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TRANSLATOR TRADUCTOR अनुवादक TRADUCTEUR TAGASALIN ÜBERSETZER

TRANSLATOR TRADUCTOR अनुवादक TRADUCTEUR TAGASALIN ÜBERSETZER

Saturday, May 30, 2009

A Simple Fix for a Stuck Shutter

For those of you owning Canon A400 series (A400 through A490), please see this link after trying the below troubleshooting steps, as you may also be experiencing a broken shutter ribbon cable.
A stuck shutter is a common failure mode for digital cameras. Unfortunately some model cameras experience this more than others. I won't say which but you'll likely notice in the comments section which cameras these are. The symptoms of a stuck or "sticky" shutter are very similar to CCD image sensor failure. The camera may take black pictures (for shutter stuck closed), or the pictures may be very bright and overexposed, especially when taken outdoors (for shutter stuck open). To confirm a stuck shutter, put the camera in any mode other than "Auto", and turn the flash OFF (you don't want to blind yourself for the next step). Next look down the lens and take a picture. You should see a tiny flicker in the center of the lens as the shutter opens and closes. If no movement is seen, then you likely have a stuck shutter.

If you did see movement, then you are possibly experiencing CCD image sensor failure. As mentioned, the symptoms of a stuck shutter are very similar to CCD failure. If you own a Canon or Sony camera, please see the following two articles instead as your camera might possibly be eligible for free repair:

Canon CCD advisory article

Sony CCD advisory article

Unfortunately, actual mechanical repair of a stuck shutter is labor intensive as the mechanism is buried deep inside your camera. If the camera is out of warranty the cost of this repair is usually very high, and may be more than the value of the camera. Would not recommend trying to open your cameras to repair this yourself, as it's very unlikely that you'll succeed. However, there is something simple that you can try that might unstick it, albeit it may be only a temporary fix. Also would not recommend that you do this on a perfectly working camera, as I'm not sure what the power interuptions may do to the camera. As usual, only think of doing this procedure as a last resort for a camera that repair cost is out of the question, and as such the camera would otherwise be set for disposal:

Step 1. Turn the camera on. Also turn off any features that may be a power drain to the batteries. You want all available power from the batteries for the following steps. Turn off image stabilization if your camera has that feature. Put the camera in any mode other than Auto, and turn off the flash. Also turn off the LCD screen (press the DISP or DISPLAY button).

Step 2. Move the camera to any mode that will give you the longest exposure time without flash. For many Canon cameras this will be shutter priority (Tv) mode (for many Canon A models the wheel with AUTO,M,Tv,...). For some of the Canon SD models this is also known as "Long Shutter Mode" (select the Moon/Stars icon).
For cameras other than Canon, set the camera so that it will take the longest possible exposure, usually 15 seconds (15"). Many cameras may not have shutter priority mode (Tv). Instead, put the camera in manual mode and turn off the flash. With these settings, try the fix in a darkened room, opening the battery door immediately after taking the picture. The darkened room without flash should give you a prolonged exposure, hopefully giving you enough time to conduct Step 4 while the shutter is trying to move.

Step 3. Take a picture.

Step 4. After 7 seconds open the battery door for a few seconds and then close it again. The intent is to momentarily interupt power during the exposure time. Note that you may also open the battery door immediately after pressing the shutter button if your camera is not capable of taking 15 second exposures.

Step 5. Repeat the procedure until the shutter becomes unstuck. One person reported on Fixya doing this 15 times before his shutter became unstuck.
Supposedly the power interuption while the shutter is trying to open can "jog" the shutter open. Some people have reported success with this method, and they noted that it required many tries.
Step 5a. Alternative Fix (use caution!). Please use common sense and care if you decide to try this technique, as there is some obvious potential for further damaging your camera with this step. If the above five steps don't work after many repeated tries, several readers have reported success in jogging the shutter open by tapping the camera against a wooden surface.
Step 5b. Alternative Fix b. If 5a scares you, others have reported success with an alternate method of merely extending the lens and then gently tapping around the extended lens barrel with a pen or pencil. Every once in a while check down the barrel to see if you notice lens flicker when taking a picture. If none noted, continue tapping. I have personally repaired two different Canon SD1000's by merely gently flicking the end of the lens barrel with the tip of my index finger while taking a picture.
Gently Tapping Around the Extended Lens Barrel


Anonymous reader of July 25th offers two more Steps:
Step 6a: In a very dark room to open the camera's iris, switch back and forth on the selector dial from picture taking mode to playback mode. Keep switching back and forth between modes until the shutter opens. Gently tap on the lens housing with a pencil or pen while conducting these cycles.
Step 6b: Again, in a very dark room, place the camera in shooting mode and then open and close the battery cover. No need to place the camera in Tv mode or set to 15 second exposure. Any shooting mode will do while you open and close the battery door. Keep repeating until the shutter opens. Gently tap on the lens housing with a pencil or pen in between tries.
IMPORTANT, Post-Repair Step: If you succeed in fixing your camera, note that this may also be only a temporary fix, and you may be required to do it again. To minimize this potential, place the camera in "Continuous Shutter" mode, and take a large amount of pictures continuously to attempt to lubricate the shutter (you can delete those pictures later). Also, try to use your camera more often as another preventative measure from reoccurrence.
Note that cameras with shutters that are stuck open (overexposed pics) can be particularly difficult to repair with the above techniques. But I do know that Step 5b can work for both stuck open and stuck closed shutters (of those SD1000's that I've repaired, one was stuck open). Hopefully you'll be lucky too. But if not, it may be time to consider retiring the camera.
Finally, please comment below whether you succeeded or not with this technique along with your camera model. Also note how many tries you gave it. If you know of another method, please also report that here.

551 comments:

«Oldest   ‹Older   401 – 551 of 551
Anonymous said...

Tapping the camera lens unstuck my open shutter.
Calvin

bristowcrab said...

Just fixed my S2 IS with the "darkroom" procedure. Works great!

Vishnu said...

Hi,

Great post. I have canon S2 IS. Even i had similar problem. I tried above trick. It worked for me. I have to try more than 15 times.

Thanks again.

Regards,
Vishnu

Camera Repair said...

