Was given a Panasonic AG 450 S-VHS Reporter to look at, but I am out of my element fix-wise with this. All the adjustments seem to work ok except I cannot get an image in the viewing window, just a blank off-white color, indoors or out. The zone box, time/date, counter, etc. are all viewable. Followed the user's manual for appropriate settings, the lens cap is off, and doesn't seem to matter if in record mode or not. Tape is brand new. Any help here as to what I am missing regarding proper ops? Is a video component bad?
I was told many years ago, that the viewfinder electronics were the first to go if left unpowered for a long time.
Do you get an image if the camera is plugged into an external monitor?
Do you get an image if you record on a tape and playback in a VCR?
Do you get an image in the viewfinder if you play a previously recorded tape?
If you don't get an image from the camera to a monitor (trying to remember what the back of those looked like)
Then maybe the iris is shut down somehow/camera kaput
getting a viewfinder picture on replay indicated tat the vf is ok, but is not being sent a good picture by the camera.
fiddle with the iris
Ok. Will try. Thanks for responding Dave M!
if you don't have a handbook, I think the 450 was also called the MS4, just a different colour and came with one battery.
the 450 was grey and came with 2 batteries, because it was deemed to to be the "professional one"
I think the MS4 was an AG-455 Dave.
The 450 was an MS2.
If the iris is open and there is still no image, then it's probably a faulty camera, either the CCD or the imaging electronics.
Both showing our age!
First camera I used was a reel to reel black and white sony rover!
Although it was a bit of an antique even then
Very temperamental Shibaden half inch open reel.
Not exactly portable 
Has a problem page about a Panasonic AG 450 camera suddenly been allowed to morph into a free advertising site for someone in New York to flog secondhand silverware? Or am I missing an important point somewhere along the line?
Offending post removed