20 Most Recent Canon PowerShot S3 IS Digital Camera - Page 8 Questions & Answers

Save this for the future if and when a "lens error" appears: Fixing a Lens Error on a Digital Camera

This has to be THE most common failure mode for a digital camera. Some common error messages that might show up on the LCD's of cameras with this problem include “E18 lens error”, or “lens error, restart camera”. Some cameras might show nothing at all, but merely make a beeping noise as the lens goes out, then in, then the camera shuts off. Sometimes the lens won't even move.
The problem is actually quite common throughout all camera brands. Usually it's sand or grit interfering with the lens extension mechanism. Or the camera's been dropped with the lens extended. Or the camera has been powered on, but the lens had been blocked preventing its extension. Or the battery ran down with the lens extended. Believe it or not, one BIG contributor to lens errors is using a camera case. Sand, gunk, case fibers, etc... accumulate at the bottom of the case. These materials love to cling to the camera by electrostatic build-up from the camera rubbing against the side of the case (especially those cases with soft fibrous intreriors). Once these materials work their way into the lens mechanism, that's all she wrote. I have many Canon's, and NEVER use a case for this very reason.
A camera owner that suffers this problem may have no recourse for having the camera repaired. Many camera makers will not honor repairing this problem under warranty as they claim it is due to impact damage to the camera, or sand or debris getting into the lens gearing mechanism (neither of which is covered under warranty). The quoted repair cost is usually close to or more than what the camera is actually worth.
Fortunately, about half the cameras that suffer this failure can easily be fixed by one of the following methods. None of these methods involve opening the camera, although some have potential to cause other damage to the camera if excessively done. If the camera is still under warranty, before trying any of these, please please first contact your camera's maker to see if they'll cover the repair, or to determine how much they'll charge for the repair. Who knows, you might get lucky. But if they quote you a number that's higher than the value of your camera, you may want to consider the following methods.
The methods are listed in the order of risk of damaging your camera. Thus make sure you try them in the listed order. And remember, these fixes (especially #6 and 7) should only be considered for a camera that's out of warranty, who's cost of repair would be excessive, and would otherwise be considered for disposal if unrepaired:
Fix #1: Remove the batteries from the camera, wait a few minutes. Put a fresh set of batteries back in (preferably rechargeable NiMH 2500mah or better) and turn the camera on. If that didn't work, try pressing and holding the Function or OK button while turning the camera on.
Fix #2: Remove the batteries, then remove the memory card. Then install new batteries, and turn on the camera. If you get an Error E30, it means you don't have a memory card installed, so turn it off, slip in the memory card and turn it on one last time.
Fix #3: Insert the cameras Audio/Video (AV) cable, and turn the camera on. Inserting this cable ensures that the camera's LCD screen remains off during the start process. Thus extra battery power is available to the camera's lens motor during startup. This extra power can be useful in overcoming grit or sand particals that may be jamming the lens. If the AV cable doesn't fix the lens error by itself, consider keeping this cable installed while trying fixes 4, 5, and 7 as a means to provide extra help to these fixes. But note that I DON'T recommend keeping the cable installed during Fix 6 as you may damage the AV port while tapping the camera. Reinsert the cable only AFTER tapping the camera.
Fix #4: Place the camera flat on its back on a table, pointed at the ceiling. Press and hold the shutter button down, and at the same time press the power-on button. The idea is that the camera will try to autofocus while the lens is extending, hopefully seating the lens barrel guide pins in their slots.
Fix #5: Blow compressed air in the gaps around the lens barrels with the idea of blowing out any sand or grit that may be in there jamming the lens. Other variations include blowing with a hair dryer in “no heat” setting, or sucking the gaps with a vacuum (careful with this one).
Now we're entering into the realm of potentially damaging your camera in conducting the fix. There is definitely some risk here, so take care when conducting the following two fixes.
Fix #6: Repeatedly tap the padded/rubber usb cover on a hard surface with the intent of dislodging any particles that may be jamming the lens. Other variations include hitting a side of the camera against the palm of your hand. A lot of people have reported success with this method. HOWEVER, there is also some potential for damaging or dislodging internal components with this method, such as unseating ribbon cables, or cracking LCD screens.
Fix #7: Try forcing the lens. More people have reported success with this method than with any of the other methods. HOWEVER, there's obviously some potential for damaging your camera by using this method. Variations include gently pulling, rotating, and/or twisting the lens barrel while hitting the power button. Attempt to gently straighten or align the barrel if it's crooked or twisted. Another variation includes looking for uneven gaps around the lens barrel, and then pushing on the side of the lens barrel that has the largest gap (note pushing the lens barrel all the way in is NOT recommended as it may become stuck there). While doing any of the above, listen for a click that indicates that the lens barrel guide pins may have reseated in their guide slots. If you hear this click, immediately stop and try the camera.

