SX50 HS has a 'sticky' zoom lever

[Canonuser2014]

I purchased a canon Powershot SX50 HS 6 months ago for a 6 week trip to Africa and other parts of the world .   It took great pictures and held up well. By the end of trip the zoom lever began to stick a bit and it was difficult to keep the zoom from going way past the intended range. My inclination is that a bit of WD-40 or other lubricant might do the trick but don’t want to screw it up without investigating the problem a bit.  Has anyone else had this problem or have a better suggestion on a solution?

[George_Brown]

1. Further to my post above, the problem has recurred.

I fixed the problem again with dental floss and toothpick.

The remaining problem that I have to solve is therefore: How to operate the zoom lever from side to side without accidentally also depressing it downwards hard enough for it to move down its central shaft or pin, and 'stick' again.

2. By 'stick' I mean the effect whereby the zoom lever moves stiffly, and springs back slowly, so that it is not possible to choose and set an intermediate zoom level between zero and 50x.

You can, if you release the lever very quickly, get the zoom lever to set the zoom level at an intermediate figure.

But you can't control at all what figure the figure in question shall be.


Stephen

[John_]

I understood what your saying.

Well in hopes it is not some internal mechanical problem my first thought would be a stronger blast of compressed air to dislodge anything that might be in there which cannot be reached via floss etc.

Of course then you run the risk of having that thing, that particle floating around inside your camera by blasting it into the body rather than out/off.

If it is sticking with a little downward pressure could there be some sticky substance that found its way under the lever?

Also you can try the dental floss again but this time wet it with lens cleaner or Deoxit5 which is also a safe lubricant to better clean it under there

[George_Brown]

John

Many thanks for the speedy reply!

1. I tried a blast of compressed air before dental floss. It didn't work.

But I shall certainly try it again the next time the zoom lever sticks.

2. My lens cleaner is ROR.

But I am reluctant to use it inside the camera now that I think the problem is a lack of binding friction in the shaft of the zoom lever, rather than an excess of friction.

Thus the action of the dental floss, as I imagine it to be, is mechanically to elevate the zoom lever.

3. However it could also be that the zoom lever is sprung to remain in an elevated position.

If so the problem could be that the spring is sticking, so some sort of cleaner would indeed be the answer.

4. I shall wait and see whether I can delay the renewal of the problem by some change of technique when applying the zoom lever.

But if I can't delay the renewal of the problem, I shall add the lens cleaner option to my list of options.

I seek a permanent solution.

Dental floss might be a field fix in summer, but not with cold fingers in winter!


Stephen

[Canonuser2014]

While the problem continues, I do get temporary relief by zooming in & out from 1 extreme to the other about a half dozen times.  Zooming in is reasonably stable aftward.  When zooming out, there is sometimes a tendency to continue drifting after the lever is released.  I have to keep my finger on the lever to keep that from happening.  Not a permanent solution, but seems to help.

[George_Brown]

Canonuser2014

Many thanks for the information! That's a good field resource. I shall try it next time the zoom lever 'sticks'.


Stephen

[George_Brown]

To: Canonuser2014;  DaveM; John
From: George_Brown

Update:

[I now, I think, post in the right place. I apologise for the misplaced post on Page (1)]

By way of belated update, I got the dental floss fix to work, and I can now report that it has successfully stayed working for some 8 years to date. I have used the broader type of dental floss, "Glide" FLOSS by GORE. I have worked it under the zoom lever using an ordinary wooden toothpick or similar household "small tools". I have then left the floss permanently in place under the zoom lever. Once or twice early on I may have had to use the floss to jack a jammed zoom lever back up again. But thereafter leaving the floss in place seems by some mechanical means to have prevented the zoom lever from jamming.

The zoom lever has now jammed on three Canon cameras that I have owned. The Canon SX50; a new condition second hand Canon SX50 that I bought as a spare; and a second hand Canon Digital Ixus 960 that I bought on Ebay. The dental floss fix has worked successfully on each.

Three cameras out of maybe 15 Canons, the majority cheap Ebay or charity shop old model purchases, that have passed through my hands over the years may not statistically represent a pattern of misbehaviour, but ...

George_Brown

[John_]

Whatever you do do not use WD40!! Spray it with Deoxit 5 contact cleaner, and spray it under the zoom lever, spray it a few times, and let it sink in/ Best case this will solve it, worse case the flexible circuit board under the zoom lever is defective.