Charles (chuckerr) 3 pts

July 25, 2007 8:47 AM

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please turn camera off and then on again:

My camera work but I get this message after I take more than 5 pictures..than it work for 5 to8 pictures but the message come back
**please turn camera off and then on again**
any suggestions?

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Ben Keough (DeadWolfBones) 10631 pts

August 3, 2007 12:01 AM

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Hi Charles,

This seems to be a pretty common error with Panasonic (and Sony, I believe) cameras, as you can see here and here.

The issue appears to be that something has gotten lodged in the lens housing--possibly a grain of sand or something--or the lens has been banged and knocked off-kilter and it's giving the computer some kind of warning. I'd recommend doing one of the two following things:

1. Bang one corner of the camera firmly but gently against a padded surface once or twice. This may knock loose whatever's blocking it.

2. Get a can of compressed air (the kind that's used to clean keyboards) and spray it around the lens housing.

If neither of these help, check with Panasonic's repair department and see what it'd cost to get sent in and fixed.

Good luck!

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Jas 1 pts

January 15, 2008 6:15 PM

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Thanks alot Ben. My camera fell harshly on the concrete and i thought it was a gonner, but #2 worked. I just tapped it on my mousepad and the lens opened!

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Silly Jilly 3 pts

May 24, 2008 11:28 PM

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This is how I fixed my DMC-FZ20 when I had the same problem: When the camera is off take a cloth and press against the lens then while you continue to press turn camera on.

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Alan Fagg 2 pts

May 28, 2008 7:07 AM

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My daughter dropped her Lumix and this problem then occurred, I researched it on the Internet, and found various suggestions. e.g. apply slight pressure to the lens when the camera starts, wipe outside of lens, remove batteries etc. etc. etc. etc..
I tried everything - every time the camera was turned on the message appeared.
So I took out the batteries and sd card and stuck the camera in a drawer and bought a new camera.
Now the interesting bit - one month later, out of interest, I got out the camera, stuck in the battery and an old SD card (I used the Lumix card in my new camera) - AND it started up with no problems!! The problem had gone away - why - different SD card? Some internal memory finally "forgot" it had a problem?, perhaps it just had a long rest? - no idea.
Anyway its OK now, and I now have 2 cameras.
Weird - thank goodness I did not bin it!
So don't despair - try it - it may work for you.
ps. With the original sd card in, it still works ok.

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kadushi 0 pts

June 25, 2008 2:51 PM

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First number 1. After that the image was blurry, pressing the lens and turning it on fixed it for me!

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Chuck K. 0 pts

August 10, 2008 10:34 PM

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My problem with the camera is this-I shoot in the I/A mode , mostly when using the zoom I use the 18x . Sometimes the camera will not take a picture no matter how the button is pressed. I have to shut the camera off then restart it to continue. This seems to occur mostly in landscape shots for some reason. I called the Panasonic service line twice but they could not help me. Does anyone have similar problems or any suggestions?

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Tony Soprano 3 pts

October 30, 2008 8:48 PM

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Silly Jilly has the right answer if you've dropped your camera. I dropped our Lumix accidentally a few days ago. Googled it. Took the most prevalent advice and tried dropping mine again and again and it wasn't working. Then I turned it on and held the lens barrel when it came out. It stayed out when I turned on and off a few more times. I gave it a gentle push and, and...works like it's brand new.

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Nemrac 5 pts

November 24, 2008 10:30 AM

5

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Had this same problem after my 1 year old dropped my Panasonic Lumix. I waited for the lense to poke out, then held it so it couldn't return. Then shut the camera off and back on again and it's working just great. Thanks!

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Glen 0 pts

December 16, 2008 5:29 PM

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Got the message about turning the camera off then on again. Tried taking the battery out, fully charging it; taking the memory card out and restarting; held every button down while restarting; holding the lens in while restarting.

Thanks Nemrac---------> I took out the memory card as suggested by Alan, replaced it with another then held the lens out, shut the camera off then on and it came back with a memory card error. I put the original memory cad back in, turned it on and it reset itself. I can't confirm that it was the combination of both replacing memory card and holding lens out but it worked. So far no problems but we are off to Mexico where it will get some use. Thanks to all who posted. Glen

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Nathan Mcginty 0 pts

January 4, 2009 2:11 PM

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Hey guys - just wanted to jump in and say thanks. Same thing - had the "please turn camera off" message. Held onto the lens a few times & also did some gentle tapping.

