people like me that enjoyed this camera, and I still think there are. But as this primarily seem to be a thread about being abandoned by Canon, I guess they move to other places. As for telling me that those buying one, finding it worthless for their purposes, not having that matter solved is a surprise? I know I could solve it if I ever get the kinds of problems that would make me consider such a move. Anyway, it doesn't really matter, as I'm happy with it anyway.

As for me caring for that meter? Did you really read me there? I stated that I didn't care, any which way, solving it or not. And that really tickles some the wrong way, doesn't it? Everything I've used it for has worked, I agree that the battery is not good enough for its capabilities, but there are other third party batteries out there. And as I didn't buy it as a camcorder, but as a camera with the possibility of taking a video in HD I'm quite satisfied.

==

Another thing?

You state that 'Canon has already moved along', This camera came out last year, so what you're suggesting is to me then the equivalence to a new OS getting discontinued one year after its introduction. Now, if this is how Canon treat customers I would be annoyed too. Not because i deem this battery-meter to be all important for the cameras functions, just because of the principle of taking responsibility for ones products. Although, I would then show it by not buying their products.

[dswansonil]

"This camera came out last year, so what you're suggesting is to me then the equivalence to a new OS getting discontinued one year after its introduction"

A very poor comparison.  The world of point and shoot digital cameras is very much a one year life cycle as each manufacturer moves to the next generation to one up the competitor.  The emphasis is not longevity but new flashy features.  The SX280 is now heavily discounted (~$200 versus the original $379) and soon will be another relic on Canon's digital camera road map.