I have Mini DV and every time I try to watch a video or record with it it works for 3 secs then shuts off.?

Question

The battery is charged and in properly, and the battery is only about a year old. The tape is fine, I've tried several different ones (new and old) and it always does the same thing. I've had the camera for 4 years and its never been a problem before. What could be the problem? What should I do?

Answer 1

It may just be that the heads are dirty, and if that was the case, you would be very lucky. All you need to do is to buy a miniDV head cleaning cassette! If that is not the case, all I can say is to take it into a repair shop. However, the fact that it still powers on is a good sign, and may not be too serious. Good luck!