There is no picture or a black screen appears in the viewfinder or LCD when attempting to record.

IMPORTANT: This article applies only to specific products and/or operating systems. Check the Applicable Products and Categories section of this article before starting these steps.

Follow this procedure to troubleshoot if there is no picture or a black screen appears in the viewfinder or LCD when attempting to record.

Notes:

• Because each of these steps represents a possible solution to this issue, check the viewfinder or LCD status after completing each step.
• It may be necessary to refer to the operating instructions provided with the camcorder for information on how to perform a task on your specific model.

1. Press the (View Images) button to check that the picture is played back in the LCD. If no picture appears in the playback mode, it might be a malfunction of the LCD.
2. Check the following.
   Note: Depending on the models, some items below may not be applicable.
   • Ensure the lens cap on the front of the camcorder has been removed.
   • Ensure the lens cover is open.
3. Ensure a fully-charged battery is inserted in the camcorder.
4. Adjust the brightness setting of the LCD screen.
   Notes:
   • It may be difficult to see the image if the LCD screen is exposed to the sunlight when recording outdoors. Block the sunlight to check the image. From MENU, adjust the LCD BRIGHT or PANEL BACKLIGHT setting toward the BRIGHT or + side.
   • If the LCD screen goes dark when its angle is changed, regardless of the ambient brightness, there may be a fault such as a severed wire in the connection between the camcorder body and the LCD screen. In this case, the camcorder may need to be repaired.
5. Look to see if an image can be seen in the viewfinder or LCD.
   IMPORTANT: Some camcorders have both a viewfinder and LCD. To conserve power, the viewfinder and LCD will not display at the same time. If the viewfinder is pulled out, the image may not be displayed on the LCD screen. Check if an image is displayed by retracting the viewfinder. To use the viewfinder, the LCD must be closed.
   Note: If images are not displayed on the monitor or viewfinder while recording movies in 4K, check if 4K Output Sel. is set to Memory Card+HDMI.
6. If the issue is still unresolved, the product may need to be repaired.