Lens Error I recently had a problem with my Casio QV-R4... every time I'd turn it on, the lens would retract and I'd get a "LENS ERROR" message on the screen. I talked to customer support and they told me that Installing the new version of their firmware, v1.01 would fix this problem. I've since installed the new firmware version, but I am still receiving the lens error. Has anyone else encountered this problem? Does anyone know how to fix it? Please help!!!

As solutions 1 & 2 indicate, lubing the gears works!! This is a great camera, so I hope all of the QV-R4 owners try this. I may become a maintenance item for the camera.

I have a few additional tips.

The gear that needs to lube is larger black gear driven by a small white gear. To get to it, only the back cover needs to be removed (don’t take off the flat cable to the back case; it’s a nightmare to put back on). There is a small motor on the bottom of the camera. The motor drives a small white gear that in turn drives a larger black gear. The black gear is hard to get to. To lube it, I used a hi-tech dry bicycle lube and a very small paint brush w/ long bristles. I also turned the white gear a few revs to be able to coat the black gear better. This may have helped get past the sticking point on the black gear.

After two attempts the “lens error” was gone, but the white gear was still having problems turning the black gear. This set of gears appears to focus the camera, hence the image was blurry. Some more lube and spinning of the gears and the problem was gone. Gone I said, gone.

My beloved camera is now back in service. Total time to fix, 30 minutes (I actually took a bit more apart than I needed to J )

Even though I had the newest firmware installed (which can prevent from the lens error problem in some cases) after 6 years of usage I also had the lense error. As it was out of warantee and useless whith the lens error I decided to try to fix the problem by opening the back of the device. Swithcing on the QV-R4 while the back was opened I saw that the tiny white cogwheel below the LCD stuck and did not turn. All I did then was turning the cogwheel manually but carefully into one direction (as it was only stuck into one direction). After that it worked fine again. Now I am a happy QV-R4 user again :-)))) P.S.: Please consider this only as a report of my successful try to fix my QV-R4. Feel free to try the same, but at your own risk.

Hi. (copying my post here that I first posted at http://public.ok2life.com/comment/index/26 ) ... I had this same problem on a Casio QV-R4 - which has been a great camera otherwise - and managed to FIX it !! . Exact symptoms of my problem: on start-up, lens would extend to about full length, then I would hear a quick clicking/whirring sound of some kind of gear/cog failure. Next the lens would retract itself, the LCD screen showed "lens error" and the machine would power-off. MY FIX (might not work for everyone): Seeing it was way out of warranty AND has fungus on the lens anyway, I took the back off and started the cam... over and over, looking for the problem. Eventually I could see that down at the bottom of the Cam, on the Lower right side of the LCD the is a small white plastic cog which made the strange noise. Next to that (it's very difficult to see) the white cog drives (?) a larger black one - it may be something to do with the focus mechanism - but thats just a guess. Trying to move the cog gently with a tiny screwdriver I could feel that it got stuck on a tight spot once every revolution in the same place. Tried to work the tight spot out with no luck and thought - "what the..." I'll squirt a tiny drop of WD fluid in there on both cogs (seeing the camera was useless to me at this point). Lo and behold a few minutes later the camera started just fine, lens extends and contracts properly with NO ERROR!!. So ... if your Casio QV-R4 is out of warranty and otherwise headed for the trash can try this - it just might work. ## NOTE - I'm 100% certain that no Digicam manufacturer would recommend using oil in your camera. It would most probably void all warranties. If you do it - use as little oil as possible and apply it to as small an area as possible. Wipe off any excess after. The only reason I tried this was because the Camera was otherwise out of warranty and useless to me as it was. - Now at least it works - but I still need a solution for fungus on the lens!!Anyone interested came e-mail me at dukey_e(AT)yahoo.com.au (use @ symbol obviously!!). good luck - E

Yeah, apparently the firmware update prevents the problem from happening. It doesn't actually fix it. I sent it to customer service and it was going to cost $250 for them to fix it. It should be covered under warrentee but I didn't have mine...now I'm out a camera. good luck, sorry for the bad news.

I also have the same problem, called Casio, they said it is a circuit board problem that causes the lens error, and that the part costs about $260. A firmware update after the problem will not fix it, the update was just to prevent the problem. Unbelievable!! Never buying a Casio again, will stick with Canon.