Help! Lens error, restart camera

[m0mmy]

I need help! I was trying to take Halloween pictures, when my Canon G9 fell of the counter. It has had some rough treatment, so I was not worried. However, it makes a strange noise and says lens error restart camera. The lens will not retract back into the camera. Does anyone know of anything I can do to fix it? I am very upset. I have both daughters' birthdays and a trip to Disney in November. This is not the time for camera issues. Thanks!

 

[NateNLogansDad]

I'm no expert but I'd pull the battery and let it sit for about 10 min maybe bump it on the side with the palm of my hand a few times. Pop the battery back in and see what happens.

 

[m0mmy]

Thanks, but nothing worked.

 

[Frantasmic]

Take your camera and very lightly tap it on it's side (oblong-wise). It sounds like your lens just got stick.

 

[mom2rtk]

I had a P & S that I dropped from my pocket onto a concrete sidewalk. It mangled the side of the camera but I popped it back together and it continued to work fine for a long time.

Last summer I dropped that camera a couple feet onto some fabric at the cutting table at Wal-Mart. Not nearly the degree of impact, but it was a goner. The difference? The first time the lens was not extended, the second time it was.

The lesson is to ALWAYS turn the camera off when you put it down so the lens is not extended. I found out the lens mechanism is the most fragile part of those P & S systems.

Good luck on yours!

 

[m0mmy]

Thanks for the help. The camera was off, but when I turned it on the lens only came out part way and made a bad sound. Canon said to send it to a repair place and it should be about $150 to fix. If it can be fixed.