Lens auto-retractor is jammed. Is there a way to reset it?

[danleonard1953]

Is there a way to unjam an auto-retractable lens (Canan SC160IS)? [Removed personal information per FORUM GUIDELINES]. Dan

[smack53]

There are several reasons a retractable lens could get stuck. There might be a little dirt causing enough friction to keep the lens from working, so you might try using a vacuum to see if you can dislodge any dirt from the lens base. Using a can of air for electronics might force any dust into the camera and have it get on the sensor, so I would be careful about doing that. DON'T USE ANY SILICONE OR WD-40, OIL, OR LUBRICANTS as this will damage the camera's inner electronics, and void your warranty.

The other reason for a lens getting stuck is that it is misaligned. Was the lens bumped at all while it was extended? Even just a slight bump can cause the zoom motor to not engage fully. If it feels a little wobbly, then I would think you need to have it repaired. If it feels tight, you might apply just a slight bit of twisting pressure to see if it will retract, but too much pressure and you could really damage the unit. Again, you might void your warranty if you apply too much pressure, so gentle is the word to remember.

A third possibility is that the battery might not be charged enough to supply enough power to retract the lens. Make sure the battery has a full charge on it and give it another try.

[danleonard1953]

Thanks for the reply. reason #2, it was a drop accidentally to the pavement which was lens side first, didn't break the lens but it jammed the whole lens from moving, won't free itself, looks a tad out of alignment, so with my extended warranty I have to wait a few to get a replacement, thank you 

[John_]

how did it get jammed?

Its a pretty complex system for those lenses...if your lucky what smack said may help

[danleonard1953]

It was a accidental drop to the pavement thus the lens front cover piece took the direct hit, the lens didn't break but the impact jammed the head of the lens so the motor cannot retract it due to it being a tad out of alignment now. I do have an extended warranty for a repair or replacement, learned 2 lessons here. 1. Never lose grip unless tripod secure, 2. have a backup quality camera. Thank you