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I brought my Kodak MD1063 to the beach and it didn't work for days, even after cleaning the battery connections and charging fully. I used the post below and it is all fixed! (Honestly, I think trying to turn it on and off a bunch helped clear the sand out of the lense which was causing the camera to shut back down.)
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.