Vl-z500h turn camera on, and comes up with DEW in red on screen then shuts down. HELP whats going on, ive tried taking battery out for a while and tape but nothing works.

If not charging,3 reasons may be-
1.Charger is defective.Check adapter
2.Batt is defective.Try with another one
3.Camera is electrically dedective.Can't complete charging.

Dew is likely to form in the following circumstances: ?When moving the camcorder from a cold place to a warm place. ?When placing the camcorder in a cold room which is then heated rapidly. ?When moving the camcorder outdoors from an air conditioned room or car. ?When placing the camcorder in the direct path of air blowing from an air conditioner. ?When placing the camcorder in a humid room. Dew will gradually form on the head drum of your camcorder and make the video tape stick to the head. This causes damage both to the head and the tape. When dew forms, recording and playback may not function properly. When ?DEW? flashes, remove the cassette,leave the cassette compartment open,and wait for a few hours to allow the camcorder to acclimatise to the surrounding temperature. To use the camcorder again, turn on the power after waiting for a few hours. Be sure that ?DEW? has disappeared. Do not insert a cassette while ?DEW? is flashing; this may result in damage to the tape.

Dew has condensed in the camera. Eject the cassette but leave the cassette door open.remove the battery . Borrow a hair drier . set it to optimum temperature(not vey hot but but hot enough to cause discomfort when blown on fingers). direct the hot air through the cassette compartment door for about five minutes. reattach the battery and reinsert the tape.
Good Luck,
Luwangula

To transfer video you need to use firewire, not usb. If you use firewire to connect, set the camera to the 'play' icon and then open up a capture program (ie, movie maker) you should be able to just record/capture from there. Good luck!

It is possible that the dew sensor is faulty or more likely that the connection from teh sensor to the rest of the camera is faulty. This unit will require repair. If you can soler, you may be able to resolve this. I'll look up your model to see how bad the access is to the sensor.
Dan

Model: VL-Z800 Sharp ViewcamZ

I was in Shanghai in Dec 2008 over Christmas and I experienced the 'DEW' problem. The cassette tape door would not close either. I did not experience this before even after 2 years. I suppose the cold & the rain water causes the dew to accumulate in the CAM.

Solution.
I did the reset by taking out the small tiny battery situated just above the big battery. The small battery has a cover. Pull it up & Get the small battery out and the whole camera resets. Re-entering the date & time is the only inconvenience. After reseting, I could use it again, but not for long as the problem comes back. When I came back to Malaysia (Temp 32-34 degrees celsius), the DEW problem disappappers.

You could also try this method to get rid of the dew. Buy a small sack of rice. Yes rice, the uncooked ones. Cut open a small opening just big enough to put your CamCorder into the sack. If you do not want to get your CAM dirty, wrap the CAM with tissue paper. Close the opening with a musking tape and leave it a few days. The dew should disappear from the CAM. It works for mobile phones too when it is accidentally drop into water. Of cause you should not switch on the mobile when it is still wet. It will self distruct if you do. Try the rice solution for a week before you on your mobile.

Rgds/ T.S

either it has moisture in it (let it dry), or the dew sensor is bad and needs to be replaced.

trtert

PUT A JUMPIN A SENSOR DEW SMALL CIRCUITY IN MECHANISM OR PUT A HAIR DRY HOT IN IN MECHANISM BY 5 MIN. OR 10 DNOT TO PUT STRAIT DRY TURNG ON CAMERA AFTER THIS TURNG OFF AND TURNG ON AGAIN A GOOD LOCK

Tools needed. Zip lock bag. Sillica packs from shoe boxes or find somewhere to buy more... SImply seal with the camera and wait a couple days. This will suck the dew out. :) DO NOT USE HEAT like from a hair dryer or anything like that. Too hot for a cam to handle.