Nicho,
A weak battery usually causes those symptomes. How old is your NB-5L battery? If it's more than couple years old, it's definitely time for a new one. Amazon has plenty of inexpensive generic NB-5L batteries that you could try to see if it corrects the problem. Here's one for example.

CR

Anonymous said...

Far Out and thank you to the originator and all who contributed to this thread. Your advice worked for me on a Canon S2IS. As someone else said somewhere in here, "don't give up". Using the 15 second exposure time and lifting the battery connections 7 seconds into the shot, I did have to try several times (more than 20) to just get a partial picture in the viewer. I thought it was fixed on the first sign of light, but hadn’t realized it was only a partial picture and soon afterward the viewer went solid black again. But the hope given by some "light" and this thread was enough I kept trying again and again, with a partial picture showing up now and then. I kept at it for the better part of an hour, if not more. As soon as the camera cooperated enough, as recommended in this thread, I put it in continuous mode and let'r rip for several minutes (while also lightly tapping on the extended lens barrel with a screwdriver as I saw there was little to lose). Without this post I had no clue (thought the electronics had blown) and admittedly I was about to give up after several minutes of no response, but I recalled someone's post on this thread saying don't give up. After the camera cooperating and a long continuous shooting session on a 1 Gig chip, I turned it off a couple of hours then turned it back on a few minutes ago and it worked fine. Based on what I’ve read here (and thanks again for the in-depth description) I'll be shooting each day for a few days in continuous mode with a blank chip and reformatting afterwards. And trying to use it more often. Thanks again for everyone's post.

Anonymous said...

Far Out and thank you to the originator and all who contributed to this thread. Your advice worked for me on a Canon S2IS. As someone else said somewhere in here, "don't give up". Using the 15 second exposure time and lifting the battery connections 7 seconds into the shot, I did have to try several times (more than 20) to just get a partial picture in the viewer. I thought it was fixed on the first sign of light, but hadn’t realized it was only a partial picture and soon afterward the viewer went solid black again. But the hope given by some "light" and this thread was enough I kept trying again and again, with a partial picture showing up now and then. I kept at it for the better part of an hour, if not more. As soon as the camera cooperated enough, as recommended in this thread, I put it in continuous mode and let'r rip for several minutes (while also lightly tapping on the extended lens barrel with a screwdriver as I saw there was little to lose). Without this post I had no clue (thought the electronics had blown) and admittedly I was about to give up after several minutes of no response, but I recalled someone's post on this thread saying don't give up. After the camera cooperating and a long continuous shooting session on a 1 Gig chip, I turned it off a couple of hours then turned it back on a few minutes ago and it worked fine. Based on what I’ve read here (and thanks again for the in-depth description) I'll be shooting each day for a few days in continuous mode with a blank chip and reformatting afterwards. And trying to use it more often. Thanks again for everyone's post.

Camera Repair said...

You know, as the lens barrels of the S2 are so massive as compared to the average P&S (and for that matter the S3 and S5 also), maybe gentle tapping with a screwdriver might be more appropriate to allow the shockwaves to penetrate to whatever is gumming up the shutter? Just a thought.
CR

Anonymous said...

Thanks! I'd given up on my lightly used Canon S3 IS, which seemed to be doing everything properly except for showing a back image in the viewfinder or LCD screen. I wasn't thrilled with the relatively high cost for a refurbished trade via Canon's "Loyalty Program", and was about to switch brands out of irritation. After a half-dozen or so repetitions, though---voila! I'll make a point of using the camera more frequently

Anonymous said...

how to set to longest possible exposure for samsung st50 camera?

Anonymous said...

After a long period of non-use, my Canon S3 IS had the dreaded black screen of death. I found your blog and tried your technique a ton of times to no avail. Then I alternated tapping it and opening the battery and slowly but surely, the shutter started to be unstuck.
Unfortunately, I am now suffering from the horrible horizontal lines. When watching the shutter, I can see that it's not closing when I take images. I have tried tapping the side of the lens, but it doesn't seem to be improving.
Surprisingly, the videos are clean (no lines) so currently it is only good for video.

I also had a S2 IS that was showing the "change batteries" message, even when new batteries were inserted. I didn't have a dc input for the camera, but found one in my junk that fit the hole. It didn't power up the camera, but it must've sparked something because after that, i could get it to power on. I cleaned the battery contacts with a pencil eraser and currently it is now working. I will keep my fingers crossed!

Camera Repair said...

Anonymous with the S3 IS,
Recommend patience and continued tapping and use of the method. Sounds like it's gone from shutter stuck closed, to shutter stuck open. As for the S2, you did what I would have recommended. With time, a little corrosion can build up on battery terminals, causing the problem you mentioned. Also, the bottom terminals in the battery compartment can also be depressed from repeated battery insertions, causing the batteries to ride low in the compartment. The fix in that case is to bend up the inner terminals slightly to raise the batteries in the compartment.
CR

Anonymous said...

While turning off my flash in order to see if the iris was flickering on my SD1000, I accidentally dropped my camera about 8" on the bed. When I picked the camera up, the shutter was fixed! Pictures are perfect again!

Thanks for the help!!

Anonymous said...

hi i have an sd1000. i ried all ur steps and none of them are working. i lvoe this camera but its not cooperating and im on the verge of throwing it out litteraly. so any last minute advice to fix it even anything like spillting it in half, literally. thanks a loads.
,reem

Camera Repair said...

Anonymous with the SD1000,
Don't throw it out! I have two SD1000's that I've repaired with these methods. For the SD1000, recommend that you focus on turning the camera on, and then tapping the open lens barrel with a pencil or pen. Then alternating with simply turning the camera on, and then opening its battery door. Just go back and forth with pencil, battery door, pencil, battery door. Hopefully, you should have your camera working again within a few tries of doing this. Once you do get an image, remember the final step of putting the camera in Continuous Shutter mode, and then holding the shutter button down to take about a hundred pictures (this lubricates the shutter).
Good luck,
CR

phil said...

i have a olympus sp-810uz camera...my problem is the "shutter button", it did not work, i tried all the function in the menu,how can i fix this, pls help..

Anonymous said...

Worked on the 10:th try (or so). Thank you so much!!

Kundu said...

