I have a Sony HDV1080i and it keeps rejecting the tape with a C21:00 error message 'Moisture condensation turn off for 1H

Mechanical fault. Contact any service technician; or the authorized service centre for Sony. Electro help

Leave it in a warmish dry place for as long as it takes. Condensation on the tape mechanism will cause the tape to cling and get snarled and tangled in the drive. You also need to make sure that the tapes are completely dry. Exposure to cold then warm air will cause condensation even without any rain or other obvious wetting. If the problem does not clear up overnight, then there may be a fault with the sensor, but give it plenty of time.

Steps to solve
Remove all batteries.
This will reset the camera. If the error happens again, then the camea may need factory service.

On Sony DSR-80P error 02-221 and 02-291 is a problem with the tape pull-in or eject. Mostly the tape stickers are bad situated over the stripe-cover at the top, which should be moving freely!
Remove the stickers from the tape or put them lower on the case. If the tape is already inside the machine is unable to reject the tape - disconnect the machine from electricity to open it or call service...

greetings from berlin, matt.

I had same prob with my digital high 8 sony also.
dont panick!!,just get it warm so it gets dry!!
(i only had the prob once in 10 years!)

Condensation message comes when video head drum got moisture and such moisture can damage tape and video heads. So camera stops function of tape loading and play/ rew/ ff.

Eject and take out tape, if any in camera and blow hot air by hair dryer for 1-2 minutes from at least 6"distance in tape mechanism.

This will evaporate any moisture on video head drum.
and if camera still gives error then dew sensor in camera is bad and you need tech person to replace it.

Camera gives Moisture error sign if it really have moisture condensation inside or its moisture sensor itself got defective.

if moisture is inside, blow hot air in camera mechanism for 5-6 minutes by hair dryer (not so closed with mechanism) and check / test.

If problem still exist it means moisture sensor is defective and i know its Sony high-end model camera and know how to fix it yet I would recommend to take camera to Sony Service center for proper repair.

From the user manual ...

Under self diagnosis display
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C21:00
Moisture condensation has occurred.
Remove the cassette and leave your camcorder for at least 1 hour to acclimatize. (p117)

On p117
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If your camcorder is brought directly from a cold to a warm place, moisture may condense inside your camcorder, on the surface of the tape, or on the lens. In this condition, the tape may stick to the head drum and be damaged or your camcorder may not operate correctly. If there is moisture inside your camcorder, the beep sounds and the [picture of water drip] indicator flashes. When the [end tape icon] indicator flashes at the same time, the cassette is inserted in your camcorder. If moisture condenses on the lens, the indicator will not appear.

If moisture condensation occurred
None of the functions except cassette ejection will work. Eject the cassette, turn off your camcorder, and leave it for about 1 hour with the cassette compartment open. Your camcorder can be used again if the [water drip] indicator does not appear when the power is turned on again.

Note on moisture condensation
Moisture may condense when you bring your camcorder from a cold place into a warm place (or vice-versa) or when you use your camcorder in a hot place as follows:
- You bring your camcorder from a ski slope into a place warmed up by a heating device.
- You bring your camcorder from an air-conditioned car or room into a hot place outside.
- You use your camcorder after a squall or a shower.
- You use your camcorder in a high temperature and humidity place.

How to prevent moisture condensation
when you bring your camcorder from a cold place into a warm place, put your camcorder in a plastic bag and tightly seal it. Remove the bag when the air temperature inside the plastic bag has reached the surrounding temperature (after about 1 hour).

I had the same problem and found numerous solutions on the internet. The most common and apparently most successful was to remove the battery and give the camera a sharp whack. Didn't work for me. I tried to find a seperate CMOS battery to remove that but couldn't but your model may have one - try that. Then I found a thread at http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-hvr-a1-hdr-hc-series/88013-moisture-condensation-2.html which suggested cleaning the moisture sensor on the left hand side at the very back of the tape transport mechanism. It is oblong shaped, has two solder points at its top and (in my case) a black square that should actually be a black circuit like pattern. Scroll through the aforementioned thread and you'll find photos to help you locate it. Using a cotton wool bud soaked in CD lens cleaning alcohol (you'll need a long one or small fingers :-) a couple of wipes was all that was needed to reveal the pattern. I re-inserted the cassete but still the same problem. With the camera turned on I then used a paper clip to depress the reset button (Flap open the LCD screen and you'll find it under the auto lock slider switch). The camera "re-booted" and everything worked fine! I had to reset the date and time and all my settings preferences but no big drama. Hope that helps.

Manual says probably condensation - see page 121