When I turn it on the screen stays black. When I try to take pictures they are black. The flash is working. I can sight through the view finder. I can view existing pictures on the LCD screen so I am sure that it is OK. It is as if the lens is covered.

I don't think anything is wrong with your camera. Just check the Manual.
Your camera has a view finder, to make pictures. Yes the little screen on the top left (Backside) As an extra the camera has live view, that can be switched on and off. because the live view consumes lots of power, it is advised to use the view finder. If you want to switch it on, you can do so in the settings menu. There go to the live view en switch it on.

some camera will inactive the electronic view finder if you shot through the lcd monitor, try to find out in the manual book about shooting trough view finder.

Push the monitor key once when compose picture.

Pls. turn the little knob near the finder untill you get clear picture inside finder, previous owmer might have turn the knob for his eye sight good luck.

The shutter is jammed shut, lens unit needs to be serviced.

I just had this problem! And the answer is simple - just hit the DISP. button and the image should return.

Hello,
Try cleaning the viewfinder with a damp (again?) soft cloth. You can use a product recommended for cleaning camera lenses. You can still use the screen to view the scene you want to shoot. (I am assuming that what you call the viewfinder is the small eye that used to equip all cameras, before it was replaced by the view screen.)

Hope it helps.

canon has a recall on this camera. call them and they will send you a box to send it back. If you are one of the lucky ones the will send you a canon s5is back...really nice camera

I have the similar problem as above...Canon 5D

When camera is turned on the viewfinder is black. All other functions appear to be working correctly. I can view pictures on the card. I take a picture and it views on the screen and the spec's come up on the botton of the view finder but the viewfinder is 90 black with a bit of blur. Is this the censor or a mirror...?

Is this fixable and at what approximate cost? Would it be cheaper to replace?

Your camera works just like a film camera SLR,. You use the eyepiece to frame and focus your picture. The LCD screen is for reviewing pictures taken or menu operations. You cannot preview a shot on screen before it is taken with the camera.