I've the same problem with S3IS for last 6 months. I purchased it in 2006. However, earlier I switched on & off the camera for 2-3 times and it worked. Sometime it's worked after a good non humid sun bath :). But opening the battery compartment is the best one. For me it's worked with 1st try. But now I just use it little more regular. And also do in between lubrication by continious shooting mode. Now touch wood, everything is fine.
Thanks a lot.

Kundu

Anonymous said...

thanks for the tip., just to add more i'd tried clicking the shutter and shake as hard as you can. now it's working., thank you so much

Larraine said...

Hi, I have a Sony Cybershot, would these fixes still work on my camera? I haven't tried them yet. I'm affraid the shutter won't open or close completely because I dropped it. It wasn't a hard drop, but after it did, the photos were coming out over-exposed with lines across them. When I look into the shutter, it is not open all the way, it is partially closed. when it takes a photo, it doesn't close all the way either. Have I ruined my camera for good?

Anonymous said...

Canon stuck shutter on a S2IS and your fix worked. Using the power interrupt, I did not tap on the lens. I think I did it 5 or 6 times. I think we will try to use the camera more often to keep it working. Thanks for the info. bridge1035

Anonymous said...

Many thanks :) Canon S3 IS, shutter was stuck.

Took me a bit to figure out how to do the 15 second exposure (trying to do it quickly didn't help, tried like 30 times) but thanks to another comment found out how - After that, it was approx 5 times of taking a photo, waiting 7 seconds then opening the battery cover.

Anonymous said...

Sorry should add - I had not used my S3 in a long time, and the shutter was stuck closed.

Anonymous said...

My camera is fujiflim JX200. The shutter ALWAYS gets stuck. i just hit it (quite hard) using my palm then it closed ><

Anonymous said...

S3-is stuck closed a week ago. One attempted normal shot fixed it. Today I had the stuck closed shutter again. This time, it took replacing the batteries with a fresh set plus this procedure a few times. I don't expect it to stay working forever.

Anonymous said...

You are the best man.
I had the same problem and your sollution solved it... You are God! After 2 sets of taking 15 seconds pictures into a black room and taking off the battery, my camera works perfect!!! Lol At first, I did'n belive you!!! Many, many thanks!!!
Cosmin from Romania

Anonymous said...

I had the sticky shutter problem with my Canon S3 IS. I tried your trick and it worked after 5 times. Thanks so much for your help!!

Descongelador said...

I tried this solution in my Canon PowerShot G12 with no success. I'm afraid isn't a shutter problem.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ymd5Gctl6zg

Any ideas? Thanks!

It is a second-hand camera (eBay) so I have no guarantee).

Camera Repair said...

Descongelador,
That isn't a stuck shutter, as you show the shutter moving at the beginning of the clip. It's more likely an issue with the CCD image sensor. You can try the steps here to see if they'll help, but I doubt it. Unfortunately, CCD image sensor repair is not an easy fix, and should be left to professionals. Recommend calling calling 1-800-OK-CANON to inquire of an estimate for repair.
Sorry that I don't have better news,
CR

Naveen Arora said...

Tried to fix the problem by putting my Canon IXUS 75 on custom timer mode, flash off, clicked a photo and opened the battery for a second and shut it back. Then tapped the open lens gently. It worked. Thanks a lot for your help.

Naveen Arora

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much. I have a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W80 The first time the shutter got stuck I didn't know what the problem was. I took it back to National Camera in Minneapolis where I bought it. They told me they could send the camera to Sony for repair for $125. Instead I sent it to Sony myself and they repaired it for around $80. They never did say what was wrong with it. Now, a year later, the problem is happening again. And after trying your suggestions - the one about tapping it with a pen finally worked - after about 20taps and taking about 7 photos.
Thank you!!!

Anonymous said...

I have a canon SD750. Shutter was stuck and was fixed by simply tapping the extended lens with my index finger.

Anonymous said...

Canon SD1000-
Tapping the lens seemed to work.
For how long- who knows
Thanx

Anonymous said...

Hi.

i have pentax Optio A20

It takes pictures in dark areas but outdoor picture has a full white background
Tried your simple fix for a stuck shutter but no luck
Plhelp
Francos

qwertie said...

It seems almost everyone here has a problem with the shutter for Canon cameras. Has anybody experienced a problem with Samsung cameras? I have a Samsung ST45 camera that had its shutter stuck wide open initally (took overexposed photos with horizontal lines) and when I tried to repair it using the above methods, the shutter closed....but now it's stuck closed. Can't even shoot videos anymore. :(

The method suggested above was to open the battery door 7 sec after taking a photo. I did that but there was no difference. The act of opening the battery door didnt seem to interrupt the power supply. The camera remained switched on. Is this method only relevant to Canon cameras?

Lastly, I'm definitely going to buy a new camera to replace my broken Samsung, but what is your recommendation? I was thinking of buying Canon since it's supposedly famous for cameras, but after reading so many negative comments on canon cameras, i'm rather apprehensive now. :( Maybe i should buy either Nikon or Olympus cameras?

Alin said...

Hello,
I have a Canon A610 which had these symptoms: photos full white, movies ok.I think the shutter was stuck open.
I fixed it with continuous shooting, about 40 pics.
Alin

Anonymous said...

WOW! IT DOES Work!! Hadn't used my Canon S2 in a year and before taking it in for repair decided to do a search on line first! Your site is GREAT! Thank you so much....after 5 mins in my dark closet the lens opened! Course I didn't notice till I was a slight reflection in the mirror thru the viewfinder! WAHLAAA!!! Thank you! My camera is about 7 years old and like new as I hardly use it!

Camera Repair said...

Anonymous,
Glad it worked. Also remember to do the final post-fix step of taking many pictures in "continuous shutter" to lubricate that shutter after it was sitting unused for so long.
CR

Anonymous said...

Hi all,

I dropped my Canon Ixus 120IS which caused the shutter to become stuck. I googled "camera repair" and came across this website. I tried the tapping-the-lens and opening-the-battery-cover, AND IT WORKED!! Thanks heaps :D Saved me alot of money haha

Anonymous said...

I was really worried when my SLR camera not functioning properly but thanks to your post i manage to handle this thing and my camera works for some reason at all.

DSLR camera Reviews

Anonymous said...

Thanks!

