E18 Error

Some customers of Canon cameras are complaining of frequent E18 errors. One reader of this blog reports:

"I get the E18 quite often. If I use the camera for a full day it comes up around 5 to 10 times in the day. I simply press the off button, and then on again. It pushes the lens out to full, pulls it back in and shuts down. I then turn the camera on again, and it works fine. I have never had it happen when my batteries were low. But I hardly ever run the camera until it shuts down and when it does shut down it just has the low batteries light flashing and it shuts the camera down the same way as if you press the off button."

E18 (error #18) means the lens did not retract or extend correctly. The best I can tell is that this is caused by dust and dirt in the lens mechanism. Or when the battery is too weak to retract the lens. Or perhaps an alignment problem?

A reviewer on Amazon.com found this solution:

"About 6 months later I get the dreaded E18 error. When I determined the problem to be the lens not fully extending I decided to give it a tug. It clicked and the camera came on, ready to take pictures. Turning it off and on produced the E18 again. While turning it on I gave it a nice little bump on the side (where the USB connector is) and the lens popped out on its own. No problems since."

There are some Web sites talking about the problem:

www.bitnet.cx/canon.htm
www.greenspun.com/com/imaging/PRODS/S100/S100A.HTM(use in-page search to find E18).
E18 - Repair Guide for IXUS (in German and English).

Comments

[russell]

this camera is a peice of junk, a month after getting it, it showed ther dreaded E18 error, and i have tried everything to get it to work, northing wortks, canon wont do anything to help me with the problem, sayng its an "internal error, due to misuse, or mishandling" no, its not, this camera is jsut a piece of crap, do not buy it.

ralphg replies: Digital cameras are made more cheaply now than before. My first (five years ago) had an all-metal body; my most recent has an all-plastic body.

[Sean]

Has any one contacted cannon about the e 18 error? If you have is there a way to fix it and prevent it from happening?

[sandrine]

Apres utilisation de mon IXUS 400 durant 2 Heures (50 photos, j'ai eu le voyant batterie faible clignoter et l'appareil s'est eteind. Jusque la rien d'anormal...J'ai recharge la batterie et je l'ai replace dans l'appareil et la impossible de le rallumer. Est-ce que c'est la fameuse erreur E18 ? car je n'ai pas vu s'afficher error E18 sur l'ecran.

[manolet]

i have the e 18 problem hit me 3 times. the first was with a powershot a 40 , initially by turning it off it comes back but eventually it stays and it takes a month to have it fixed. because of good pictures i got a powershot a 70 and while on a trip the e 18 problem hit again 6 months after i get the camera, they fix it for a month under warranty . then 4 months later while on a trip the lens malfunctions it cannot focus on anything and no pictures can be taken

i finalyy decided to geta nikon

[galen]

E18 error now claims my Canon A70.

I'm not mad, 1.5 years of loyal service for 250 bucks.

It's something to keep in the back of your mind that IT COULD happen to you. (or any camera with retractable lens.

I now use a Dimage XT. Slim and no retractable lens.

[caitlin]

have you tried changing/recharging the batteries? because when I got the E18 error, I did that, and the lens retracted as normal when I turned it on.

[hunter]

I also have an e18 error on the canon s 400.Please call Jim Smith at 1-877-677-9489.He is an attorney to represent the consumer for a possible class action suit against canon.There is no cost to you. Thanks.

[swissguy]

Guess... A75 and blurry pictures caused by a defect in the mechanical parts around the lens. I also got a few E18 there and there. Now, having good pictures with this camera is like playing with dices. I bought it 10 months ago and I -hope- it will be covered by the warranty. I fear that Canon idiots say the camera has fallen on the floor or is full of sand and dust - obviously, as their camera is a big piece of s***, you can only get sand and dust inside.

Hunter, I wish to call this attorney unfortunately I'm in Switzerland and I guess I can't help much from another country :( I hope your action against Canon will help to clear things and make them admit that their cameras have a serious problem.

ps. Sandrine, non ce n'est pas le E18, avec le E18 ton objectif se serait bloqué.

[Alan O'Leary]

I went to Paris last weekend and while there got E18... That pretty much ruined that, spent the weekend taking pics on a disposable...

Never Canon again... E18 is everywhere on the web now that I look....

They should be fixing this for free..

-Alan

[Sanantonio]

My S1IS failed after about 6 months. It simply would not turn on. I got a replacement that lasted about 8 months and then got the E18 error. I am not happy with Canon tech support or repair policy. I would advise anyone thinking of getting a Canon to reconsider.

[Marc]

I have a A70 and it worked very well for about 2 years! Now I have the E18 error and I can't get rid of it! I've tried everything: replacing the batteries (tried 3 sets), push on lens...

Looking on the web, I saw that it seems to be a very frequent problem with the Powershot AXX.

