Article ID : 00055622 / Last Modified : 09/12/2020

The camera suddenly turns off

The camera turns off for a short time when recording films or shooting in burst mode.

    What to do when the camera is shutting off without an error or warning

    • Check whether power-save mode is on.
      If you don't use your camera for a specific period of time, it will automatically enter power-save mode. Your camera will exit this mode if you press the shutter button halfway. You can adjust the length of time that has to pass before your camera enters power-save mode. For further details, refer to the instruction guide supplied with the camera or visit the online manual posted on our support website
    • Check the operation environment:
      Some Sony cameras turn off automatically to avoid overheating in a hot environment. Recording long movie clips or shooting many continuous bursts of pictures increases your camera's internal temperature. If the temperature of the camera becomes too high, a yellow Image (Overheating warning icon) will appear on the LCD screen. If this happens, let the camera cool for a while, then continue recording or shooting images.


      • The internal temperature of your camera increases every time it's on; that is, when using the camera to shoot videos or still images, but also when not actively using the camera (e.g. composing your shot).
        Follow the guidelines below to make sure your camera doesn't overheat:
        • For DSLR and SLT models, set SteadyShot to Off.
      • The longer you allow your camera to cool, the longer it will take before its internal temperature increases again after you turn it back on. If the camera doesn't have enough time to cool, it will turn off again after a short period of time. The cool down time may take a few minutes up to one hour, depending on your camera and environment.
    • Make sure the battery is sufficiently charged. If the battery isn't fully charged, it can cause the camera to power off suddenly. Let the battery charge for several hours before inserting it in the camera.
    • If the rechargeable battery doesn't charge properly, follow the steps below: 
      1. Charge the battery sufficiently, if it had discharged completely (e.g. if newely purchased or when not charged for a long time).
      • The battery discharges gradually over time, even when not used.
      • It's recommended to always use genuine Sony batteries. 
      1. Check to see if the terminals of the battery or battery charger are dirty. If the battery terminals are dirty, wipe off the dirt with a dry cloth, cotton swab or the like. Then charge the battery. You can see an example of dirty and clean terminals on a Sony NP-BD1 battery in the image below:

    Image of the examples of terminals (for NP-BD1)

    • [A]: Fingerprints on battery terminals
    • [B]: Foreign objects on battery terminals
    • [C]: Clean battery terminals
    1. Check whether you come across the same charging issue when using a different battery pack. If you don't, this might mean your original battery pack is malfunctioning.