PowerShot SX280 HS
2.5
5
11
11
battery issue recording video
Pros:
1. Camera and controls are very easy to use, but my opinion may be influenced by the fact that I have owned two previous Canon Powershot cameras.
2. Camera takes adequate-good still shots in auto mode. The camera, however, takes much better pictures in manual mode and was a little surprised by how much difference there often is in quality.
3. Short videos are good quality recorded at 1920x1080 60p…more below.
4. Image Stabilization is surprisingly good at this price point both for stills and video.
Cons:
1. Camera ergonomics are not so good. The natural position for the left hand tends to block the pop-up flash when needed and often the camera has to be turned off and restarted to get the flash to extend to its normal position. I have found an alternate position for my left hand which isn’t as natural to me, but don’t always remember to use it. It is very difficult to remove the battery/memory card cover without activating the on-off button. I can place my index finger behind the on/off button toward the back and slide the cover, but the pressure points are not aligned vertically and the camera tends to want to rotate while applying pressure.
2. Battery level indicator indicates movie mode saps the battery very quickly. I have started with a fully charged battery, shot 3-5 minutes of video, and the red flashing low battery level indicator appears. If the camera is turned off and back on again, then one of the still mode options are chosen, the battery level indicator indicates a full charge. If you switch to movie mode, low battery level indicator is flashing. Much more video can be shot with the low level indicator flashing but it is very distracting to try to frame videos with the red flashing indicator for the next 15-20 minutes. If you use the zoom a lot during video, recording times are much less. It is not clear whether the issue is the camera misinterpreting battery level, the battery actually being depleted quickly by heavy demand, or a combination of the two.
3. Lens zoom is not exactly quiet. You can hear the lens moving while recording video if you use the zoom feature.
May 20, 2013
Battery in Movie mode is horrendous
The SX280 is a wonderful camera for still photos. The auto settings and focus are excellent. I am bringing this camera back though due to the scarily short battery life in movie mode. The red battery icon with one bar comes up within minutes of shooting on a full battery. I have tried two new cameras out of the box in the past week and both had the same exact issue. Shame for such a good camera otherwise. Hopefully this will be corrected down the road but for now I'm returning this camera.
May 13, 2013
Excellent but no recomendation
I am keeping the SX280 despite several short comings and difficulties using all the features. I feel the camera's image quality, versatility, and value / price point are all in line with it's competition. I'm so impressed with the low light capability and zoom range I don't want to let it go despite how annoying it can be to operate. I feel this camera is not for the laymen but better reserved for an advanced Amateur who has patience.
I looked extensively online before deciding on this Canon. I have a 5Dmkiii for anything serious but wanted something light, versatile, and capable of full manual controls. I was also interested in something good in low light. All of these things the SX280 does excellent. My angst and reason for not providing a recommendation is there are less expensive compact cameras in Canon's line up that can do what this camera does if you're not interested in the wi-fi and gps features. So far my ability to access the camera via my smart phone is a no-go. Also the GPS settings are so cumbersome to use I just can't imagine a lay person figuring this out. GPS tracking would be great but it stays on and upon powering down there is no prompt to turn it off so you're either removing the battery or fiddling with the confounded menus to turn it off - all the while hoping you remember how to re-enable it later. Perhaps when a future Firmware comes out but as of this writing, fm v. 1.0.0.0 is all that's available.
As far as shortcomings I believe the camera is needlessly weighty and grip is non existent. I feel like I handle it with kit gloves as I'm so afraid to drop it. I use the wrist strap at all times and when handing the camera over I feel it necessary to slide the wrist strap on the person using it. Also, the buttons require a considerable amount of force to operate considering their size. One time I was attempting to operate the camera with one hand and tried pushing a button to move from adjusting the shutter to aperture, when I did this I pushed the camera right out of my grip - lucky for the wrist strap. Considering I'm a medium sized man I am frequently pressing more then one button.
For impromptu portraits or candids fiddling with the controls to adjust for exposure or flash settings is a disaster and by the time you get it set the subject has moved on or become annoyed.
I have not had problems with the battery life as others have stated but I don't use it for video and as of now have yet to set up the wi-fi.
May 10, 2013
Just reporting the limitations
I have been using the PowerShot pocket cameras since the SX210 (skipped the SX230). Picture quality of the SX280 is excellent but as other reviewers have reported, battery life shooting video (even 30fps video) is less than good.
I was hoping this camera would be the perfect substitute for a video minicam but I was sorely disappointed.
Limitations:
1) As with the SX260, motor noise while zooming during video shooting is noticeable in non-noisy environments. Other manufacturers have conquered this limitation. Wish Canon had figured it out in this iteration of the SX series...
2) The pop-up flash is still very annoyingly placed in upper-top-left of the camera. Canon recommends a cumbersome, non-natural style of holding the camera, otherwise the operator's fingers regularly block the pop-up action. Would be much better to move the GPS antenna and place the pop-up flash above (or nearer to) the lens me thinks. Better yet, integrate the flash into the body of the camera so that it does not pop-up at all.
3) Apparently still lacking variable speed zoom when shooting video. I *think* it might be there but it is *very* touchy and nearly impossible to employ. Would ideally like to see a wide-range of zoom speed options with a nearly inaudible zoom motor...
4) Wind noise is still a factor in all but the lightest wind conditions.
Other annoyances: If it is possible to manually set the focus while shooting video, I have yet to find a way. The camera failed miserably at maintaining focus on a tour guide when other people were standing in front of me while in Auto mode. I also noticed that focus on features in a ceiling (bullet holes actually) while shooting video was not perfect in dim lighting conditions. Lastly, turning on "GPS logging" makes shutting down of camera very slow (requiring several seconds instead of being nearly instantaneous).
May 9, 2013