SX50 Lens Error

[Bpola]

Hi, my wife fell a5 the beach with my SX50 in her hand. The camera worked fine for 6 pictures, then I turned it off. When I turned the camera back on the lens extends right to the 24mm line, goes in and out to this line 4 more times, stops, I get this lens error: Lens Error, Will shut down Automatically, Restart Camera. Then the camera turns off with the lens extended to the 24mm line.

Does any have ideas on how to fix this?

Cleaned out sand with lens cloth, then cleaned around lens barrel with piece of paper and blew air using compressor.

Thanks!

[normadel]

It needs to be serviced. The problem may not even be sand, but something internal. 

Blowing out around the lens with an air compressor could have forced sand further into the works. 

[Bpola]

Any idea what the approximate repair cost will be?

Thanks for the quick reply.

[normadel]

You'd have to ask Canon that question.

[Bpola]

I called Canon technical support this morning and they no longer service this camera. So, i tinkered with my camera and by pulling the lens out so it clicks once, i was able to get the lens to work without any errors. But it doesn't run as smooth as it use too. It runs a little rough. Any ideas why or what i can do to get it to run smooth again.

[normadel · Accepted solution]

Disassembly to see if indeed sand got into it or something is broken. 

[Bpola]

I put very little dry lube on the channels in the lens casing and on the gear teeth at the bottom of the casing. Hopefully this will work in and resolve the issue. I didn’t want to take the camera entirely apart to get at all the components of the lens.

Thanks for your help!