Can Not Take Pcitures with my Power Shot Camera

[Deana1978]

Hi!
I have a Canon PowerShot ELPH520 HS that I have had for about 2 years and all of a sudden I am unable to take any picutres. 

[Tiffany]

Hi Deana1978!

So that the Community can help you better, let us know what camera settings or type of pictures you were taking when it stopped working. Any other error messages or details you'd like to give will also help the Community better understand your issue.

Thanks and have a great day!

[Deana1978]

I turned my camera on one day and that's when the problem started. I have a 2 year old so not sure if he somehow messed with a setting. I do not see any error message either.

[John_]

Hi Deana, can you tell me/us in general what works ? Does it focus and just not take the picture with the shutter button fully depressed?

By pictures do you mean videos also?

If you can get into the settings menus have you tried a "reset" ?

As the persn from Canon said any info you can provide will help

[Deana1978]

Hi John!

I can take a picture of something that is about 2 feet or closer in front of me anything of any distance even if it's just a group shot of friends/family no luck.

Yes it does focus on a "picture" close up or distance just nothing happens when I press the button to take pictures. Honestly I have never taken a video on my camera so I'm not to worried about that. I actually use my cell phone the majority of time but when I know I am going to be taking a lot of pictures I like to use my camera.

I did try to reset it and nothing changed I have tried this numerous times. Nothing looks like it changes. As I mentioned to the Canon rep I do have a 2 year old and he might have hit something that's "freezing" it somehow?

Also the battery constantly tells me to replace it after about being in for 5 mintues. I do have 2 batteries one is just a few months old. So I'm not sure if that has anything to do with my problem or not.

Thanks for any help or suggestions!
Deana

[John_]

Your welcome Deana...first from what you told me def charge and try that other battery...and if you have the optional AC adapter try that also. The fact that you are not getting any error mesage outside of the battery one is good news. If that is an original  battery chances are it has reached its end of life after 2 years. Not using a battery for extended periods is not good either...batteries need to be "exercised" to stay in shape. Just for the heck of it try recording a movie too if the other battery does not help. Also look and see if there is and dirt inside the battery compartment or on the battery contacts.

Also as another type of reset you can remove the battery, close the empty battery compartment, press and hold the on button down for a minimum of 45 seconds. Then put the battery back in and try it.

Honestly my guess is the battery in shot or both your batteries are shot.

let me/us know how it goes.

John

[Deana1978]

Hi!

So I got a replacement battery (not directly from Canon) but an after market I guess?  And nothing changed.  

I have "Reset" my camera a ton of times and nothing seems to change on it.  I was hoping I could upload a picture of what all is showing (little pics/icons) but doesn't look like I can.  I would have thought a reset would reset it to orginal settings?  Maybe I am wrong. 

Here are the pictures I show on my camera

From top left to right -

Battery

1/4 of a circle with a L beside it

2930 

a box with 1930 inside it

29'01"

Down Right Size

P

Lightening bolt pointing down with A

Bottom Left Corner Date

Left Side Directly under the battery icon

a little camera with an arrow pointing out.  

No Idea if this tells you anything?  

I am able to take a picture of my laptop directly in front of me but when trying to take a picture of the room 10 feet in front of me no luck.  

I'm about to just buy another camera.  My son's 2nd birthday is a few weeks away and was really hoping I could figure this out. 

Thanks!
Deana

[John_]

What model Powershot is it ? Yes a reset should reset all the settings except the date and time maybe. It looks like it is in Program mode, that "P" you see on the display so it could be a seting is wrong. Have you tried it in automatic mode ? That "L" next to the battery symbol is most likely Large image format. The rest seems normal.

Perhaps you need to raise the Flash...again knowing what model camera it is would be very helpful.

[John_]

ooops sorry I see its the Elph 520 when I looked back

[John_]

That "P" does mean Program mode, move the switch on the top of the camera to Auto