20 Most Recent Canon PowerShot A540 Digital Camera - Page 6 Questions & Answers

No, the camera would start even without the date/time battery.
Things to check first for a camera that won't turn on are battery contact points, and micro switches that are located on the battery and memory card doors. Troubleshooting tips on other things that need to be checked may be seen here. These tips won't work for every case, but they're worth a try.

Some of The Canon Powershot A530 and A540 cameras are subject to an advisory recall. Seems that a small spring on the battery compartment door can short out the batteries. Suspect this of yours, in that you mention that your batteries aren't lasting long. If your camera is on the list, Canon should fix this for you for free, including free shipping both ways. This is regardless of your camera's warranty status. Please see this link for more info.

It seems there is some where inside the camera leakage.. Are you using Li-ion rechargeable batteries or AA batteries For previously cameras, always comes with AA batteries, and most of the battery are with low capacity.

Take the memory card out of the camera and look at it. SD cards have a slide switch along one edge. The position farthest from the contacts locks the card, protecting it from writes. The position nearest the contacts unlocks the card. If the switch is already in the proper position, slide it fully the other way and then back again.
If that doesn't work, try another card.

SD cards have a slide switch along one edge. The position farthest from the contacts locks the card, protecting it from writes. The position nearest the contacts unlocks the card. If the switch is already in the proper position, slide it fully the other way and then back again.
If that doesn't work, try another card.

Inside the battery compartment, right beside the AA batteries, there's a tiny little door labeled CR1220 (see this picture). Pry the door open with your fingernail, remove the little button battery located there, and take this battery down to your local drugstore to buy a replacement camera clock battery. Remember, it's a "CR1220" battery. It should cost only about $4.

You can download Canon software from
http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/support/consumer/digital_cameras/powershot_a_series/powershot_a540#DriversAndSoftware

You might want to consider NOT connecting your camera to your computer.

The best way to download pictures from your camera to your computer involves removing the memory card from the camera and plugging it into a card reader (either built-in to the computer or connected via USB or FireWire). This is likely to be faster than connecting the camera to the computer, and won't run down your camera's batteries.

Once the card is plugged in, it will appear to your computer as a removable drive. You can use the operating system's drag&drop facility to copy pictures from the card to the computer's hard drive. Or you can use any photo cataloging program.

Have you noticed the slider on the side of the card? This acts as a lock and might have been accidentally moved to the locked position, in which case you could just move it back to unlock again. Hope this helps.

Look at your memory card. SD cards have a slide switch along one edge. The position farthest from the contacts locks the card, protecting it from writes. The position nearest the contacts unlocks the card. If the switch is already in the proper position, slide it fully the other way and then back again.

If that doesn't work, try another card.

From the menu, select Drive Mode (third item from the top) then one of the self-timer options. Start the timer by pressing the shutter release button.

Put the camera in a portable cooler like the kind you take to a picnic that holds a 6-pack. Bring the cooler indoors and leave it alone for 12 to 24 hours.

From the menu, select Drive Mode (third item from the top) then one of the self-timer options. Start the self-timer by pressing the shutter release button.

Are they the correct type of batteries? Use only AA-size Alkaline or Canon AA-size NiMH batteries.

From the menu, select Drive Mode (third item from the top) then one of the self-timer options.

when in picture mode, press "set" then go to "drive mode" and choose either 10 or 2 seconds

From the menu, select the Drive Mode (third item from the top) then one of the self-timer options.

Press the bottom part of the ring around the Func/set button, then scroll up/down for the timer function you want (single shot, continuous settings, timers,). Press the shutter to start the timer.

Take a close look at the cards that you've used. Are they all 4GB or higher "SDHC" cards? If so, that's your problem. Your camera was made well before the SDHC format came out. Although the card looks exactly the same as a standard SD card, the format it uses is very different. Unfortunately, there is no way that your camera will work with SDHC format. It can only use standard SD (cards that are 2GB or less). Fortunately, these are very inexpensive these days (check Amazon).

Hello(Read the whole solution)

OK, if the memory card itself is locked, you might sometimes get this error code. All you need to do is to take out the memory card and switch the lever on the left side to the unlock.



If the error is still displayed after you did the above, you might want to try the card in another camera.

If the card works in another camera . the problem is with your card reader in your camera.

If you open you sd slot and look inside with a sharp light , you should be able to see on the left side of the slot there is a little copper or spring steel lever switch. This switch work as follows:

1. When no card is inserted / no write protection , the switch is open and thus the protection is off.
2. When locked card is inserted , the tab is depressed and tells the camera that the card is lock.

Contrary to popular belief ,the little tab on the sd card is not an electronic switch and does not physically influence the card operation itself. If you put a locked card into a camera without a sd lock switch , you would still be able to use the card normally.

It is incredible difficult to fix this switch because of space limitations in the sd card. Look into the sd slot and if you can see the switch , use a needle to pull the little tab down toward the base of the camera by about 2mm or until it works being careful not to bend it.

If this does not resolve your problem , there might be a short in the switch circuit and the camera will need to be disassembled to resolve this error. This should cost no more than $50.

Please feel free to contact me if you need further information

Kind regards
Andrea

Hello

OK, if the memory card itself is locked, you might sometimes get this error code. All you need to do is to take out the memory card and switch the lever on the left side to the unlock.



If the error is still displayed after you did the above, you might want to try the card in another camera.

If the card works in another camera . the problem is with your card reader in your camera.

If you open you sd slot and look inside with a sharp light , you should be able to see on the left side of the slot there is a little copper or spring steel lever switch. This switch work as follows:

1. When no card is inserted / no write protection , the switch is open and thus the protection is off.
2. When locked card is inserted , the tab is depressed and tells the camera that the card is lock.

Contrary to popular belief ,the little tab on the sd card is not an electronic switch and does not physically influence the card operation itself. If you put a locked card into a camera without a sd lock switch , you would still be able to use the card normally.

It is incredible difficult to fix this switch because of space limitations in the sd card. Look into the sd slot and if you can see the switch , use a needle to pull the little tab down toward the base of the camera by about 2mm or until it works being careful not to bend it.

If this does not resolve your problem , there might be a short in the switch circuit and the camera will need to be disassembled to resolve this error. This should cost no more than $50.

Please feel free to contact me if you need further information

Kind regards
Andrea