Please help - my lens will not come out, once I switch on my camera. It comes up with an E18 message Vicky

Can you tell us what camera brand and model it is?

I found this on cnet.com Hope it helps.

E18 quick fix

I'm sure that every1 looking at this right now would love to be able to do a quick fix for the dreaded E18 error. Well, I have fixed mine several time in less time that it takes to take a picture. So here it is: This error occurs when the lens is "stuck" or not extending "straight". The error can happen in 3 ways: either when the lens wont "come out", or "comes out" and then retracts, or does not retract at all. Mine did all of these at one stage or another.
1) If the lens doesn't extend at all or it extends, but then retracts again, do as follow:
Turn the camera off. Place the camera on it's back with the lens facing up and have a look at the "spacing" between the lens and the lens housing. You'll probably notice that the gap is NOT EVEN all the way around. To fix this, simply -VERY GENTLY- press down on the side where the gap is the biggest. You will hear a "click" as it pops back in place. Try powering it back on.
2) If the lens is extended all the time and won't retract at all, do as follow:
Turn the camera off. Take the camera in one hand and with the other gently, in turn, take the two part of the lens and gently move it round in a circular movement. Do so with both sections of the lens. You will once again hear a little "click" as it pops back in place. Power the camera on.
This has worked for me many times and it seems to happen when the camera has been carried around and possible had a little knock. I hope this is of help to someone else.

Canon Powershot's error E18 has to do with the lens:
If it appears on a black LCD with E18 written on the corner, it is mostly due to the lens getting stuck while trying to extend. The camera will beep a few times and the LCD will display a little E18 in the lower-left corner. The lens gets stuck in the extended position, and refuses to move either to focus the lens or to retract when powered off.
I am giving below a link which will help you with E18 problem.

http://www.e18error.com/repair.html

Hope this helps, let me know if you have a proble.
Please do rate and thanks for using FixYa and Best fo luck to get you camera out of E18!

Lens errors (E18 errors on Canons) are fairly common. 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 ...

Here's some things that you can do to try to correct it. They only seem to work for less than 50% of the lens errors, but if the camera is out of warranty, they're worth a try:

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

the E18 means the lens system has a problem. I had it with my S2 and sometimes it worked, sometimes not. Eventually it stopped working. The only solution was sending it to repair, they changed the lens system.

Best Regards

e18 is a lens error message, the lens is stuck or bent, and wouldn't come out, that's why camera shuts off after it tries to do so at the start, not much you can do, but replace the whole lens assembly

E18 is the error that comes when when the lens is stuck, so if the lens is stuck out, turn off the camera, carefully turn the lens until you hear a small clicking noise, then turn it on. I had the exact same problem, and that fixed it for me

My sister's camera was having the same trouble and after trying a few different things, i came across a solution that fixed her camera. Her error said "lense error, restart camera."

I held down the shutter button for a few seconds, then i held down the power button as well. I tried it once or twice and then it worked. I hope this helps!

i got my camera a couple of mounths, but i have not used it alot. When i turn it on, the start up screen wold come on but e18 would come up on the screen and nothing would happen after. i desperately need your help to fix my camera. thank you.

Your lens is jammed, and needs to be repaired or replaced.