How to mend ... a compact camera with a stuck lens

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/sep/29/how-to-mend-a-compact-camera-with-a-stuck-lens

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In the years since they became affordable and widely available, digital compact cameras have changed photography. But they are not as reliable as analogue cameras – there’s much more that can go wrong. Probably the most common fault is a stuck retractable lens. Here are a few simple tricks worth trying.

No-tools solutions

Usually a stuck lens is caused by dirt getting into the gap between the lens barrel sections. The simplest thing to try is a freshly recharged battery, which might just have the power to overcome the resistance. Plugging in an AV cable sometimes blanks the screen, leaving just a bit more battery power for the lens.

If the lens is stuck partially or fully extended, try gently pulling or pushing the lens barrel as the camera tries to extend or retract it. Usually, a middle section rotates as the lens extends, and you can try gently “helping” it. If the lens won’t extend at all, try shaking it out by knocking the front of the camera against your cupped hand as you turn it on.

Lens barrel cleaning

You will need:A piece of paperA vacuum cleanerA pencil

The next stage is to try to remove any dirt from between the lens barrel sections. Slip a corner of a piece of good quality paper into the gap and gently move it around the circumference of the lens. Check the paper often for fraying. If there’s a rubber gasket between the camera body and the outer barrel, never force anything under it.

Now apply a vacuum cleaner crevice tool to the barrel, aiming to apply the greatest possible suction to the gaps you slipped the paper into. Keep clear of the lens cover on the front of the lens unless it’s fully open as the suction could be sufficient to damage it.

Tapping the lens barrel with a pencil while holding the camera face down can sometimes dislodge a sand particle.

Alternate the paper and vacuum a number of times before giving up. And while you have the vacuum cleaner out, clear all the dust from inside your camera case – it could be what caused the problem in the first place.

More radical measures

With care and patience, disassembling the camera is simpler than you might imagine, given the many guides and videos available online. Just make a careful note of which screws came from where, take care disconnecting ribbon cables, and if the camera has been switched on recently, take great care around the components near the flash as they may hold a residual charge which could give you a nasty shock. If the simple solutions didn’t work, fitting an entire replacement lens assembly (try eBay) may not be that hard, but disassembling the lens may be considerably more challenging.

Philip Le Riche is a volunteer with The Restart Project, a London-based social enterprise that encourages and empowers people to keep their electronic goods for longer.

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