Having gone over two months without a response to my query, I assume my suggestion to use a card reader solved the problem.

You can use PhotoShop (or some other photo software) to re-size your photos for the internet. If you are sending a photo that is 700kb (for example), then it can be printed out on large scale. You can downsize it to about 45kb before you send it, by selecting "small size" and "low quality". Or, if you don't want to resize it, whoever is printing it on the other end can resize it for the printer, using their photo printer software.

Another option would be to shoot the photo in a smaller format. You can do that by pressing the FUNC button located on the back of the camera, then go to the last option at the bottom left of the function screen. You will be given the option of L, M1, M2, S. Select "S", and it will shoot smaller photo files.

The connection from ccd to camera has failed, probably due to dry joint, Canon dont own up to this, so it s shell out about £140 for a repair or chuck it in the bin!!!

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, the same way you copy any other files. Or you can use ZoomBrowser or any other photo cataloging program.

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, the same way you copy any other files. Or you can use Canon ZoomBrowser or any other photo cataloging program.

Hi,

The detailed steps for setting the image quality (and file size) is given on pages 36-37 of the advanced user manual.

You can download and print the advanced user manual in PDF format by clicking this link.

Adobe PDF Reader is required to view this manual. Download Adobe Reader

Hope this helps. Kindly let me know if you have any difficulty in downloading the manual.

Thanks for using FixYa.

Hi,

Maybe you can give a try to enlarge the same pictures with good quality from the site below.

Link

Regards,
Ron

This is weird, actually. I just read your manual, and it seems that the only way to stamp a print is to go into the DPOF settings, and choose the date in the "Print Settings..." menu item. But here's the werid part: it warns you that if you have the Date Stamp function turned on, then you may get the date printed twice... but there's no mention in the manual of any "date stamp" function at all!

I'm afraid that I'm guessing that your camera does not have the date stamp function, and that it appears in the manual by mistake, because they've copied it from the manual for a camera that does. Feel free to search your menu for a date stamp function; if you have one and they forgot to put it in the manual, it will look something like this (this is not your camera):


Also, here's an essay I wrote about date stamping that you might find useful:

How do I get the date printed on my photo?

I'm sorry, but many cameras don't bother to have this feature. The thing is, this was a useful feature on film photos, but the concept has been overtaken by technology, and is no longer relevant. Heh - you probably disagree with me, so let me explain that fully! When you take a photo with a digital camera, the current date and time are automatically stored in the photo file. In some cameras, it will be the same as the file date. Some cameras date the file with the date of download rather than the date of capture, but the date inside the file will always be the capture date. The date of capture is one of the items of EXIF data. You can read about this 'metadata' on wikipedia.

So how does EXIF data fulfill the benefits of the old 'print on film' date? From the point of view of indexing your library and simply not forgetting when the photo was taken, the EXIF data should always be present in the file, unless you choose to erase it. Thus, you will never lose track of the date of capture; if you have the image, you have the date. You can read the date with many tools, and in fact even Windows explorer will tell you the date if you simply hover over the picture. Here's an example; the bubble help shows the time of capture where the picture was taken, (windows shows me the time of capture in my own time zone).



What about legal proof of something? Sorry, you can't really do that any more. You couldn't have done it if you'd printed it on the image, either; it's just too easy to fake. The date of capture is editable, so it doesn't prove anything. If you need proof, get legal advice... in the heat of the moment, include a cellphone in-frame showing the date and time; you could fake that too, but it would be much harder.

Oh, you wanted your dates printed on physical pictures? Find a print shop that will print the EXIF capture date on the reverse of your photo; that way the face of your picture won't be spoiled. There is software that will print index sheets of your images and list their capture dates and times, too.

Some Canon cameras can add a date stamp just like the old days, some can't do it at all, and some do it ONLY in 'postcard' mode (it's one of the resolution settings). It's interesting that they limit it to this size only when they could quite easily have done it on all sizes, and I think this is to emphasise its novelty value rather than a serious feature, for the reasons I gave above.

I have discovered that there are softwares which can add the EXIF date to the actual visible image, there's one here: http://gphotoshow.com/exif-iptc-watermarker.php and it is billed as a watermarking tool. One of your choices for the input data is the EXIF date within the file. It works, and it's free, but it does nag you to pay from time to time.

Sounds like a dead CCD. Contact your local Canon service center.