Canon S2 IS not used for a year. The power interruption fixed it on 1st try. Alert, please be smarter than I was. I first thought I tried it 15+ times but in the dark room I was not realizing I was just opening the memory card door instead of the battery compartment. I was about to give up when the oversight popped into my head. Next try popped the battery door and out fell the batteries. Upon reloading the batteries instantly fixed. I then ran the high speed shutter for a while to be sure. I'm sure no one else would be as dumb as I was but you never know. I missed shooting my son's basketball game to day but camera should work for vacation next month. Thanks again!

Anonymous said...

my camera have these lines on still images.. it's not noticeable on the lcd only when it is zoomed. when taking pictures during daytime, its overexposed and during nighttime with flash, the dark parts have visible lines in it... i have tried the methods above but nothing works...:(

ps.. no flicking on the iris noticed!

thanks
-ssaera

Annie D. Stratton said...

Thanks for alerting me to the image sensor failure issue for some Canon models. It appears to be exactly the problem I am having. Have contacted Canon, and hoping they will agree. I like my A95 very much for the color fidelity (I am an artist and craftsperson, and use it mainly to photograph my work). I cannot afford to replace it right now, so your blog may well turn out to be a budget saver for me.

Anonymous said...

My camera Canon Powershot S2 Is had the sticky shutter problem. Followed the 15s interrupt exposure method, and after maybe 20 attempts problem now solved. Thanks so much for the advice.

Anonymous said...

Had this problem with an S3 IS and your method worked. Thanks a whole lot.

Anonymous said...

I had to try this fix several times. It would start and stop working. However, in the end after I continuously took photos for a few minutes it seems to be working. Thank you so much! I really didn't want to have to purchase a new camera. I'll have to see if the solution "sticks" but I'm really hoping it does :)

Anonymous said...

I have a Canon Powershot630. I believe I first had this problem last summer, somehow I got it working took a couple of pics and thought it was fixed. Eight months later picked up the camera, downloaded pics and noticed the black screen again. Found your site and tried the suggested fixes (all of them many times) Still stuck. I will try again later, I was afraid I might get carried away with the tapping and banging.
I didn't see any comments posted from other Canon Powershot A630 users. Is this a common problem for this model? Is there something else I should try? I didn't see it listed on the free repair of CCD image sensor.
Thanks for helping
Zam

Camera Repair said...

Anonymous,
Yes it is a common problem for all the A6XX series. Letting the camera sit for months at a time without use gums up shutter oil which cause the shutter to stick. Suggest trying 5b with a pencil (using common sense on the amount of force). If you do get it open, remember the important post-fix step of continuous shutter shots to work the lubricant. And also remember to use the camera more frequently to keep the shutter lubricant from gumming up.
CR

Unknown said...

Canon powershot S3 IS - couldn't see anything through viewfinder or LCD. Google found this page and, after well over 20 attempts at long exposure and popping the battery door, banging lens with a pencil, and then banging the camera on the table, I'm happy to report that my camera is once again fully functional!!
If my symptoms match yours, don't give up. I was about to but persisted. After banging etc for the first 20 times, I started to see images through the viewfinder and LCD. While looking down the lens while it was taking a long exposure, I could see that the shutter or iris or whatever was not fully open. After 10 or more additional attempts at popping the battery door and banging on table, I can now see That the iris is fully open!

Many MANY thanks for posting this info and saving me so much $$$$$!!!

BS said...

My canon powershot A80 worked fine for 8 years, but now just shows a black screen. It had started taking pure white photos occasionally for a few weeks before this. I tried the 15" exposure and opening the battery cover. But when I close the cover, the camera seemed to have forgotten what it was doing. I had to switch off and on to revive it. but still no luck

Anonymous said...

My wife came back after a days sailing and complained our beloved a630 was showing nothing but a black screen. After a little Googling feel very thankful to have found your fix. Worked first time for me. Cheers!

Anonymous said...

It's an older camera (SD750) and I had my doubts, but the gentle tapping did it. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for your help! I have a Canon PowerShot A460, and it only took my about 5 tries of opening the battery door. I put it in continuous shot mode, as per your suggestion, and everything seems to be fine now.

Bernard Gumble said...

Same problem here with Canon Powershot S2 IS. Tried the first method and brought the camera back to life in one attempt.
Thanks for your help.

Unknown said...

Im 13 and i have a Canon PowerShot ELPH 100 HS and i had it in my pocket and when i pulled it out the lense was extended and the top part and smaller barrel was tilted and the lense was stuck with the screen giving me the error text. I tried to force it in but it wont budge. i dont know what to do and i dont want to bug my dad since he just bought me this. SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME! i could really use some help
:)

Anonymous said...

Had a sticky shutte problem on my S2 IS Canon requested 244 euro to repair changing the whole optical group. Fortunately I've found this thread.
It worked after the third attempt!
Many thanks !!!!!!!
Maurizio from Italy

Ajiegile said...

It's works for my S2 IS, i try after 12-14 times and it's fine now.
hope will not happend again.
Thank you so much....

can you teach me to avoid sticky shutter again??

Anonymous said...

i also experienced the problem of struck lens due to accidental fall of the camera. It is of OLYUMPUS make model FE .i tried step 1 to 6 & within half an hour camera is ready to use again. i was planning to get it to service centre but a big thanks to camerarepairblog for saving my hard earned money through useful tips.

Anonymous said...

Thanks a lot for the fix. It worked after 20mn, for my Canon A570. I dropped the case in a lake and after letting it dry, the screen was blank and pictures were black, but I could still see the pics I took before. Now everything is fine.
C.

TLC Photography said...

I have a Canon EOS Rebel T3 I have had it a week, today it wouldnt take a picture, tried everything, reformatting, hard reset all of it...found your site and banged it on the wood and its working not as a well as before but i will at least be able to do the senior session this weekend as planned then try to exchange it! Thank you!

Anonymous said...

I have canon a470., while taking picture it shows white line in day time, but when i take picture at night it show okay, and there is no problem in capturing video too. so it is day light problem like that, plz help me for this. i don't want to purchase new camera.

Camera Repair said...

Anonymous with the A470. Your particular model camera is susceptible to failure of the shutter's flexible control ribbon cable. It causes the exact symptoms that you mentioned. The cable breaks with time. It can be replaced, but the cost of repair would definitely be more than the value of the camera. Also don't recommend self-repair for this failure as the cable is buried deep inside the lens assembly, very difficult to get at. Sorry, wished I had better news.
CR

Anonymous said...

