Camera Won't Stay On

I only can think of two reasons. The first, the battery does not have enough power. As a safety precaution it shuts itself down, to avoid damage to the saved pictures. Because if the voltage is to low, it can't write with 100% accuracy.
Second: something is blocking free movement of the lens. This could have a cause inside the lens barrel, and you won't see a thing. It also could be a minute damage on the outside of the lens. Or what sometimes happens while putting the camera on, you touch the lens barrel. I assume you did remove any lens cap attached to the camera.
So if you can't see any damage to the lens barrel, charge the battery and try again.

it sounds like it has slipped a gear in the lens.. you could try to manually push the lens in when it comes out and that might reset it but it also might break it.. best is to send it back to panasonic.. is a easy fix

If you hear a noise from the lens when you try to take picture or During turn on/off time then it's a lens guide pin problem OR Somehow its jammed or damaged. It's happens when the camera pressed or drop down during turn on mode or long time not use.

For the solution you need to follow the steps.

1. Turn off the camera and remove the memory card and clean the external body of the camera and make sure in place of the lens there is no dust or damaged sign.

2. Now turn on the camera without memory card & make sure the battery are fully charged.

3. If the lens not moving then give a little shake or thrust by hand ( carefully very slow) and then wait for a moment. If no changes then turn on the camera and give a little twist an anti clock side and leave for few second. It is risky ( Do it slowly at your own risk)

4. If nothing change then reset the camera setting from the menu option.

After following all steps, if the camera does not start working then you need to visit service center for replacing the Lens or Repairing. If you have any more questions ask me I fell happy to answer your question. Thank you.

Besides the auto-flash mode, you can select fill flash, flash off, self-timer, and nighttime-view with or without flash.
Press the MODE-SELECTOR BUTTON until the desired indicator appears on the LCD PANEL.
Fill flash and flash off modes remain selected after you take the picture. To cancel the selection, press the mode-selection button or close and reopen the lens cover/flash to return to the auto-flash mode.
Fill flash
When bright light indoors or outdoors comes from behind the subject (backlighting), dark shadows (especially on faces) may occur. Use fill flash to lighten these shadows.

1. Open the LENS COVER/FLASH to raise the flash and to turn the camera ON.
2. Press the MODE-SELECTOR BUTTON repeatedly until the FILL-FLASH INDICATOR appears on the LCD PANEL.
3. Frame your subject within the VIEWFINDER EYEPIECE.
4. Partially depress the SHUTTER BUTTON. When the FLASH/CAMERA-READY LAMP turns off and the fill-flash indicator on the LCD panel stops blinking, fully depress the shutter button to take the picture.

Flash off
When you do not want to use the flash, especially indoors where flash is prohibited, such as in theaters and museums, or when you want to take twilight scenes or distant subjects that are beyond the flash range, or capture the ambiance of existing light, use the flash-off feature. Use a tripod or place the camera on another firm support, and use high-speed film because the shutter speed in these situations will most likely be slow.

1. Open the LENS COVER/FLASH to raise the flash and to turn the camera ON.
2. Press the MODE-SELECTOR BUTTON repeatedly until the FLASH-OFF INDICATOR appears on the LCD PANEL.
3. Frame your subject within the VIEWFINDER EYEPIECE.
4. Press the SHUTTER BUTTON to take the picture.

Self-timer with auto flash
Use this feature to include yourself in pictures.

1. Use the TRIPOD SOCKET to attach the camera to a tripod or place it on another firm support.
2. Open the LENS COVER/FLASH to raise the flash and to turn the camera ON.
3. Press the MODE-SELECTOR BUTTON repeatedly until the SELF-TIMER INDICATOR appears on the LCD PANEL.
4. Frame your subject within the VIEWFINDER EYEPIECE.
5. Press the SHUTTER BUTTON. The SELF-TIMER LAMP will glow and then blink during the last three seconds of countdown.
   • To cancel the self-timer selection before the shutter releases, close the flash.
   • The self-timer automatically turns off after the shutter releases.

Night-view with flash
In this mode, the camera balances the flash and existing light exposure so you can take beautiful pictures of people at sunset or at night. Use a tripod or place the camera on another firm support, and use high-speed film because the shutter speed at night will most likely be slow.

1. Open the LENS COVER/FLASH to raise the flash and to turn the camera ON.
2. Press the MODE-SELECTOR BUTTON repeatedly until the NIGHTTIME-VIEW INDICATOR with flash appears on the LCD PANEL.
3. Frame your picture in the VIEWFINDER EYEPIECE.
4. Press and hold the SHUTTER BUTTON for 12 seconds without lifting your finger. Note: If you remove your finger from the shutter button before 12 seconds, the shutter will time out immediately.
   
5. After 12 seconds, release the shutter button to take the picture.

Night-view without flas
In this mode, you can capture the natural existing light of city-night scenes or fireworks at night. Use a tripod or place the camera on another firm support, and use high-speed film because the shutter speed at night will most likely be slow.

1. Open the LENS COVER/FLASH to raise the flash and to turn the camera ON.
2. Press the MODE-SELECTOR BUTTON repeatedly until the NIGHTTIME-VIEW INDICATOR without flash appears on the LCD PANEL.
3. Frame your picture in the VIEWFINDER EYEPIECE.
4. Press and hold the SHUTTER BUTTON for 12 seconds without lifting your finger. Note: If you remove your finger from the shutter button before 12 seconds, the shutter will time out immediately.
   
5. After 12 seconds, release the shutter button to take the picture.

Try these procedures.

same here

Set the mode dial to AUTO, then press
the POWER switch to turn on the
camera.
● Be sure to take off the lens cap before
you turn the camera on (P. 27).
2 Press OK button.
● The top menu is displayed.
3 Press the up arrow button to select the clock.
4 Press to select the date format.
● Select any one of the following formats:
D-M-Y (Day/Month/Year)
M-D-Y (Month/Day/Year)
Y-M-D (Year/Month/Day)
● This step and the following steps show the
procedure used when the date and time
settings are set to Y-M-D.
Press right arrow button move to the year (Y) setting.
6 Press up or down arrow to set the year. When the year is set, press right arrow to move to the month (M) setting.
● Repeat this procedure until the date and time are completely set.
● To move back to the previous setting, press left arrow.
7 PressOk .
● For a more accurate setting, don't press until the clock hits 00 seconds. The
clock starts when you press the button.
8 To turn the camera off, press the POWER switch.
● The lens retracts.

I am having the same problem with my camera. I have to take the batteries out to get it to shut down. I also cannot view my photos on the camera, when I try to turn it to view, it goes to shoot mode.

Belikes, any external object is trapped in between your Lens Motor and Camera Body. You should consult Authorized Service Personnel to handle this trouble.

Hi,

Tentative solution:
I had the identical problem. I went as far as disassembling the camera ... not recommended.

Instead of fussing with the lens cover, I pressed on the lens assembly (gently), the lens retracted and the lens cover closed.

My camera works now. It will be my last Kodak.

Good Luck,
Mike