Tom

A stuck shutter is another common failure mode for digital cameras. The symptoms of a stuck or "sticky" shutter are very similar to CCD image sensor failure. The camera may take black pictures (for shutter stuck closed), or the pictures may be very bright and overexposed, sometimes with lines, especially when taken outdoors (for shutter stuck open). To confirm a stuck shutter, put the camera in any mode other than "Auto", and turn the flash OFF (you don't want to blind yourself for the next step). Next look down the lens and take a picture. You should see a tiny flicker in the center of the lens as the shutter opens and closes. If no movement is seen, then you likely have a stuck shutter. If so, please see this link for further info and a simple fix that may help.

Hello

Unfortunately a "lens error" message is not something that you will be able to fix. This error indicates a system failure and requires the camera to be sent in for servicing and repair.

Hello and Welcome
The most common cause for a Lens error:

• Misaligned Lens rings
• Sand and grid wedged in between the lens and the barrel.
• Dropping the camera
• Ran down battery
• 
  

The following solutions are there by which you may Fix the lens error

• Firstly you can try removing the batteries and replacing it with a new set of fully charge ones
• If the batteries ran down while you were taking photos with the lens extended, you might also get this error. Remove the the memory card and replace the batteries with a fresh recharged set. Try to power on the unit with the fresh set of batteries while the memory card is removed
• Connect your camera to your computer using your USB DATA cable which came with the camera. Once the camera gets power in this mode, the screen should stay off, hence, supplying the lens with more power to push or pull out/in
• Place the camera on a sturdy table with the lens pointing to the ceiling. With a fresh set of batteries installed(Do this without a memory card) hold down the shutter button while you power on the unit
• Now, you can either use a compressed air canister to blow around the lens area. This will result in the sand or dust particles to be blown out of the area between the lens and the barrel. Or, you can use a vacuum and and carefully place the nozzle around the lens to out the particles

For more solution by which Lens error can Recover Here you Go. It will help you out more briefly,

Further assistance, I am here to help.

Thanks and Keep visiting FixYa


Concerned: Uxair Shah

Hello

Unfortunately a "lens error" message is not something that you will be able to fix. This error indicates a system failure and requires the camera to be sent in for servicing and repair.

You may find it more cost effective to purchase a new camera as opposed to the repair price on your current camera.

remove the memory card from the camera, move the small lever on the side of the card to the unlocked position which is opposite from Lock.

if you need further help let me know.
Ekse

Hello

Thank you for using FIXYA!!!

This is a suggestion. If you do not feel comfortable trying it, you will need to take the unit to your nearest service centre. Feel free to let me know if you need any assistance.

The problem might be that the lens has become stuck in the barrel. There are some DIY solutions you could try, but the probability is that you will have to get it fixed by a professional.

Use these at own risk as it may further damage the camera.

Firstly , try connecting your ac adapter or usb cable.

Try holding the shutter button while switching on the camera.

Look at the lens , and if some of the lens 'circles' is misaligned or not concentric then try wiggling it (while holding camera lens down).

Try gently pushing or pulling the lens when it extends but this is risky as it may cause the lens barrel to slip out of its guidance system.

Another way to do this is to place the camera lens down on a hard surface and then power it up. Be sure to use a soft cloth or something similar as to not scratch your lens or casing. Let the lens push the camera up and down a few times and sometimes the little resistance provided by the camera is enough to get things going again.

Try hitting your camera near the lens on the body with the soft tissue on the palm of your hand.

Other than that , I would take the camera to a repair centre for a evaluation to see if it would cost more to repair than to replace the camera.

If it is still under warranty I would suggest you take it in before trying any of these steps and remove any off-brand batteries or accessories as some stores are really fussy about warranty repairs on camera's with non-brand accessories.

You can also have a look at THIS link.

Hope the advise is useful. please do not hesitate to let me know if you need any further assistance. Also, please be so kind to let me know if you found this helpful.

Regards

This may seem silly, but is it possible that you're accidentally turning the camera on to camera mode rather than review mode with the lens cap on? That would explain a black screen without being able to view images on the card. Just a thought.

Annoying - my 10D had the same issue. The camera maintains communication with the lens and if this is interrupted, you get the error.

You can try
a) cleaning the contacts - isopropyl alcohol on a Q-tip, do this for the lens and the camera. but be VERY careful not to drop alcohol anywhere.

b) remove/replace the lens

In my experience, neither of these solved the problem, but did decrease the probability of occurrence.

That's a piece of cake,for Format Recovery,Wondershare Data Recovery supplies an excellent solution for it.

Hi,

I Hope the steps below should be helpful in fixing your camera issue.

