Lens error; restart camera

Try these procedures.

Lens errors 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

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=5844033

Try the procedures in this tip.

I found this on the Canon Website, don't know if this will help.


Issue: Lens will not move and camera may display an E18 or "Lens" error.

Solution: Possible solutions for an E18 or Lens Error message PowerShot SD600

The "E18" or "Lens" error message indicates an error that involves the lens unit or lens cover.
This error may appear where the lens is prevented from properly extending or retracting such as, for example, when pressure is applied to the lens or the area surrounding the lens while handling the camera. The error may also be displayed if the lens unit/camera has been subjected to an external shock, or if a foreign substance (i.e. liquid, sand, dirt) enters the camera. Solution
Check the following when you operate the camera to avoid applying pressure to the lens and surrounding area:

• Hold the camera so that your fingers do not touch the lens unit when you are shooting.
• Make sure the camera is off before the camera is placed back in the case. Exercise caution to ensure that the camera does not accidentally power on while the camera is stored inside the case.

If you cannot clear the error code by turning the camera off and then on again, or if the error code is displayed frequently, a camera malfunction may have occurred For toll-free technical support, please call 1 (800) 828-4040 during regular business hours (currently Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 midnight. EST, Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., excluding holidays). Good Luck

i think ur camera dropped, u try ur local repairer repairable

The following blog outlines some repair options for a lens error. They won't work for all cases, but they're worth a try if the camera's no longer under warranty:

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

Manually rotating sensor rotor inside camera and cleaning gear fixed the Canon "lens error" for me.  
I placed instructions with photo's here: http://www.avh.dds.nl/Fix-Canon-SD600-Lens-Error/

I followed the directions contained in http://www.avh.dds.nl/Fix-Canon-SD600-Lens-Error/ and by disassembling the camera and turning the rotor just a little bit (page 4 of the instructions), it freed up the lens and it is now working perfectly! The camera had been put down on the lens as the lens was retracting and I assume that jammed the retract mechanism. While the camera was open, I blew out whatever dust/dirt was there (didn't see much). The fix took me probably 20-30 minutes, and I am very pleased with myself!

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!