Olympus Stylus 720 SW Digital Camera - Answered Questions & Fixed issues

It's on the bottom of the camera, under the same cover as the battery. And by the way, the Stylus 720SW uses xD Picture Cards, not SD cards.

Try NOT connecting your camera to your computer.The best way to download pictures from your camera to your computer involves removing the memory card from the camera and plugging it into a card reader (either built-in to the computer or connected via USB or FireWire). This is likely to be faster than connecting the camera to the computer, and won't run down your camera's batteries.Once the card is plugged in, it will appear to your computer as a removable drive. You can use the operating system's drag&drop facility to copy pictures from the card to the computer's hard drive, the same way you copy any other files. Or you can use any photo cataloging program such as Picasa.Try these procedures to open the lens.

Try these procedures.

1. Sand or foreign object in the lens cover.2. bad motor or gears.Try cleaning with canned air while powering the camera up/down...

It can be that if you have a SD card in it you might have somehow clicked the protect small lever. if so take out the SD card and check the sides of it and see if you find a small square like lever then try sliding it up or down however it will go. My SD card has it and when I sometimes put my camera away I slide it to write protect mode so that if my kids somehow get a hold of my camera and play with it they wont erase my pictures. Then when I need to use it I slide it back to unprotected mode. Hope that is your problem.

Sorry for the delay.

The two most obvious causes for your fault are damage to the microswitch which senses when the cover is closed and water ingress into the camera. The first possibility is often caused by the second one as any moisture getting into the switch can cause corrosion, but it can also "just happen".

From your answer, the camera would appear to be around two years old; the waterproofing seals and packing distort and harden with age so must be replaced annually. I don't know whether the camera has been used in seawater or pool water, but after use the camera must be submerged in a bucket of fresh water for about ten minutes. This flushes out traces of salt or pool chlorine; salt water dries out to leave salt crystals which distort the seals and may even physically damage them, pool water contains chlorine (sometimes ozone) which chemically attacks the seals. Either way, a damaged seal allows some water into the camera and it only takes a minute amount to damage it. Some people (myself included) find that carrying a bucket of fresh water to the beach just isn't practical and so rinse the camera off under a tap (US=faucet) or beach shower. This is not a good idea and every underwater camera which I use for snorkelling specifically forbids it. Page 65 of your camera manual also warns against it. The problem is that the force of the water falling directly onto a seal is enough to overcome it. Underwater, the pressure is steady and the whole camera is experiencing the same forces, but a modest gravity flow from a tap or water bottle puts uneven pressures on the seal and can unseat it just enough to allow a little water inside. Although I do break the rules, I normally protect the camera by thoroughly wrapping it in a t-shirt or even by slipping it into my shorts/wetsuit so that there's no direct flow of water onto the camera surface.

The other possible cause of water ingress is if the camera cover was closed without checking for sand or debris on the aperture or if the camera has ever been dropped. I know it's a tough shock-resistant camera, but the seals don't always survive rough handling. If the camera door has been opened before the camera is fully dry or if it's done when you have wet hands then it's also possible for a drop of water to get inside, and that's all it takes for the switch or some other component to corrode. The problem is worse if the camera has been stored between wet use with the doors closed and the memory card and battery in place: this camera is best stored open and empty.

Unlike most modern compact cameras, yours is designed to allow regular servicing even if it's only to replace the seals. I recommend that you contact your nearest Olympus Service Centre for an estimate. They can only give you the price of the re-waterproofing work, but you can stipulate that they try to fix the door fault first as the rest of the job is pointless if that cannot be fixed or proves to be too expensive to repair.

For servicing and repair, click here if you're in the USA and here if you're in the UK or Ireland. If anywhere else, then click here instead and navigate to your local page.

If you decide not to go ahead with the repairs and maintenance, then as a specialist model your camera will still have some value if you sell it online as a "spares or repairs" model.

Sorry that there is no quick fix option in this case, but I hope that my reply has explained what has probably happened and why and that it helps you to avoid repeating any mistakes which you may have inadvertently made. There is a very good chance that your camera can be fixed by Olympus; the repairs are unlikely to be cheap, but they're still far cheaper than buying another camera with equivalent underwater performance. The current Olympus Tough range descended from models like yours but are not as well made which explains why you'll see very few 720SW and 1030SW's on sites like eBay in any condition. Those which do appear sell very quickly and for good money, even when broken.

If you have any further questions about what I've written or if you think I've missed something, then please let me know via a comment. Otherwise, please take a moment to rate my answer.

