2 Other User Has The Same Problem

I had this problem for the first time yesterday, on my fifth use of the camera from new. The user manual says to turn it on and off a few times which I did but to no avail. I found advice on a different forum that said to hold your finger over the shutter as you turn it on, so that the lens doesn't have time to retract again. Sort of use your finger nail to hold the shutter up while the lens extends. Tried this and it worked, switched it off and back on agiain and it seems to be going fine now.

The camera wants you to format the card in the camera.

Lens error is usually caused by mechanical faults concerning lens assembly. The lens cannot extend or retract fully, the error is detected and lens error is returned.
Sometimes this can be fixed playing with the lens during extraction or retraction to help the lens asset getting back to normal.
More often the camera lens must be disassembled and re-assembled by a technician to fix the problem.

Camera (with new rechargable batteries) won't let the lens come out or if it does it instantly retracts.

The lens maybe out of track. Perhaps you have bumped the camera or dropped it. Look if the lens are a bit tilted, if so, try straighten the lens with your fingers, very gently. Hope it works.

The following blog outlines some repair options for a lens error. They won't work for all cases, but they're worth a try if the camera's no longer under warranty:

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

The following blog outlines some repair options for a lens error:

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

The following blog outlines some repair options for a lens error:

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

No solution you can make- The motor mechanism is shot Depending on how long you have had the camera you may get it replaced or a repair price quoted. The repair price will be horrific buy the next camera.

The "E18" error code indicates an error that involves the lens unit or lens cover. This error may appear where the lens is prevented from properly extending or retracting such as, for example, when pressure is applied to the lens or the area surrounding the lens while handling the camera. The error may also be displayed if the lens unit/camera has been subjected to an external shock, or if a foreign substance (i.e. liquid, sand, dirt) enters the camera. Solution Check the following when you operate the camera to avoid applying pressure to the lens and surrounding area: - Hold the camera so that your fingers do not touch the lens unit when you are shooting. - Make sure the camera is off before you put it back in the case. Exercise caution to ensure that the camera does not accidentally power on while the camera is stored inside the case.