hi i have a canon mv70 it has very little use but it will no longer record it will play back previous recordings ok when you put it in to record mode the camara does everything ok but the screen is blank apart from the recording info also the veiw finder is dark can anyone help
I don't know you - so have to ask an obvious question-
Is the iris/aperture closed down - perhaps because it is in manual mode.
Look into the lens in good light - you should be able to see the iris - is it open.
If in auto mode and you move from bright to dark place you may see it open/close a bit.
Probably not the viewfinder at fault as info is appearing in it.
Is there a viewfinder brightness control on it which is turned down?
Perhaps somewhere in the menu.
I assume it has outputs to TV etc.
Try connecting it to TV while in record mode to see if you get same black picture other than recording text/info.
IF yo try record something, rewind and then play it back, does it play a blank screen, show time code?
I had the same problem with mine and took it to a specialist to see what was wrong with it. He couldn't diagnose what the matter was so i'm stumped! Would love to hear from more members on this issue.
try taking the lens cap off!
seriously though, have you tried putting a head cleaner through it? I once had an old MV630i and it had loads of hours racked up. It stopped working properly - distorted recording/playback and putting a head cleaner through it a couple of times didn't work. I left it 6 months put a head cleaner through it, played and then recorded a whole tape through it uninterrupted and by some stroke of luck, it now works again. If its had very little use but you've had it a while, try it for nothing and put the controls on full auto - there's a little switch behind the pull out lcd with a 'P' - toggle it until the 'A' shows on the lcd and also check that the 'tape/card' switch on the right of the cam next to the power switch is set to tape not card.
don't believe it but mine's just done the same - plays back ok but just records black although audio is still there.
Sony CCD fault affected Canon cameras (and others).
Hmm... I wonder if Canon UK will honour this, three years down the line. Not holding my breath but I'm gonna ring 'em up tomorrow and will report back - worth it for the price of a phone call!
Thanks for that Gavin.