I have a FuijiFilm FinePix Camera that has a similar problem of overexposing and putting lines throughout the photos. Video works fine though. I tried to look through and see if the shutter was stuck since after reading your post I thought that was the problem. However it the shutter still moves. Any Ideas on whats wrong?

Anonymous said...

Canon Powershot A620, Shutter worked on the 34th try!! thanks you!!!!

Anonymous said...

Hi,
Was going to by a new camera until I found your blog.I have a Canon S2 IS and bought it in 2005 before the s3 came out and it has performed very well,taking thousands of pictures and still using it often today 2012.
The method I used was the tap on the outside and continuous shooting,less than 2 minutes and working fine,
Thank you!

Anonymous said...

My camera is a S3is. With your help it is now working very well. But first Canon wants 180€ for the repair, that I refused. I´m from Portugal. Thank you!

Anonymous said...

Wow thanks!
I was doubtful, but it actually worked!!

Great post - saved me hard earned cash.

Anonymous said...

Awesome! It worked for me on my Canon PowerShot S2 IS! It worked the first time, then it went black again. Tried it again, worked again and it went black one more time. Third time is a charm. Shutter has stayed working after I I took a bunch of shots on continous mode. Don't skip that last step!

Anonymous said...

S3 Thanks,friend- and you ARE a friend!

Anonymous said...

Hi,
I have a Canon Powershot A620. It only took me one time to fix my sticky shutter. I can now take photos again!
Thank you for the very easy to understand directions. What a GREAT site!!
Catherine

smudon said...

Hi I`m smu from germany, I have the same problems and i Try this for 20 times and now it works.............thanks a lot.my camera is still working....
smudon

Cédric Lesquir said...

I fixed my G12 by combining those different techniques. I was about to give up after like 10-15 times of 15" pictures and tiny hits on len but I finaly got a picture!!! Thank you very much... I was about to pay 100$ more for the repair.

Anonymous said...

Amazing fix. This has saved a lot of dollars for many people. Thanks and God bless.

MamuBhai said...

I have a Canon A620 & experienced the black screen>stuck shutter prob when I tried to use it after a year or so.
I read thru all the posts & tried everything- sunning it to warm it up/battery compartment door opening/tapping on the lens barrel/banging the camera on a padded wooden table etc, a zillion times, but no go.
On looking down the lens, I could see a sort of cloth wrinkle which apparently was not letting the shutter move- hence the fix did not work for me.
Fortunately I live in New Delhi, India & there are plenty of skilled repair guys who can fix virtually anything at a reasonable cost.
I took my beloved camera( The A620 IS really a great camera)to a guy named Kapil Vohra ( Mob No.098712 72689 ), Chandni Chowk, Old Delhi & he stripped down the camera, removed the offending wrinkled cloth tape, cleaned & serviced all the mechanical moving parts- lens assy/shutter etc etc & put it all back together in half an hour, at a cost of Rs 600 - Eqv 11 USD!
Canon India was asking for Rs 8000 - eqv USD 140 + labour charges for replacing the entire lens/shutter assy.
So, a happy ending.
To all people in India, if the simple fixes given in this blog don't work, there is still hope.
Come to think of it, if repairs are this cheap why try banging/tapping etc...
Just a thought

Anonymous said...

YAY! Thank you thank you thank you! Step 5b worked for my powershot a1000is! I had tried the opening the battery compartment a few times while trying to take a picture, no success, but step 5b worked. Thank you! You just saved me $100 and lots of time! Thank you!

Anonymous said...

Just tried several of your fixes on my old Canon Powershot S1 IS, not sure which one finally did the trick but it worked. Thanks for your help.

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much!!! TV mode, 15s shutter and opening the battery door after a 7 secs worked for my Canon pc1130. ~8th try!

Anonymous said...

Canon Powershot S3 IS
Well I read the fix for a stuck shutter, and I was very skeptical, but I gave it a try. After repeating the procedure about 10 times, to my surprise it worked! No more black LCD screen! I took many pics to prevent it from sticking again, and will continue to do so in the next few days. Will keep you posted if the problem returns. My camera was unused for close to a year, so I guess that was not a good idea. I intend to use it regularly, to prevent the problem from occurring again. ( I HOPE! )

Anonymous said...

Hi! I had the same problem with a very old Canon A620... was totally bummed because I loved the camera.. but read the blog and tried all the fixes.. nothing worked... finally I simply tried turning the power on and off several times in rapid succession and voila the camera is working once again... In looking back over pics taken the last several months I realized there were several one-offs that were "black" so obviously this has been an ongoing issue.. hopefully this will keep it going for awhile.. hate to give up the camera.. as the newer models while they offer some of the features are not as appealing as this old one of mine

Camera Repair said...

No I fully understand. I also own an A620, and believe that even today it's still the best performing point and shoot that Canon has ever produced.
CR

Anonymous said...

I have Canon Powershot S2 IS that wasn't used for awhile and shutter was stuck. One click on TV mode and it is working fine now. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Hi,

Thanks so much for this post and the comments. My Canon Powershot 850IS was out of commission for over a year after experiencing first all-white, then all-black photos. It wasn't covered by the Canon recall for CCD's, so I had given up until i read your blog. After several (more than 20) tries of the power-down during exposure, I started tapping it on the table (pretty hard by the end) and tapping the lens barrel. It took quite a while, but eventually the shutter reopened! It was in automatic mode when it finally worked. It took about a week for the pictures to clear up (showed lots of lines and were overexposed), but now it's perfect again. THANKS!

Anonymous said...

Haven't used my Canon S2IS for so long as the shutter would not open and just kept getting message on the screen to change the batteries, even though they were fully charged - just read your forum and decided to tap the shutter with a pen and after the second attempt the shutter opened and now it's working ...am so pleased....thanks for advice.

Anonymous said...

Coming a little late to the game, but you just saved me having to get a new camera. Canon PowerShot A620 - the long exposure method worked on the first try!

Anonymous said...

My Canon SD 960 shutter was stuck closed. IAW the instructions I switched the camera to continuous mode then began tapping on the lens with a pencil. It worked! Thanks much for the help.

Anonymous said...