Seems to be working fine now.

Overall seems to be a pretty nice camera and take nice snaps. too bad about the lens thing.

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Wouter Loch 1 pts

January 23, 2009 8:40 AM

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I had this very same issue, but then I turned on my camera, gently pushed the lens back inside and turn it off and on again.
Now it works again!
Thank you digitalcamera-hq members!

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Amateur 0 pts

February 27, 2009 3:44 PM

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I just wanted to thank everyone for helping solve the same problem I had with my fz20, which kept saying "please turn camera off..." : I held onto the lens and turned it off, then powered it back on. Camera's working well again! And to think that I worried so much about needing to have it repaired and all. I am just so glad to have stumbled onto this site. Thank you, thank you, guys!

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Reid 1 pts

May 10, 2009 12:55 PM

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Yep. I have a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX55 . I had the same "Please turn camera off and then on again.
I have an easy chair with well padded arms.

I pointed the lens vaguely downward and tapped gently on the side of the lens housing as it came out. After a couple of times, whatever was stuck in there must have fallen out or the lens got put back onto its track correctly, because this worked great. Gently was the key term here. Agains something soft. It was just enough to coax the lens back into correct functioning.

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Mongo 0 pts

May 11, 2009 6:34 PM

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Great advice! I was just about to buy a new camera when I googled my problem, found this board and after a few slight taps and holding the lens in place as it was coming out of the camera, the problem has been solved!

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Carrie 0 pts

May 27, 2009 9:39 PM

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THANK YOU! I also held the lens as it came out so it could not retract, turned the camera off, then back on. Works! THANK YOU! My husband bought this for Christmas for me. I would hate to think I broke it 5 months later!

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Djxiii 0 pts

June 9, 2009 11:12 AM

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Thanks for this great tip! I was getting this error as well on my DSC-S950. It took a few tries but my camera has started working again. I could see each time I turned my camera on that the lense was just not coming out all the way. Once I could coax it all the way out and hold it out I was able to get somewhere. After that all it took was to turn it off and on a couple more times and it has been consistently working fine ever since.

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shaban 0 pts

July 4, 2009 6:48 AM

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dear Ben Keough

i follow your advices and my error release

very thanks

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shelby 0 pts

July 24, 2009 1:12 PM

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i've tried allll of these things and nothing is working. im pretty sure the lense is just fine. i didnt drop it. i tried switching memory cards, tapping it, pressing the lense. and nothing works. i turn it on and off, take the battery pack out. but after about 5 seconds that message pops up. and it makes this noise like the lense is moving, but its not. idk im really confused and my dad bought it for me for christmas because my last one broke so hed be really made if its broken. please help!

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shelby 0 pts

July 24, 2009 1:17 PM

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wooo nevermind. i fixed it!

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Jordan 0 pts

August 4, 2009 10:21 PM

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i have a Lumix DMC LC50. I tapped on the sides of the lens housing every which way with 2 fingers while it was extended out. I must have knocked it back in place because after about 3 tries it stayed open and works again.

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Pmac 0 pts

August 20, 2009 10:28 PM

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Hello I used some of the trouble shooting methods, and at least it turns on without the error message. The image is still blurry, however. When I zoom in there is blatantly 2 black specs (I'm almost certain it is sand,) but I cannot dislodge them or get them to move at all. What should I do?

Thanks.

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Whask 0 pts

September 15, 2009 8:55 PM

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A lot of the solutions are are assuming that your lens is extending are you are able to grab it, what if it is not extending at all and you are getting the "please turnthe camera off and on" meassage?

Appreciate any tips, I was just really gettting into photography when this camera broke and now I'm back to a pocket point and shoot. :(

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steveo 0 pts

October 6, 2009 4:54 PM

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Cheers guys - solved my problem with Panasonic TZ5.

BUT - I tried all of the 'gentle' suggestions and nothing worked, so in the end I turned camera on, waited till the lens fully extended itself , gripped it, and after a second or two it stops attempting to retract, and then quite forcefully rotated the end lens chamber (it will only turn in one direction. When I done this i heard a grinding sand like noise as if there was sand stuck in there. I switched off & then back on & it was fixed!

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please turn camera off and then on again:

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