Camera Lens Repair
With the mention of camera, comes a barrage of terms, like lens, aperture, focus, zoom - the list is quite long. Most of these terms would not exist, if it was not for the lens. That tells us how important the lens is. Any problem with the lens, which is encountered very commonly and frustratingly so by a photographer, is going to make life miserable for him. And not just a professional photographer, a person who is not a professional but uses camera regularly can be in a fix if the camera lens goes kaput. This article will tell you how to fix a broken lens.
How to Repair a Camera Lens
Indicators of an Erroneous Lens
Well, how would you treat the disorder if you do not know the symptoms and diagnose them accurately? The same thing applies to the lens. Some cameras may make a beeping noise during lens extension and with lens withdrawal, which will tell you that something is wrong with the lens. In some cameras, the lens will not move at all and a message about the error may flash on the LCD screen. Similarly, there could be a few other indicators for different cameras. A good idea is to check out the manual to affirm a lens error.
Repairing the Lens
Starting off with simple things, make sure that there is actually a problem with the camera lens. For that, you can replace the batteries with new ones. If that does not work, try putting the memory card again. If this also does not work, here is what you can do.
Booster Dose: Try plugging the camera via the audio/video cable into your computer or any other USB power source. This extra power booster would do the needful and give the camera the requisite spurt. What this does is, it knocks off the unwanted particulates in the lens mechanism.
On and Off: Turn the camera on and off in different positions and angles. If this does not work, blow compressed air in the gaps around the lens's barrel. Here again the idea is to get rid of the particulates which may be obstructing the lens mechanism.
Opening Ceremony: Opening the lens may prove to be a good idea. Take care not to harm the lens further to avoid more problems. After prying open the lens, manipulate the lens and at the same time, hit the power button. Pull, twist, tug and push and hope that the guiding pins snap into place. If you have the technical knowledge, remove the lens and clean out the interior using compressed air.
Bang It: If all the above tricks fail, what you can try doing is tap the lens with something hard, yet padded or rubber. Or you can take a shot at hitting the entire lens barrel on a hard surface (remember- this is the last resort, please if possible don't do this!). But in all this, make sure you don't use too much force. You would end up breaking the lens.
Preventing a Lens Problem
The most easiest way to avoid a lens problem or error is to ensure that you keep your camera case squeaky clean. The case can have a lot of dirt which can easily go into the lens. Finally, handling the camera with care - not dropping it, not handling it roughly, especially when the lens is extended is another thing you can do to avoid lens error. Using a neck or a wristband would be useful for that purpose.
Every camera is different and obviously the way you go about repairing it is going to vary. Even the cost will vary depending on that. That's all for now. Ciao!
