Error 18 I am getting an error 18 code what does it mean and what can I do?

SOURCE: Error 18

This is a common problem not with just canon but any auto focus camera that uses gears and a motor to zoom or focus. There are 2 basic problems for this error. E18 is the error that tells the user that the lenses are stuck and they can be cause from an impact or debris in the teeth of the gears. Its unavoidable, canon has tried to prevent this using gaskets around the lenses but over time the gaskets just wear and then debris can slip past the gaskets. The impact is a user problem. The gears are plastic and plastic can take only so much force before it breaks. The only way to prevent it is to buy a camera that does not have an optical zoom so you dont have any moving parts. You then lose some features. Try to avoid dusty sandy enviroments, keep the camera stored lens down and dont drop it. The lens is glass, glass is fragile it can break.

Posted on Mar 23, 2006