Whats wrong with my camera and how do i fix it?

I have a Canon digital camera with 5.0 mega pixels and I dropped it yesterday..well, when I tried to take another picture it was just black and in the corner it said E18 and it will not take a picture..what does this mean? how can i fix it? thanks for the help!

The E18 error is a malfunction of the camera that prevents the lens from extending. It doesn't have to be something broken or requiring manufacturer repair.

You can find more information about the E18 error at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E18_error

The link above also has some links that may help you fix the problem yourself if it's something minor. Just be careful in what you do. Some drops are nothing more than jarring, others are very damaging. If your camera has anything rattling, that's a bad sign.

A main component my have been dislodged go to your nearest camera shop and have it looked at or if its still under warranty send it back

hope this helps

try calling the cannon company and ask them what does that mean

send it in for repairs is the only way

If the lens gets jammed when the camera is dropped the camera will sense that the lens is not moving and give the e18 error code. Sometimes it can be coaxed gently back into position if it is tilted a little bit but usually it needs to be disassembled to get everything inside the lens back on track.

Canon cameras are very good and usually a lot cheaper to repair than to replace. Get it to a camera repair shop for an estimate. Don't take it to a camera store that sends repairs out or else you will end up paying for the repair and the store's markup!

Bob K
www.CameraRepairs.com