My camera stopped taking pictures, screen turned black. The lens is frozen in place and will not go back into the camera. When you press the power button, you can hear the lens trying to close but it won't.

Take the batteries out of it let it sit for about 5 minutes and then put them back in

You may have accidentally pressed the DISP or DISPLAY button on the back of your camera. This manually turns the screen on and off to save battery power. You would then use the optical viewfinder in its place to center your pictures (that little glass peephole near the top of your camera). Try pressing the DISP button once to see if it turns the screen back on.

Hi,

Error: TURN THE POWER OFF AND ON AGAIN is displayed on the LCD screen when the Lens Mechanism is stuck or when affected by any malfunction. If turning the power on and off again does not resolve the error message, try doing a power reset and Initialize option.

Performing a manual power reset

Turn off the camera.

Remove the battery pack.

Press and hold the power button for 30 seconds.

Allow the camera to remain without power for 60 seconds.

Reinsert the battery pack.

Turn on the camera.

To reset the Camera back to factory default, press the RESET button located above the PHOTO button which will change all settings back to factory default. The images and videos will not get deleted.

If the issue persists, service may be required.

Thanks for contacting FixYa

Think that you might have accidentally pressed the DISP or DISPLAY button on the back of your camera. This manually turns the LCD display on and off to save batteries. You would then use the optical viewfinder in its place. To turn the screen back on, just press the DISP button one more time.

But if you've already tried this, have you also tried downloading any of your photos taken with the black screen to your computer? Are the photos also black? If so, you might instead be experieincing a stuck shutter (possibly due to the cold weather).

A stuck shutter is another common failure mode for digital cameras. The symptoms of a stuck or "sticky" shutter are very similar to CCD image sensor failure. The camera may take black pictures (for shutter stuck closed), or the pictures may be very bright and overexposed, especially when taken outdoors (for shutter stuck open).

To confirm a stuck shutter, put the camera in any mode other than "Auto", and turn the flash OFF (you don't want to blind yourself for the next step). Next look down the lens and take a picture. You should see a tiny flicker in the center of the lens as the shutter opens and closes. If no movement is seen, then you likely have a stuck shutter. If so, please see this link for further info and a simple fix that may help.

Sounds like you might have accidentally pressed the DISPLAY button on the back of your camera. It turns the screen on and off to save batteries. Turn on your camera, and press this button once again to turn the screen back on.

But if your camera is also taking black pictures,
a stuck shutter is another common failure mode for digital cameras. The symptoms of a stuck or "sticky" shutter are very similar to CCD image sensor failure. The camera may take black pictures (for shutter stuck closed), or the pictures may be very bright and overexposed, especially when taken outdoors (for shutter stuck open).

To confirm a stuck shutter, put the camera in any mode other than "Auto", and turn the flash OFF (you don't want to blind yourself for the next step). Next look down the lens and take a picture. You should see a tiny flicker in the center of the lens as the shutter opens and closes. If no movement is seen, then you likely have a stuck shutter. If so, please see this link for further info and a simple fix that may help.

Think that you accidentally pressed the DISP or DISPLAY button on the back of your camera. This manually turns the LCD display on and off to save batteries. You would then use the optical viewfinder in its place. To turn the screen back on, just press the DISP button one more time.

Probably lens failure.
Since there are so many cases on this site of the same symptoms, I would guess that it is an inherent problem with this camera.
Ultimately, Olympus, who used to make top quality SLRs, are now making expensive disposables.

I was quoted $US80 for a replacement lens.

If your camera is still under warranty, the best thing you can dois to take it to the nearest official repair shop and Canon Digital Cameras shouldfix it for free.

If your camera is out of warranty, or if Canon refuses to repairit for free (happens sometimes if for example they suspect the camera has not been treated properly) you can try some ofthe methods listed here to repair it yourself. These simple methodshave helped a lot of people fix their cameras.

Before trying any of the suggestions, make sure your Canon Digital Cameras has fresh batteries and it is in recording mode.

1) Remove the batteries from the camera, wait for a couple of minutes,then put them back in and turn the camera on.

2) Try compressed air. With a fine tip blow off gun and drycompressed air (20 lbs) set the tip between the lens turret and thecamera body and turn on the air while moving the tip around the lens.It should remove all dust and sand. Turn the camera on and it shouldfunction fine.

3) Another method is to tap the padded USB cover part on a hard surface, for example, a desk. It sounds so simple, but veryoften in works.

4) Try forcing the camera lens:

Turn off the camera. Place it on the back with the lens facing up and take a look at the spacing between the lens and the lens housing. If you notice that the gap is not even all the way around the lens, the problem should be easy to fix. This type of a problem usually occurs if the camera was dropped while the lens was extended.

Simply - VERY GENTLY - press down the lens on the side where the gap is the biggest. You should hear a "click" as it pops back into place. Try powering the camera back on.

If the lens doesn't extend at all or it extends, and then retracts again, do the following. Turn the camera off. Take the camera in one hand and with the other gently take one part of the lens and gently move it round in a circular movement. Do so with both sections of the lens. You will hear a "click" as it pops back in place. Power the camera on.

Another version of this fix would be to pull and twist on the largest ring of the lens while turning the camera on. Listen for a "click". If at first the focus seems to be off, turn the camera on and off and take lots of pictures, close ups and distance. Focus should slowly start improving.

5) If that doesn't work, there is an online guide for dismantling Canon Digital Cameras and fixing the E18 error. (NOTE: Try this only if your camera is no longer under warranty!)It is a great guide with pictures and it can be found here.

There are 2 other guides, one Bulgarian and one Estonian with the take apart procedure for Canon cameras.They are not in english but have a lot of pictures which help with the process.

- Bulgarian guide
- Estonian guide


Hope this may help you;

Regards,
VOTIT

DON'T FORGET TO RATE;

Hi

Dangold have you tried pressing the "Disp" button? It's possible your camera is in 'power save' mode and the LCD is turned off to save battery power.

Can you take pictures even though the screen is blank? If you take a picture can you review it on the camera?

If you can take only solid black pictures then your lens aperture is stuck closed or your CCD is bad, and the lens will have to be replaced.

If you can find a good but defective camera online, you can use the two to make one good one. If you would prefer to have it repaired, I know there are a few places here and there that charge a reasonable amount, and many that do not.

I have been building an affordable digital camera repair business (Google: darntoothysam) for several years now, if you do need a new lens let us know, we can do the repair for only about $70!

Feel free to contact me, and even if you don't use us PLEASE don't pay somebody $150 to fix your camera!

Good luck from Darntoothysam com

Thomas

same model as mine. Next to the memory card slot m rectangular black box.. battery pack. press it and it comes out , put it back and hold the on switch... presto!