Panasonic fz 18

Problems typically are pretty rare with Panasonic Lumix digital cameras. On those occasions where you do have an issue, though, look for an error message on the Panasonic camera for some clues as to how to fix the problem.
he seven tips listed here should help you troubleshoot your Panasonic camera error messages.

1. Built-in Memory Error error message. If you see this error message with your Panasonic camera, the internal memory area of the camera is either full or corrupted. Try downloading photos from the internal memory. If the error message continues to appear, you may need to format the internal memory area.
   
2. Memory Card Locked / Memory Card error message. Both of these error messages are related to the memory card, rather than the Panasonic camera. If you have an SD memory card, check the write protect switch on the side of the card. Slide the switch up to unlock the card. If the error message persists, it's possible the memory card is corrupted and needs to be formatted. It's also possible the memory card was formatted using another device that is not compatible with Panasonic's file structure system. Format the card with your Panasonic camera to fix the problem ... but keep in mind that formatting the card will erase any photos stored on it.
   
3. No Additional Selections Can Be Made error message. If your Panasonic camera allows you to "save" photos as your "favorites," you may find this error message because the camera has a limited number of photos that can be labeled as favorites, usually 999 photos. You cannot mark another photo as a favorite until you remove the favorite label from one or more photos. This error message also may occur if you're trying to delete more than 999 photos at one time.
   
4. No Valid Picture error message. This error message typically refers to a problem with the memory card. Most of the time, you'll find this error message when you try to play back images from the memory card and the memory card is corrupted, empty, broken, or has been formatted with another camera. To fix the memory card, you must format it, but formatting a memory card causes all photos stored on it to be lost. Try inserting the memory card in another device or in your computer and try downloading any photos stored on it before formatting it with your Panasonic camera.
   
5. Please Turn Camera Off And Then On Again error message. At least this error message says "please." This error message most likely occurs when one of the parts of the camera's hardware is malfunctioning, usually a jammed lens housing. To try to fix this problem, start by turning the camera off for a few seconds before turning it back on. If this doesn't fix the problem, try resetting the camera by removing the battery and memory card from the camera for at least 10 minutes. Replace both items and then try turning the camera on again. If the lens housing is jamming as the lens moves through its zoom range, try gently cleaning the housing, removing any debris or grime. If all of these steps don't fix the problem, you'll probably need a repair center for the camera.
   
6. This Battery Cannot Be Used error message. With this error message, you've either inserted a battery that's incompatible with your Panasonic camera or you've inserted a battery that has dirty contacts. Gently clean the metal contacts with a dry cloth. In addition, make sure the battery housing is free of debris. You sometimes may see this error message if you're using a battery that's not manufactured by Panasonic. If the third-party battery is working OK to power the camera, you probably can ignore this error message.
   
7. This Picture Is Protected error message. You'll see this Panasonic camera error message when the photo you've selected has been protected from deletion. Try working through the camera's menus to figure out how to remove any protection labels for the photo files.
   

Keep in mind that different models of Lumix cameras may provide a different set of error messages than is shown here. If you are seeing Panasonic camera error messages that aren't listed here, check with the user guide for your model of Panasonic Lumix camera for a list of other error messages, or visit the Support area of the Panasonic Web site.

Hi,

try formatting your cd card in your Fz. If it keeps telling you memory error, try using it in windows, put data on it, to see wether it can hold them and read them too.
Happeded to me once too, format did the job. Just format it in the camera, not your pc.

Vladimir

Some camera's, especially older ones, have a limit as to the maximum size of the memory card that they support. Look in the manual to see what the camera can support.

you may try some card recovery software, recommended asoftech photo recovery that helped me before.
http://www.asoftech.com/apr/

If needed, you may do a quick format of the card, and then use asoftech photo recovery to recover files.

Guys you have to have the camera format the SD card itself for best results and compatibility.

Hi - You will need to get an SDHC reader and then try the following procedure.

You can either plug in you camera to the PC as it should appear as a “Removable Drive” or put the card in a card reader attached to your PC.

Next, if you are comfortable with using a PC then you can download a FREE utility that will recover your photos from the following link:

http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/PhotoRec

If you need something a little more "user friendly" then you will need to buy the software. If you search the web for photo recovery software you will find many.
One I have used successfully is RescuePro that used to be bundled with some Sandisk products. Now you can get it from the link below:

http://www.lc-tech.com/software/prwindetail.html

You can try the demo to see what you can recover before buying.

Remember - Do NOT try & write anything back to the card until you can recover your pictures to your PC safely!

Please take a moment to rate this solution & let us know if the information given was useful to you – Good Luck!

Informatica

Sorry for the extreme delay in answering your question: I've been trawling for old unanswered questions today and yours came up. The following answer will undoubtedly be way too late to be of use to you, but may assist others searching FixYa for an answer to the same problem.

You have been mistaking SD cards for SDHC cards. They look the same but are different, and your camera cannot use SDHC cards as it was designed before they existed. The limitation is due to the hardware in your camera so it cannot be updated to SDHC standards.

Your 2GB card was definitely an SD card as SDHC cards have a minimum capacity of 4GB, and 2GB SD cards are the maximum capacity which your camera can handle. Your only fix is to either stick to 2GB maximum capacity SD cards or to replace the camera with one which is SDHC compatible.

From DMC-FZ8 user manual:
[MEMORY CARD PARAMETER ERROR]
> Use a card compatible with this unit. (P19)
• You can only use an SDHC Memory Card if using cards with 4 GB or more capacity.

If you are convinced the problem is not your card, here's Panasonic's support number -800-211-PANA (7262). Hope this helps.

I have been rummaging around trying to find two solutions: 1) to get my Toshiba Satellite card reader to read SDHC cards and 2) to get my desktop USB ports to read SDHC cards. While MS offers a hotfix for XP, it does not always work because of the different Chip Sets in computers. I have also read where posters say that the SDHC card works in the compter NOW, but NOW will not work in the camera... and the SDHC card NOW works in the camera but will NOT work in the computer.... I found a tekkie article that may help clear the air... SDHC cards are formatted in Fat32x (NOTICE the "x") and SD cards are formatted in Fat32 (no 'x') and these compatibility problems arise when the user unwittingly or unknowingly RE-formats the SDHC card, either when it is put in the computer and won't read or when it is put in the camera and won't read... but just don't bother to mention that THAT is what they did upon inserting the card and only proceeded to complain about an apparent incompatibility. The camera or computer might even mislead you asking if you want to format the card..... but all is not lost. The Panasonic site gives a program AND a pdf instruction book on How To ReFormat an SD or SDHC card specifying the proper Fat32x or Fat32 format. Hope this helps.

I recently bought a DMC-TZ3 and have been researching memory cards. Several sites sell cards with the camera and list the card type. I would suggest buying one of these cards. Any cards larger than 2gb must be SDHC type SD cards. There appear to different types of SDHC cards, 1.0, 1.1 and 2.0. Check out Wikipedia.org for a description. 2.0 cards are not compatable for devices developed prior to 2.0 so that may be the reason for the camera problem. So far I haven't seen anything that states what type SDHC card the camera requires. I found a computer memory site that that sells memory that they say will work. There may be others.
http://www.mymemory.co.uk/compatible-memory/Digital_Cameras/Panasonic/Panasonic_Lumix_DMC-TZ3