Being a camera repair facility we frequently see the E-18 error code throughout Canon’s line of Powershot models. There are a huge number of Canon cameras in service. With so many Canon Powershots around it’s inevitable that we will see many of the same issues come through the door for repair. Many people do not know what E-18 means, or how it is caused. This article is meant to shed some light on this often mis-understood error.
E18 in the Powershot family signals a general lens failure. The camera turns on and attempts to extend the lens, sensors inside the lens detect something is not in the correct position, and an “E18″ message is displayed at the bottom left of the screen. After a moment the camera turns off. Canon has acknowledged that you can experience an E 18 error from any of the following situations:
• Lens opening while in confined space
• Low battery condition as the camera turns off
• Sand, water or substance damage
• Abuse/impact
We primarily see E18 caused by impact or sand damage. Let’s take a look inside a Powershot SD300 which is experiencing an E18 failure.
Here is our subject, the Powershot SD300 ELPH. All of the canon SD/ELPH series of cameras are very similar. The E-18 failure and its causes are common to all Powershot models, even outside the ELPH line.
These are the major assemblies of the SD series cameras. These components include the frame and battery power unit, the flash unit, the main circuit board, and the lens.
On the left you can see the zoom drive assembly with the cover removed. This is a common source of E18 failures due to sand or substance contamination. A single grain of sand on one of these fine gears can completely jam the lens. While contamination in the zoom drive is a common cause of E18, it was not the cause of this camera’s lens failure. This unit was dropped onto a hardwood floor from just a couple feet up.
In the black and white photo on the right you can see the Lens optical assembly with the back cover and image sensor removed. In the center of the lens you can see the assembly which carries the shutter, aperture, and sunlight filter. This element floats in the middle of the lens supported by 3 guide pins and can be knocked off it’s tracks during an impact. If you look closely at the picture you can see that this in fact is what occurred in this camera, the element is askew and is preventing the lens from closing properly. In this case the element can be removed and the lens re-set in the fully retracted position, no parts required.
The third and final common cause of E-18 is a jam in the zoom barrels themselves. This is the most severe condition of the three and can occur if the camera falls directly on the lens, or opens in a confined space. In most cases the barrels can be disassembled and re-set if they have not physical broken as a result of the event. On occasion a Powershot with an E18 failure cannot be economically repaired due to parts costs. While this does happen, the vast majority of the cases we see are repaired and go on to work perfectly for the remainder of their useful life.
If you’re experiencing an E-18 error message and are in need of repair head over to our online quote system and tell us about your problem. The cost for E18 repairs ranges from $89 to $125 depending on the cause of the failure, and an evaluation and specific estimate will be given before any work is done.