I have a Canon S3IS. I have tried every method and still not working. I don't see anything when I look down the lens. I have worked on this so long, now my new batteries are dead. I have tried different modes (TV,M,C, etc). I have tried tapping, knocking, and beating this thing on my knee, table, and concrete block (JK). I'm not going to give up, but I want to make sure that I'm doing this correctly. 1. I close the flash. 2. Set exposure to 15 seconds by setting it to 1/3200. 3. Take photo. 4. Wait 7 seconds and open battery compartment. If this doesn't work, I can always punt the camera down the street. Any help would be great. Thanks, Donnie

Camera Repair said...

Anonymous,
Please keep in mind that not every camera can be fixed by these methods. But I've found that it usually does work for most. You've been doing it right, but may I suggest more focus on tapping of the lens barrel with a pencil (or maybe even something a little harder). Sounds like you're shutters are particularly gummed up, and may need a little more shock than most to get them ungummed.
CR

Camera Repair said...

Anonymous,
Please keep in mind that not every camera can be fixed by these methods. But I've found that it usually does work for most. You've been doing it right, but may I suggest more focus on tapping of the lens barrel with a pencil (or maybe even something a little harder). Sounds like you're shutters are particularly gummed up, and may need a little more shock than most to get them ungummed.
CR

Anonymous said...

Camera = Olympus FE-340

While powering on, the camera does the lens zoom in/out and allows the back LCD display to come on. Well, I had a vacation where the day was rainy while snapping a bunch of photos. (like 500+). Now while powering on, the lens just zooms in/out a few more times than normal and then zooms in and shuts off. The Fixya website for camera's has several dozen people linking to your blog on sticky shutters and other problems. You are right, the camera was only $69USD at BestBuy. It would cost more to fix it than to buy a nice Sony. I had just bought two spare batteries and a new 2Gm XD-M+ card for it, so another $40USD to enhance the camera. Guess maybe a replacement of the same or better that uses the hardware is one solution. The Olympus manual does not have a trouble shooting section, that's a bummer. I've tried a few things on the blog, but no go thus far. Wonder if I have to place the camera in the sun to dry it out? ? ?

Anonymous said...

My Canon S2IS had the dreaded Black Screen. I tried the suggested fix, For a long time the fix didn't work, but finally, by repeatedly mtapping the lens as it opened I got the shutter to open. Every day, when I wanted to use the camera I had to use the procedure, many times, each time. I had to turn on the camera every day, using the procedure over and over to keep it working. This went on for two or three years! Finally, one day while I was going through the procedure I felt something different happen - a little shudder. (Pardon the pun) The shutter has worked normally ever since.
Once I took the camera to a good repair person. He advised me to throw the camera away. I'm glad I didn't - my camera works like a charm now. Don't give up hope!
C

Anonymous said...

Canon Powershot A610 here... same 'stuck shutter' problem as many others here have experienced. I didn't use the camera for a few months and came back to find a black screen. I tried (and tried) all the fixes found here, but to no avail. I was ready to scrap it, but decided to try once more. Still nothing.

On my way upstairs to chuck it out (not the batteries though), I thought I'd try again for 'shits and giggles'. I zoomed the lens out as far as it would go and started banging it. No more wimpy taps from me - I was frustrated! Somehow, the old 1960/70s TV fixing method of 'just hit it' - a la a caveman - ended up working.

Thanks for the help!

Anonymous said...

Wow - I haven't used my Canon powershot S2 1s in years - pulled it out and the screen and viewfinder were black (then remembered why I haven't used it). I found this post and after about 11 tries, it works again! Amazing!

Anonymous said...

Sirs,
I've experienced the "stuck shutter" issue, that is my old Nikon Coolpix E880 suddenly started to act as if the lens cap were on.
I had no success with tapping or power cut-off.
I've discovered the following workaround.
Before switching on, I set the selection disk in a dead position between two modes, i.e. between "auto" and "scene".
Now I switch on the camera; the displays shows an error message.
Then I rotate the disk and select an option, i.e. "scene", without switching off.
Ecco fatto! It works the usual way.
Regards.

Francesco - Italy

Anonymous said...

OMG!!! Opening the battery door twice fixed my canon s3 is.

Anonymous said...

Hi
thanks.

My canon s3is had sticky shutter problem. I tried your instruction - power interuption two times and the camera is alive.


I really appreciate it.

Anonymous said...

I Had This Issue With A S3 - Tried About 10 Times And It Worked . . Thanks So Much

Anonymous said...

I have a Canon PowerShot S2 IS. Had the stuck shutter (black screen) for months. I had tried the first fix (opening the battery door) before with no luck. I decided to give it one last try today before finally going to the repair shop. After about 15 attempts, it worked! Thanks!

Dean(BG) said...

Hi, I have 5 years old Nikon Coolpix S550 and the same problem. There is 2 ways - When camera starts the first picture is OK, then Stuck the Shutter.
Second way is the lens seems OK, but pictures had a lot of lines and are unusable.
Unfortunately non of the step seems to work. The camera worked fine and never drop or something...but it's time for a new one.

Dean(BG) said...

Hi, I have 5 years old Nikon Coolpix S550 and the same problem. There is 2 ways - When camera starts the first picture is OK, then Stuck the Shutter.
Second way is the lens seems OK, but pictures had a lot of lines and are unusable.
Unfortunately non of the step seems to work. The camera worked fine and never drop or something...but it's time for a new one.

Unknown said...

This worked superbly on my Canon Powershot S5IS. I tried it about 5-6 times until it became unstuck. Thanks a bunch!

Unknown said...

This work superbly for my Canon Powershot S5 IS. I tried about 5-6 times before the shutter became unstuck. Thanks a bunch!

Dave said...

David
Got my Casio exslim working by simply moving what must be a lens cover to open position where it stays permanatly (open).
It can't be the shutter because although stays open it takes perfect photos.
Just move it (gently) open manually using a toothpick ot the like it's very accessable on the outside of this small camera.
Hope this helps
Dave

Anonymous said...

I had a CanonS2 IS which has had the stuck shutter problem. I "fixed" it by repeatedly using the method described above. Eventually I got the shutter unstuck. I had taken it to a camera repair person some months previously. He told me to throw the camera away. This was two or more years ago. I have been able to use the camera by turning it on every day and taking a picture. However, I think I have finally found a beter answer. I have a Canon power adapter. I keep the camera plugged in when not in use. The shutter opens easily now. Thanks, for the previous suggestions. Anonymous

Anonymous said...

