Canon ZR85 Problem « Videomaker Community Forums

Robotexual2
Member

Hello,
I am having a problem with my camera. I was recording one day, and then the screen just turned black, but I can still record sound and view pictures, I just can't record any image. And yes, the battery is fully charged. I don't know if this is a lens problem or if I accidently changed something but I've been working on this for a week and I can't find a solution.
Please help!

Posted 5 years ago #
Ken
Member

Well, I'm not familair with that camcorder, but I do have a suggestion for info you could post to help someone troubleshoot:

1. If you close the LCD monitor (fold in up against the camcordr body, with screen facing in), then look through the eyepiece, do you see anything when the camera is on (in camera mode, not playback mode)?
2. If you push whatever button brings up the menu, do you at least see the menu?
3. If you fold out the LCD monitor (as if you were going to use it), but keep looking through the eyepiece, do you see anything?
4. With the LCD monitor folded out, can you at least display the menu on the LCD monitor?
5. Any of the above steps show anything while the camcorder is in playback mode?

Good luck! :)
Ken Hull

Posted 5 years ago #
cfulton
Member

Another few things that you'll need to know:
-Can you still eject the tape?
-Do you still get the usual little sounds when you turn on the camcorder?
-Does anything change if you use the AC adapter as the power source?

Posted 5 years ago #
Robotexual2
Member

Ken Wrote:
Well, I'm not familair with that camcorder, but I do have a suggestion for info you could post to help someone troubleshoot:

1. If you close the LCD monitor (fold in up against the camcordr body, with screen facing in), then look through the eyepiece, do you see anything when the camera is on (in camera mode, not playback mode)?
2. If you push whatever button brings up the menu, do you at least see the menu?
3. If you fold out the LCD monitor (as if you were going to use it), but keep looking through the eyepiece, do you see anything?
4. With the LCD monitor folded out, can you at least display the menu on the LCD monitor?
5. Any of the above steps show anything while the camcorder is in playback mode?

Good luck! :)
Ken Hull

Sure :)
1. Nothing, just the display menu, and the LCD monitor and the eyepiece both show the display menu in the corners, but the screen is not completely black, it looks like the black and white flickering on T.V. when you can't go to a channel (or what some people call "popcorn")
2. Yes
3. No, because you can't use the eye peice and LCD at the same time, but if you meant opening it a little bit and checking the eyepieice, no, it's still the same.
4. Yes
5. I can still hear the sound, but I can't see the recordings i've made.

-Can you still eject the tape? - Yes
-Do you still get the usual little sounds when you turn on the camcorder? - Yes
-Does anything change if you use the AC adapter as the power source? - No, everything is the same.

Posted 5 years ago #
Ken
Member

Let me add 3 more questions I should have thought of before:

6. If you put in a tape that you had already successfully recorded on before, and try to play it in the camera, do you see the images then? (I think you already indicated YES, but just want to make sure.)
7. If you put in a fresh tape (never used before), and try to record something, rewind, and then upload to your computer by firewire, do you get anything on the computer? (Good video file? File with just static? File with just black? No file at all?)
8. Is there any place in the menus to select where the video comes from? (Only woud apply if the camera has a video or AV input jack, so you could record from some other video device, like a VCR.)

(Note: It's looking like a break in the video signal somewhere between the CCD and the recordiing circuitry. Which would mean a trip to the repair shop. :'( )

Just trying to pinpoint where the problem really is. :?
Ken Hull

Posted 5 years ago #
compusolver
Member

Yeah, sounds like you have a serious problem - but doubtful that a shop will help. Even the smallest, simplest things are likely to cost $250 and up at a video camera repair shop. That's about what that camera, in great shape, would cost on eBay, used.

Hopefully, you're covered with a warranty - that camera is probably no more than two years old, right?

Otherwise, it may be time to go hi-def.

Posted 5 years ago #
Robotexual2
Member

Sorry I haven't replied i've been a bit busy but,
I turned it on today and it started working! But it had 1 bar left on the battery, so i went and charged it.
i came back later when it was fully charged and turned it on, and it broke again.. except now, it's not doing that popcorn t.v. thing, it's just all black and has the display menu, and then just now, it started working again, so i don't know what is going on now, it just keeps working and then it just breaks again.

6. If you put in a tape that you had already successfully recorded on before, and try to play it in the camera, do you see the images then? (I think you already indicated YES, but just want to make sure.)
Pictures yes but not records

7. If you put in a fresh tape (never used before), and try to record something, rewind, and then upload to your computer by firewire, do you get anything on the computer? (Good video file? File with just static? File with just black? No file at all?)
I don't have a fresh tape but ill get one later, and i lost my canon cd so i am going to have to figure out a way to upload it on my computer

8. Is there any place in the menus to select where the video comes from? (Only woud apply if the camera has a video or AV input jack, so you could record from some other video device, like a VCR.)
I don't really understand your question but i can hook it up to the VCR

Posted 5 years ago #
DC Cowboy
Member

I had a ZR65 and had the same problem. I contact Canon and the problem was the CCD clip was bad. I shipped the camera back to them and they fixed the problem FREE of charge. I suggest you contact Canon.

Posted 5 years ago #
rober_ayon
Member

Check this out

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=PgComSmModDisplayAct&fcategoryid=227&modelid=9739&keycode=2112&id=29819

Looks like you are covered

Edited by moderator so link can be seen, copied and pasted:

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=PgComSmModDisplayAct&fcategoryid=227&modelid=9739&keycode=2112&id=29819

(something wrong with this forum software that will not allow long URLs to display properly)

Posted 4 years ago #