Canon PowerShot A550 Digital Camera - Page 6 - Answered Questions & Fixed issues

Lens errors are fairly common. 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 ...

Here's some things that you can do to try to correct it. They only seem to work for less than 50% of the lens errors, but if the camera is out of warranty, they're worth a try:

http://camerarepair.blogspot.com/2007/12/fixing-lens-error-on-digital-camera.html

It may have one or more bad files that the camera doesn't recognize... if you can load it into a card reader, you can look for a dissimilar file name from all the others.... or simply reformat the entire card via the camera menu.

Lens errors are fairly common. 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 ... Here's some things that you can do to try to correct it. They only seem to work for less than 50% of the lens errors, but if the camera is out of warranty, they're worth a try: http://camerarepair.blogspot.com/2007/12/fixing-lens-error-on-digital-camera.html

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, 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 the following for further info and a simple fix that may help:

http://camerarepair.blogspot.com/2009/05/simple-fix-for-stuck-shutter.html

Lens errors are fairly common. 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 ...

Here's some things that you can do to try to correct it. They only seem to work for less than 50% of the lens errors, but if the camera is out of warranty, they're worth a try:

http://camerarepair.blogspot.com/2007/12/fixing-lens-error-on-digital-camera.html

Are you still using alkaline batteries? If so, alkaline batteries just don't have the power for more than a few pictures in a digital camera. Some may also have reached their shelf life, and though right out of the package may even have problems just powering startup of the camera. Digital cameras that use AA's for the most part should only be used with rechargeable NiMH batteries. If you read the camera's instruction manual concerning batteries, you may see the same recommendation.

Keep in mind rechargeable NiMH batteries will save you money in the long run over alkalines, AND they'll last for at least 100 pictures per charge (and probably many many more). You'll be very pleased with their performance, and may be angry with yourself for not buying them sooner. When at the store, look on the package for a power rating of at least 2500 mah.

You may need to open the camera and check inside the SD card slot.
How to fix a ‘card locked’ problem

I had the same problem until I realized that you can't have the dial selected on Auto. Move it to M for manual and it will shoot continuously.

Sounds like a problem with connections between camera and PC.

Try an alternate method to dl pics. (get a universal type card reader.)

It sounds like your view screen is going bad. They do wear out. Are the pictures okay when you download them?

is there a sleep function? is the button or switch really soft to the touch? is sounds like a function of the camera...chech the cann site for a updated firmware fix for the problme

You can search ebay, but it will be difficult finding the exact version for your camera. Instead recommend reading the following blog article, as it describes the use of a card reader as a much easier, faster, and less error prone way to download your photos. In fact there are several important reasons discussed in the article for using a card reader vice downloading from the camera. USB Card readers are also very inexpensive these day, with cost virtually not an issue:

http://camerarepair.blogspot.com/2009/01/how-do-i-download-photos-or-pictures.html

Hi there
Take the card out of the camera, face the card towards you, look for a small white tab on the left hand side of the card, to unlock it push the tab down, it will be at the side of the card like this .

Good luck and thanks for choosing FixYa!!

It's very hard to troubleshoot software problems online, and it likely is a software issue. But why put up with the headaches of bad software in the first place? Please see the following blog article, as it describes the use of a card reader as a much easier, faster, and less error prone way to download your photos, and especially the much larger video files. In fact there are several important reasons discussed in the article for using a card reader vice downloading from the camera. USB Card readers are also very inexpensive these day, with cost virtually not an issue:

http://camerarepair.blogspot.com/2009/01/how-do-i-download-photos-or-pictures.html

The E16 error is a circuit board problem and is not user fixable. It needs to go to a Canon service facility. Try to get it fixed under warranty, if possible. If not, get an estimate before repairing, as price may be prohibitive. Weigh repair costs against replacing with a new camera.

If the pictures show up normal on the computer then the back light for the LCD is going bad...
try to replace the back light..

thank u
rate me!!

If the batteries leaked, it could be due to corrosion on the contacts.  You could try using a pencil eraser to rub the contacts to clean off any possible corrosion.  Hope that helps...

If you have tried sliding the lock switch back and forth a few times and re-inserting the flash and it is still not working, then the next step would be to try removing the battery (with the memory card removed) and seeing if that will reset the internal state of the camera.  Also ensure that the battery is fully charged.

take the memory card out of the camera and push the little lock button up

Same problem. The lens is stuck in the zoom position. When the camera is turned on, the lens moves a just afraction like it want to fully open or close, then the camera beeps and prompts with the "Lens Error" Restart Camera. Solutions?