S3is owner, with the same problem of stuck shutter.

I have tried to open the battery cover while taking a shot, but it didn't work for me (or should have tried more...)
What worked for me was the switching between taking-photos mode and the viewing-photos mode. After some five or six switches, the shutter worked just fine. Of course, I did the battery thing before, so I don't know if it helped or not...

Anyway, thanks for the tips. I love this camera, and I'm grateful I can keep using it.

Anonymous said...

I have Canon Powershot IS5 SS with stucked shutter, so I tried method with removing batteries in long exposure shooting for 5 times, but with no succes. Than I tried to put the camera in continous shooting, without memory card and I took so many pictures and in a while the shutter became unstucked. I hope this will help you.

Anonymous said...

I had a sticking shutter on a Canon A620. Tried some of the methods, got it working again. Thanks, Jeff

Anonymous said...

Stuck shutter Canon s31s. Tried #3-4 about 6 times them tapped it on edge of lens. Finally decided in for a nickle in for a dollar and tapped it gently on the barrel 3xs on the edge of my old soft pine table. Voila! Now I just have to readjust all the settings that I screwed up trying to find the problem! THANKS!! I have babied this camera, so don't know why it stuck, but your solutions worked.

Steve, Lincolnshire said...

Hi. Thanks for the great information in this blog. My S3is developed the black screen problem several months ago and I managed to free the shutter using the power interrupt method but found that it would seize gain after a days inactivity. I have finally managed to sort it by working the shutter on continuous mode for several thousand exposures with the SD card out! Works a treat now. I had treated myself to a G15 when I thought that the S3is was a basket case but this blog has saved me from binning a much loved and otherwise trusty camera. Thanks to all who have given their information.

Awyacta said...

Dear Sir,

Thank you very much for the guidance.The solution of TV mode with 15 seconds exposure worked for my Canon Powershot S3 iS. It took me several attempts but after I set exposure to 15 seconds it worked in 4-5 attempts. So it is a must I think to set first the exposure to 15 seconds I then try the solution.

Thank you very much once again.

Shrirkishna.

Scarbs said...

Hi, have had four Canons without problems (cracked screen aside). My Panasonic DMC-TZ3 however, gives black images and I’m almost certain the shutter is working correctly as it makes a sound and I see movement through the lens. Screen works fine too. Any ideas?

Scarbs said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Scarbs said...

Is this the place for a Panasonic stuck shutter? (possibly stuck).
paulrscarbro@yahoo.co.uk

Anonymous said...

I tried this about 8-12 times before it worked on my Canon S2is. But I also started tapping the lens barrel the last couple of times. So not sure if that helped or not. Thanks much for this tip!

Anonymous said...

Your fix for the 'stuck shutter' worked on my Canon digital camera! I had to do it five or six times, but it finally came unstuck. Yay! THANKS.

Anonymous said...

Great advice, it worked on my Canon S2 IS after abouu 10 tries.

Anonymous said...

Your methods worked with Cannon S5.
I put it on TV = 15 sec.
After 3 attempts, the shutter was open. Thank you.
UE

Anonymous said...

PowerShot S3IS, the fix worked first time. Thanks heaps, it looks like you've singlehandedly saved many cameras from the bin!

Anonymous said...

I am totally blown away. Stuck shutter. Took a picture and dislodged the battery mid stream, about 20 times, unstuck itself. This totally worked on my S2 IS.
Thanks for the excellent info
Steve

Unknown said...

I've had the Canon S2IS for years. Sticky shutter for at least five years. I fixed it the first time with the methods described after a couple of repairmen told me it wasn't worth fixing. I finally have a really workable solution. I keep it attached to an electric Power Adapter all the time when I am not using the camera. I think the S2IS just has too many features for the batteries to handle. Not enough power to really operate the shutter correctly. I don't my camera often. I use it now when I want without problems. Anonymous2

Anonymous said...

I wonder if this shutter technique also applies to my Canon SX160Is. I have not seen anyone describing this problem for that model so I better double-check because while the syptoms are the same (closed shutter, black pictures and display) all my insistent tries according to your suggestions have not yet had any effect. I just ran out of warranty (missed the deadline for 2 weeks) so I am quite mad at having to potentially throw that compact camera into the bin.

Unknown said...

Hey!

We've got Canon IXUS 145.

I tried some of the steps above - they did not seem to work ...

Then - my sister took it - switches it off an on a few times and suddenly it started to work :)

Thanks

Anonymous said...

Hi,
I have a Canon Powershot S2 IS and it apparently had a sticky shutter. Your dark room remedy worked like a charm. I've had this camera for years and have taken some beautiful shots with it. I was becoming very discouraged until I hit upon this site. Thanks so much!!

Samsung TV Kamera said...

No need to place the camera in Tv mode or set to 15 second exposure. ... samsungtvkamera.blogspot.de

Vanessa Victoria Kilmer said...

Holy crap on a cracker - this was amazing. Canon Powershot S3IS. I thought it was a goner. I did a combination of all of these. Didn't count exactly how many times - maybe 15 to 20 - and it worked. Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you!

deanflyer said...

This worked on a Powershot S3, many thanks for the tip.

Unknown said...

Thank you!!! Method 5b fixed it.

GerryB said...

I have a Canon Powershot S3 IS about 7 years old and it just started giving me a black screen. I don't see the shutter moving when i take a shot so I'm thinking the problem is the shutter. I tried the fixes mentioned in this blog and none of them worked. Very disappointed, to say the least! Almost makes me nervous about spending money to buy another digital camera! add one more item to our throw away society!!

Anonymous said...

Thanks a million for posting the solution. I have a canon s2is camera. It was lying in the shelf for almost an year with the shutter problem. The set tv mode-click-remove battery and tap with a pen solution worked for me. I had to use both the techniques one after the another.
I had to repeat the remove battery thing for about 20 times. Tap with a pen for 5 to 6 times. The camera came back to life, wow!!! very much excited to see it working back again. The pictures taken seem to have not enough exposure, I have to use the flash for taking the pictures, they are good with flash. may be some greasy stuff is still attached to the shutter. Any solution for making the pictures more brighter would be appreciated.

