My Nikon Coolpix L12 will power on but won't take a photo. There are no error messages on the screen. The lens will extend and retract. The zoom works. The shutter release button depresses but will not "snap" a photo. The card in the camera is fine and is recognized by camera. Thanks for your help!

Lens is faulty and needs replacement.

is the auto focus lens working properly?

It sounds like there may be something blocking the lens from extending (internally. the S50 uses a zoom lens that retracts and extends sideways and a mirror to allow light through).

Hi,
When system control does not get lens initialize signal while extending it, then it try again by folding it and extending and still no required initialize signal then generate error and stop further functions.

Please remove battery and open camera and remove flexible wire of lens mechanism from connector, there would be lock that needs to release to remove flexible wire. Clean wire terminals with alcohol, let it dry and put back flexible wire in connector and lock it. Now put battery and power camera up, hopefully lens will work properly.

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Thanks.

I had this issue and I read on the net to hold the lens down on a table of some sort and apply slight pressure while pressing the power button, it should go right back in, It did for me!

Dear All, Looking at other threads this seems a standard fault for many brands. I know the dreaded 'lens error' is a recognised Nikon fault.

I had the same problem with a Nikon Coolpix L1; lens would shuttle in and out rather woriedly and then get stage fright and freeze, hiding behind a lens error tag.

The solution came from a similar site to this and listed at least ten happy punters who tried it and found it worked, so, brace yerselfs....

Put a paperback book on decent sort of a table and slam the flat base of the camera down onto it as hard as you dare. If you slam and hold firm to the book it seems to give better shock without having to belt the poor thing to hell.

Worked first time for me. Not a cure, though. You'll have to repeat it every few months perhaps.

I suppose your camera may explode during the process; I decided mine was unusable as it was and so I'd nothing to lose.

If you break your wrist change to the other hand and don't slam so hard this time!!!

Before that I found some correlation between battery type, charge and lens function but the book bash was an instant cure.

Do let me know of any success

Hitting camera on desk once has partial fix.
When camera's batteries taken out & then put back in and the power on button pressed to switch camera on, the lens extends out & the camera now works.
BUT when the power button pressed to switch camera off the lens retracts AND a "Lens Error" msg appears on the LCD screen.
Just have to take batteries out to remove msg & start again as above but WITHOUT hitting the camera.
Thanks

I sorry to tell you that the user manual is correct. There would be little you could do yourself and if you would attempt any repairs, you would void your warranty.

To make the best of a bad situation, I recommend setting the camera to its highest resolution mode and taking all your picture in the wide angle mode. You can crop the larger images when you get back home and still have printable pics

It seems as a problem with the zooming mechanism (lens would not retract or extended) Press the power button on and hold it down while extending and twisting the telescopic zoom lens. It might fix your problem. In any case it could not make it worse Good luck!

hi there is a problem in the iens operation sorry cant help this is a delicate mechanical problem contact retailer or nikon representative here are all the cotacts you need: http://support.nikontech.com/cgi-bin/nikonusa.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?&p_faqid=238 good luck