Fixing a Lens Error on a Digital Camera

This has to be THE most common failure mode for a digital camera. Some common error messages that might show up on the LCD's of cameras with this problem include "E18 lens error", or "lens error, restart camera". Some cameras might show nothing at all, but merely make a beeping noise as the lens goes out, then in, then the camera shuts off. Sometimes the lens won't even move.
The problem is actually quite common throughout all camera brands. Usually it's sand or grit interfering with the lens extension mechanism. Or the camera's been dropped with the lens extended. Or the camera has been powered on, but the lens had been blocked preventing its extension. Or the battery ran down with the lens extended. Believe it or not, one BIG contributor to lens errors is using a camera case. Sand, gunk, case fibers, etc... accumulate at the bottom of the case. These materials love to cling to the camera by electrostatic build-up from the camera rubbing against the side of the case (especially those cases with soft fibrous intreriors). Once these materials work their way into the lens mechanism, that's all she wrote. I have many Canon's, and NEVER use a case for this very reason.
A camera owner that suffers this problem may have no recourse for having the camera repaired. Many camera makers will not honor repairing this problem under warranty as they claim it is due to impact damage to the camera, or sand or debris getting into the lens gearing mechanism (neither of which is covered under warranty). The quoted repair cost is usually close to or more than what the camera is actually worth.
Fortunately, about half the cameras that suffer this failure can easily be fixed by one of the following methods. None of these methods involve opening the camera, although some have potential to cause other damage to the camera if excessively done. If the camera is still under warranty, before trying any of these, please please first contact your camera's maker to see if they'll cover the repair, or to determine how much they'll charge for the repair. Who knows, you might get lucky. But if they quote you a number that's higher than the value of your camera, you may want to consider the following methods.
The methods are listed in the order of risk of damaging your camera. Thus make sure you try them in the listed order. And remember, these fixes (especially #6 and 7) should only be considered for a camera that's out of warranty, who's cost of repair would be excessive, and would otherwise be considered for disposal if unrepaired:
Fix #1: Remove the batteries from the camera, wait a few minutes. Put a fresh set of batteries back in (preferably rechargeable NiMH 2500mah or better) and turn the camera on. If that didn't work, try pressing and holding the Function or OK button while turning the camera on.
Fix #2: Remove the batteries, then remove the memory card. Then install new batteries, and turn on the camera. If you get an Error E30, it means you don't have a memory card installed, so turn it off, slip in the memory card and turn it on one last time.
Fix #3: Insert the cameras Audio/Video (AV) cable, and turn the camera on. Inserting this cable ensures that the camera's LCD screen remains off during the start process. Thus extra battery power is available to the camera's lens motor during startup. This extra power can be useful in overcoming grit or sand particals that may be jamming the lens. If the AV cable doesn't fix the lens error by itself, consider keeping this cable installed while trying fixes 4, 5, and 7 as a means to provide extra help to these fixes. But note that I DON'T recommend keeping the cable installed during Fix 6 as you may damage the AV port while tapping the camera. Reinsert the cable only AFTER tapping the camera.
Fix #4: Place the camera flat on its back on a table, pointed at the ceiling. Press and hold the shutter button down, and at the same time press the power-on button. The idea is that the camera will try to autofocus while the lens is extending, hopefully seating the lens barrel guide pins in their slots.
Fix #5: Blow compressed air in the gaps around the lens barrels with the idea of blowing out any sand or grit that may be in there jamming the lens. Other variations include blowing with a hair dryer in "no heat" setting, or sucking the gaps with a vacuum (careful with this one).
Now we're entering into the realm of potentially damaging your camera in conducting the fix. There is definitely some risk here, so take care when conducting the following two fixes.
Fix #6: Repeatedly tap the padded/rubber usb cover on a hard surface with the intent of dislodging any particles that may be jamming the lens. Other variations include hitting a side of the camera against the palm of your hand. A lot of people have reported success with this method. HOWEVER, there is also some potential for damaging or dislodging internal components with this method, such as unseating ribbon cables, or cracking LCD screens.
Fix #7: Try forcing the lens. More people have reported success with this method than with any of the other methods. HOWEVER, there's obviously some potential for damaging your camera by using this method. Variations include gently pulling, rotating, and/or twisting the lens barrel while hitting the power button. Attempt to gently straighten or align the barrel if it's crooked or twisted. Another variation includes looking for uneven gaps around the lens barrel, and then pushing on the side of the lens barrel that has the largest gap (note pushing the lens barrel all the way in is NOT recommended as it may become stuck there). While doing any of the above, listen for a click that indicates that the lens barrel guide pins may have reseated in their guide slots. If you hear this click, immediately stop and try the camera.


Regards,
Ron