Anonymous said...

I had this problem with an S3 IS. After about 5 tries I did something different. I started taking a video and removed the battery and that did the trick

Anonymous said...

For the canon S2, S3, and S5 IS, here is a teardown and reassemble video that shows how to permanantly repair the sticky shutter. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWNXm60vbw8

Anonymous said...

Thank you it really work. I have Canon powershot s3 and i did the "powercut" for about 50 times Before it begin to work. Now i have my loved camera working again.

Anonymous said...

I have a Casio Exilim (ex-s600), (purchased in 2009 at a cost of $349) which from what is described on this site apparently has a stuck shutter. Outdoor photos are very light and have horizontal lines. In door shoots are still OK. I tried the a couple of the fixes described here but to no avail. Have you had any success with fixing this model camera? I might consider having it repaired if the cost is well below it's initial cost. Thanks for your help.

Rene said...

I have a Canon Powershot S3 IS, and none of the tricks in the article worked, other than confirming that the shutter was stuck. Here's how I fixed it, though:

1. Turn the camera into recording mode.
2. Select Manual mode (M) and use the shortest exposure time possible (1/2000 s).
3. Go into the menu, continuous and select Hi-speed mode.
4. Select continuous exposure with the exposure mode button on top of the camera (near the shutter button).
5. Press and hold the exposure button and slowly, but surely, the shutter will get unstuck.

Sorry if things are a bit unclear. I'm Dutch, my camera language is set to Dutch, and English is a foreign language to me.

I hope it helps for some of you, though. Cheers!

Anonymous said...

Amazing article! thanks for your help. Just got my hands on an old S3 IS with same symptom and it took me 6 or 7 times but eventually the shutter opened and I can now see the world! Well done :D

Anonymous said...

This worked on my Canon Powershot S3 IS!!!!!

Thank you so much, thought I was going to have to toss it out, it took a good 20 shots before it worked, but worth a try

Anonymous said...

Thanks.
Method 5 b tapping with the help of pencil
Worked for A 470 model !!!
Thanks again.

Anonymous said...

I figured I'd give it a try on an S2 IS...and it WORKED on the first try!! I couldn't believe it! However, after snapping one picture it reverted back to stuck shut. So, a half dozen or more tries later, I was able to get it to work a little each time until finally I was able to get it to snap over 600 pictures in a row working perfectly! This camera is just a few days shy of 10 years old...so I assumed all bets were off! Maybe its got a new lease on life for another 10 years?? HA...I won't get my hopes up :-)

Anonymous said...

I have just fixed my Powershot S3IS at least for now...I followed the above instructions. I put the settings at continuous shot mode...I could hear the mechanisms inside clicking, so I knew it was taking black pics. I held the button down while tapping the outside of my lens, because this was my last ditch effort before tossing it, I tapped with my big felt pen a bit forcefully. Then I saw am image in my view finder...I was alternating opening up the batter housing after holding down the button for approximately 5 pics. After the image was showing, I kept shooting on continuos mode for awhile hoping to loosen up the shutter. I turned it off for 30 min, and it was black again...I proceeded to follow my last attempts, and it worked ....I played with it on all its settings for an hour. I am now leaving it off for 30 min. hope it works.

Unknown said...

How to Fix camera screen black

Anonymous said...

shutter was stuck on my old Canon S3IS (no flicker when taking a photo). tried manual setting 15sec/ f2.7 and opened battery compartment during the exposure. Fixed the problem after 1st attempt

Unknown said...

Canon IXUS 800IS was stuck after 6years in the cabinet and was on its to the bin.Tapped the lens and the body while pressing shutter shifting thru modes and release attaching batteries works now like a song

Unknown said...

My Canon G10 had this problem. Fixed it following your method! Thank you very much!

Anonymous said...

Fantastic! I tried your first solutions but they didn't work and then with a closed lens I lightly tapped the camera against a wooden table about 4/5 times. I tapped it on the top and bottom of the camera and voila!!
Thank you very much for the suggestions.

Anonymous said...

Just posted comment of solution without mentioning my camera. It is a Canon PowerShot SD880IS. Lightly tapping the camera ...with a closed lens....against a wooden table -on the top and the bottom of the camera worked for me. Tapped only about 4/5 times.

sneike said...

Hi! I have a Sony RX100MK3, I'm not sure about having a stuck shutter. If I take the same picture in the same moment with these three equivalent exposures:
a. 1\500 f1.8 iso 1250
b. 1\30 f3.2 iso 250
c. 1\2 f9 iso 125

Picture a is extremely overexposed, picture b is basically correct, picture c is underexposed but also with a crazy effect applied, like a Photoshop neon effect!

These symptoms are very weird. What do you think?

Thanks for the reply

Anonymous said...

The stuck shutter was apparently the problem with my Canon Powershot SD750. The step that worked for me was 6B. So thankful!!!

Unknown said...

Opening the battery box worked while taking pictures; dark room not
needed; put lens against your stomach, and take pictures while
opening and closing the battery box...tried many times the other
ways, but this is what worked for me...















Anonymous said...

Canon S3IS. The shutter was stuck closed.
I found your web page and tried the open battery door trick, and the shutter started "working" after 2 tries.
However, it seems that the shutter is not able to open quick enough for faster speeds (e.g., 1/640).
I did try the continuous shooting of about 100 pics.

Anonymous said...

Powershot S3IS. Used long shutter time (I think) and pressed shutter release. Opened battery door and after about the 4th try I noticed image on the LCD. Went into continuous mode and shot about 30 images. Hopefully it won't stick again.

T said...

Power shot sx520. My 2 year old dropped it and I get the lens error. However if I start it laid flat, it powers right up and the lens scopes normally. It just won't power up held in the normal upright position. Thoughts?

iNdy said...

Bought a pen epl1 on eBay. When pressing the shutter button the screen would black out and the camera would no longer respond. This article helped me realize I had a shutter that was stuck open. Removed lens, set to fireworks mode, took picture while tapping on camera body, pulled battery and repeated. After several attempts the shutter freed. Did some continuous shooting to loosen it up. So far so good. Saved me $100. Thanks for this article.

Anonymous said...

A big Thaaaaank youuu is in order! It took a lot of tries, but eventually, thanks your advice, my camera is now working again!

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