Hi,

Here is a tip that I wrote about how to find the manuals, drivers, downloads andsupport for Digital Cameras.

DigitalCamera Manuals, Drivers, Downloads, and Support How to easilydownload Pictures from Digital Camera
heatman101

Just in Time for Christmas then!
So decisions - live with out the screen- it appears to be a connexion failure or a main board failure.
Or replace the camera - a repair will cost almost as much.

Hi,

Here is a tip that I wrote about SDCards and how to unlock and lock SDCards. If youare getting a memory card locked message then check this out.

How to UnlockSD Card heatman101

Your camera almost certainly has a lens error, this is such a common fault that I hope you don't mind me pasting my stock generic answer below. No point in reinventing the wheel! Note that in picture review (image playback) mode the camera works normally as you have described, this is because the camera is not trying to fight against a stuck lens when used in the review mode.

Stuck lenses are probably the most common reason that compact digital cameras get thrown away, but there's a fair chance of recovering use of your camera again

The fault is commonly caused by dirt or grit blocking the mechanism, or due to it having suffered a recent fall. Another common cause is that the camera was in a pocket or bag and the power button accidentally activated and tried to open the lens against resistance. The mechanism may have simply become dislodged or there may be parts which have broken.

If your camera is still under warranty and has definitely not been subject to misuse then contact the Olympus service department in your country to find out about a free repair. If the warranty has expired though a professional repair will far exceed the cost of replacing your camera. You will therefore have nothing to lose by trying to fix this yourself.

Please click here and you will be taken to an excellent article provided by the Camera Repair website. For the most part, you'll be guided on how to physically manipulate your camera to try and clear the fault. Although the article mentions Canon a few times, the advice applies equally to all cameras with lens errors and is not model-specific.

If the link doesn't work then cut and paste the following address into your browser:-

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

Good luck, I hope you manage to use this information to fix your camera, or at least are able to use the information to help decide whether to buy another camera. If you do decide that you have to throw your camera away then don't forget to remove the memory card as it can be used in other devices.

Open your camera to find the memory card/sd card inside. it may have a small tab on it you can click to protect the card. Make sure it is not set to protected.
If it is an sd card it will look like a very small white tab.

The camera stores the date and time (and a lot more) with every photo. However, it will not deface your photos by scrawling numbers over them. You can choose to print the date with the photo when you print. If you print from the camera using PictBridge, choose the Standard setting. Details are in the "Direct Printing (PictBridge)" section of the camera manual (page 38 in my copy). If you use a printing program on a computer, please refer to the documentation for that program.

If you need a manual for the camera, you can download one from the manufacturer's web site at
http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/cpg_support_manuals.asp?id=1225

Hi, kindly download it here : www.olympusamerica.com/cpg.../cpg_downloads.asp
www.opendrivers.com/.../cameras-and-mp3-player-olympus-free-driver-download.html

Jay

Press the DRIVE button to display the drive mode selection screen. Press the DRIVE button repeatedly until the one-handed clock appears.

One way to verify whether this is LCD problem is to take a picture and download it to PC. If the picture looks fine, then definitely, LCD problem.

Got It! You might try just soaking the camera for a little while like one response said. But I just removed the front face plate. There was accumulated gunk holding the lens cover, and I had the exact same symptoms you're describing. Gently wiped it all clean and presto! all good. You are not opening the camera, just removing the front face. There are three small allen screws on the front and a small phillips screw on the edge.You will need a very small (1.5mm) metric allen wrench (found in common allen wrench sets), and a very small screwdriver for a little screw on the side (found in common micro screwdriver sets). Keep track of which hole each allen set screw came from, they are all different, in fact one appears to be just decoration and has no threads, I just secured it with a tiny dab of all purpose adhesive (Ace hardware brand). Check the tab near the lens goes back in place. Dr. John Christensen

Artificial light is a different colour than daylight. Our eyes compensate, so we don't notice it much. Most digital cameras can compensate too, but whether they do or not depends on the settings. The setting you want to investigate is color balance. If this is set to daylight, it will give an orange cast to pictures taken in tungsten lighting, and a greenish cast to pictures taken in flourescent light. If it is set to artificial light, pictures taken in daylight will have a bluish cast. The best setting for most people is Auto, if your camera has it. That will let your camera decide, and usually it will get it about right.

Forget using the camera. Get yourself a separate card reader.

