Your camera is not turning on.
There are many reasons that your camera may not be turning on. The most common reason is a discharged or faulty battery.
The camera battery is not fully charged.
First try charging your battery on the charger that was included with the camera for several hours. After the battery has finished charging, place the battery into the camera and try turning it on again.
For more help, consult our guide on replacing the battery pack.
Camera battery will not charge properly or is damaged.
If the battery has been damaged or will not charge, you will need to replace the battery. Purchase a new battery, charge it for several hours, then place it back into the camera.
The battery slot is dirty or damaged.
If your camera is not responding to flipping the power switch, check the contacts inside the battery slot. They may need cleaning with a dry cloth or compressed air.
If charging the battery or cleaning the leads does not help, you should check your SD card.
The SD card is corrupted or unresponsive.
Sometimes, an SD card can become corrupted or malfunction which can lead to the camera not turning on. To determine whether the SD card should be replaced, try using the card with another device and confirm that it is functional. If it needs to be formatted or replaced, see our guide to replacing the SD card to take out and format your card.
Replace the SD card and turn the camera on with a freshly charged battery in place. If these steps fail, you may need to try a brand new SD card. If your camera still isn’t turning on, the battery is likely dead and will need to be replaced.
Your lens wont attach to the body of the camera.
If the lens of the camera gets stuck, the lens might not be attached properly, or it might not be designed for your camera. Otherwise, the lens or lens mount might need to be replaced. See our guide for replacing the lens and follow the steps to ensure you are taking the proper steps.
Your lens is not the right model for the camera.
If your lens did not come with the camera and will not attach to the camera, your lens might not be the right model. You will need to verify that your lens is a Sony E Mount model, which can be done by searching the specifications of your lens.
If your lens is the wrong model type, you will need to get a lens that fits the camera. Otherwise, the lens or the body of the camera may be damaged.
The lens is damaged or broken.
If your lens is visibly damaged, it may be preventing the lens from being attached. You can try attaching a different lens of the same model to see if the camera itself is broken. If any other lens works, you will need to purchase a new lens, and attach the lens to the camera. For help with this, see our guide on replacing the lens.
The body of the camera is damaged, preventing a lens from being attached.
If the mount on the body of the camera is damaged, it will prevent a lens from being attached. This problem can be verified by testing other lenses. If any lens that is compatible with the camera will not work, then the lens mount is broken. See our guide on replacing the lens mount
The viewfinder is not displaying properly.
The viewfinder has a focus dial. See our guide on adjusting the viewfinder’s focus. If the viewfinder is still blurry, it may be need to be cleaned. Take a piece of microfiber cloth and lightly wipe down the viewfinder to remove smudges.
The viewfinder doesn’t light up or displays an incorrect image
The viewfinder may be broken and may need to be replaced. Refer to our guide on replacing the viewfinder.
LCD screen will not display images, but the camera is on.
Sometimes, your camera sounds like it is on, but you can’t see anything on the screen. If the screen is cracked or broken, then you will need to replace the screen. For help with this step, see our guide on replacing the LCD screen.