I'm very disapointed...I paid almost 500$CAD to use a camera 2 years. But in the bunch of the lucky owner of an E18 error, i'm one of the luckiest because generraly, the error appears in less then 18 months!

P.S. de plus Sandrine, le message E18 s'affiche clairement à l'écran

[mglema]

http://blogs.yucs.org/~dwallach/archives/000812.html

[L Harris]

I have an S1IS that got an E-18 error after 8 months. I sent it in for repair and they sent it back saying it had been water damaged and included a picture that showed some corrosion on a contact. I have never had the camera in water. They say it could be condensation. My question is why a $400 camera can't be better sealed or protected? Besides, I think the problem is mechanical since the lens tries to extend before the E18 error. Plays back pictures fine. Canon will sell me a refurbished camera for $175 more. I think this is a ripoff!!

[Dre]

A 80 struck down 15 months with e 18. Can't believehow common the error is. I suggest that everyone boycott Canon for life. They are a bunch of knobs who don't take responsibility. Basically if you pick up the box off the shelf you are misusing the camera. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY CANON for poor manufacturing,

Thanks

[Matt Kinsman]

Had my a60 for about 8 months before the e18 error showed up.I turn camera off then on again most times the error goes away. A pain in the butt most of the time though. Seems like a lens positioning problem to me.

[Canon Discouraged]

Future Canon Customers: Potential E 18 Error has been experienced by many people world wide I have a S400, only used about six months, and with 65 pictures. It's totally a piece of junk presently.It would cost $150 plus to fix. If buying Canon consider extended warrantee to the max.

[JoePanama]

I have an S400 which was a gift from my sister back in late '03. On my suggestion, after reading rave reviews on the S400, she bought one for herself too ($400 x 2).

Now, Jul/Aug '05, I am getting the E50 error message and the "memory card error" which means I can't take pics. I can't reformat the card with the camera, it doesn't work. Haven't gotten the E18 on my S400, but after doing some research, I wouldn't be surpised if that starts to show up too.

I can't believe that after all the problems people are having with Canon cameras, all what seem to be common problems, (E18, E50, E51, "memory card error", etc.),that Canon takes such a position to charge for their lack of quality control. I think we should all call this attorney mentioned above and sue Canon for knowingly selling products that are faulty. We should also report Canon to the BBB.

Put a faulty product out there, and charge for the repair? Now that's a profitable business it seems to me, even if it's not morally correct. Imagine if auto makers did that?

Sue, sue, sue!!!! They only seem to listen when you hit them in the pockets, don't ya think? Good luck to all of you.

[KC]

I, too, have just received the E18 error. It happened just a day ago on Sept 24th, 2005. my camera (a PowerShot S330 Elph) is a bit older (3 years) then the others who've complained about the error, but it still shouldn't happen. I'm definitely going to try calling that lawyer.

[Gyner]

I just got the E18 error on a Ixus II (2,5 y.o). If waranty won't cover the repairs, I'm gonna get medieval on their asses!

[Sébastien Lenoir]

I have a Ixus II (less than 2 years) and there is also an E18 error. It will cost 100€ to repair it and they said me that Canon don't tell why there is an error. I prefere buy an other one (not Canon).

[sarah]

I got E18 a couple months ago after having it for about a year and i decided not to worry about it and it fixed itself about a week later. forward to now, E18 again. it wont work.

sons of bitches

[JoePanama]

Hi, I'm JoePanama from above, just couldn't remember my acct info. Here's an update for you folks:

For all of the many users who have bought this camera and/or other Canon cameras with similar problems, there is law firm out of San Francisco, Girard Gibbs & De Bartolomeo, that is investigating consumer complaints regarding Canon PowerShot digital cameras. Just do a search on any search engine and you will find the info.

[Albert Wong]

I have this IXUS II for about two years. Took it on a hiking trip yesterday (December 10, 2005) and first realized that it was not focusing properly. A short while later the lens wouldn't retract and the E18 error show up.

[Bill Burke]

My A70 just got the E50 memory card error yesterday. Canon wants $89.95 to fix it and doesn't even guarantee that the problem won't come back. They will let me 'upgrade' to a A510 for $99 but then I would have to buy new memory cards as the A510 doesn't take the same memory type as the A70. Very disappointed in Canon's handling of this apparently common problem.

[Liz]

I recently got the E18 error when a friend DROPPED it for me. I tried to fix it myself, not knowing about these self-fixer sites... I think I only broke it more. I just called Canon however, and they said I could send it in, they would fix it, and they would send it back. I asked if it was free of charge, and the man said it should be...... that E18 should be covered under the 1 year warranty. (I am lucky enough to still have that!) Should I send it in? I have heard so many bad things I am beginning to doubt the man from canon. I hope you all can help me with this. Thanks and God bless!