Fixing a Lens Error on a Digital Camera

This has to be THE most common failure mode for a digital camera. Some common error messages that might show up on the LCD's of cameras with this problem include “E18 lens error”, or “lens error, restart camera”. Some cameras might show nothing at all, but merely make a beeping noise as the lens goes out, then in, then the camera shuts off. Sometimes the lens won't even move.
The problem is actually quite common throughout all camera brands. Usually it's sand or grit interfering with the lens extension mechanism. Or the camera's been dropped with the lens extended. Or the camera has been powered on, but the lens had been blocked preventing its extension. Or the battery ran down with the lens extended. Believe it or not, one BIG contributor to lens errors is using a camera case. Sand, gunk, case fibers, etc... accumulate at the bottom of the case. These materials love to cling to the camera by electrostatic build-up from the camera rubbing against the side of the case (especially those cases with soft fibrous intreriors). Once these materials work their way into the lens mechanism, that's all she wrote. I have many Canon's, and NEVER use a case for this very reason.
A camera owner that suffers this problem may have no recourse for having the camera repaired. Many camera makers will not honor repairing this problem under warranty as they claim it is due to impact damage to the camera, or sand or debris getting into the lens gearing mechanism (neither of which is covered under warranty). The quoted repair cost is usually close to or more than what the camera is actually worth.
Fortunately, about half the cameras that suffer this failure can easily be fixed by one of the following methods. None of these methods involve opening the camera, although some have potential to cause other damage to the camera if excessively done. If the camera is still under warranty, before trying any of these, please please first contact your camera's maker to see if they'll cover the repair, or to determine how much they'll charge for the repair. Who knows, you might get lucky. But if they quote you a number that's higher than the value of your camera, you may want to consider the following methods.
The methods are listed in the order of risk of damaging your camera. Thus make sure you try them in the listed order. And remember, these fixes (especially #6 and 7) should only be considered for a camera that's out of warranty, who's cost of repair would be excessive, and would otherwise be considered for disposal if unrepaired:
Fix #1: Remove the batteries from the camera, wait a few minutes. Put a fresh set of batteries back in (preferably rechargeable NiMH 2500mah or better) and turn the camera on. If that didn't work, try pressing and holding the Function or OK button while turning the camera on.
Fix #2: Remove the batteries, then remove the memory card. Then install new batteries, and turn on the camera. If you get an Error E30, it means you don't have a memory card installed, so turn it off, slip in the memory card and turn it on one last time.
Fix #3: Insert the cameras Audio/Video (AV) cable, and turn the camera on. Inserting this cable ensures that the camera's LCD screen remains off during the start process. Thus extra battery power is available to the camera's lens motor during startup. This extra power can be useful in overcoming grit or sand particals that may be jamming the lens. If the AV cable doesn't fix the lens error by itself, consider keeping this cable installed while trying fixes 4, 5, and 7 as a means to provide extra help to these fixes. But note that I DON'T recommend keeping the cable installed during Fix 6 as you may damage the AV port while tapping the camera. Reinsert the cable only AFTER tapping the camera.
Fix #4: Place the camera flat on its back on a table, pointed at the ceiling. Press and hold the shutter button down, and at the same time press the power-on button. The idea is that the camera will try to autofocus while the lens is extending, hopefully seating the lens barrel guide pins in their slots.
Fix #5: Blow compressed air in the gaps around the lens barrels with the idea of blowing out any sand or grit that may be in there jamming the lens. Other variations include blowing with a hair dryer in “no heat” setting, or sucking the gaps with a vacuum (careful with this one).
Now we're entering into the realm of potentially damaging your camera in conducting the fix. There is definitely some risk here, so take care when conducting the following two fixes.
Fix #6: Repeatedly tap the padded/rubber usb cover on a hard surface with the intent of dislodging any particles that may be jamming the lens. Other variations include hitting a side of the camera against the palm of your hand. A lot of people have reported success with this method. HOWEVER, there is also some potential for damaging or dislodging internal components with this method, such as unseating ribbon cables, or cracking LCD screens.
Fix #7: Try forcing the lens. More people have reported success with this method than with any of the other methods. HOWEVER, there's obviously some potential for damaging your camera by using this method. Variations include gently pulling, rotating, and/or twisting the lens barrel while hitting the power button. Attempt to gently straighten or align the barrel if it's crooked or twisted. Another variation includes looking for uneven gaps around the lens barrel, and then pushing on the side of the lens barrel that has the largest gap (note pushing the lens barrel all the way in is NOT recommended as it may become stuck there). While doing any of the above, listen for a click that indicates that the lens barrel guide pins may have reseated in their guide slots. If you hear this click, immediately stop and try the camera.

Check the picture quality setting and make sure it's on the maximum number of MP's and highest quality.