E 18. How to keep old cameras (S2) alive?

The old S2 har not been in form the last months. Too often telling "Change batteries" and they work in SX20. Now happened to three sets batteries just charged. But one time message E 18. Which could mean lot of things, I see. Holding the shutter while starting, blowing pressured air did not help. But a thin card plastic card around the lens did wonders. And think the zooming sound is better, not such grinding noise.

So the main question. How to keep old cameras working? Using the plastic card, blowing air (danger of blowing dust into vital parts?) and CRC electronic spray gently around the lens some times? Or most important using it often? Still useful as a reserve in bright light...

My first digital was the S2 and may well have been one of the best.  It did seem to have the "change the battery" problem for some owners (not mine) and the big response was to clean the contacts.  It served me well from 2005 to 2009 and just a year ago I gave it away.

Once when carrying it I inadvertently held the lens in as it accidentally turned on.  No harm done but I immediately ordered a Lensmate aluminum tube accessory which covered the lens when extended and screwed on a sky filter.  It was very good protection.

If your S2 is as old as I think it is it may be time to shelve it.  Or, it may live on for years if you simply ignore the signs of old age.

Thanks! Yes, maybe cleaning the contacts is a good idea.

And I guess a lot of good advice here:

http://www.e18error.com/repair.html

Good to know. Personally I would not dismantle the camera and clean the lens from the inside! But the paper - or rather plastic - trick worked this time. Air seems safe enough. A friend fixing lots of camera using some electro spray, very little along the lens.

The 2.7 - 3.5 is nice in good light. And useful in rough conditions. Did survive falling to the floor with the zoom out, the 4 cm long (thin) crack at the side of the lens been there for 5 years.

Did not understand anything of the Minolta Dynax 5, not so good on theory, with S2 and the four way dial using M, it all started. But a lot of development since then. Maybe time to put it on a shelf or behind glass.

eilivk wrote:

Thanks! Yes, maybe cleaning the contacts is a good idea.

And I guess a lot of good advice here:

http://www.e18error.com/repair.html

Good to know. Personally I would not dismantle the camera and clean the lens from the inside! But the paper - or rather plastic - trick worked this time. Air seems safe enough. A friend fixing lots of camera using some electro spray, very little along the lens.

The 2.7 - 3.5 is nice in good light. And useful in rough conditions. Did survive falling to the floor with the zoom out, the 4 cm long (thin) crack at the side of the lens been there for 5 years.

Did not understand anything of the Minolta Dynax 5, not so good on theory, with S2 and the four way dial using M, it all started. But a lot of development since then. Maybe time to put it on a shelf or behind glass.

That E18 repair guide is a good read and may come in handy.  My wife's S100 is in the serial # range for a possible problem but so far all has been working well.  Canon should fix it for free if and when it does expire.  

DonA2 wrote:

eilivk wrote:

Thanks! Yes, maybe cleaning the contacts is a good idea.

And I guess a lot of good advice here:

http://www.e18error.com/repair.html

Good to know. Personally I would not dismantle the camera and clean the lens from the inside! But the paper - or rather plastic - trick worked this time. Air seems safe enough. A friend fixing lots of camera using some electro spray, very little along the lens.

The 2.7 - 3.5 is nice in good light. And useful in rough conditions. Did survive falling to the floor with the zoom out, the 4 cm long (thin) crack at the side of the lens been there for 5 years.

Did not understand anything of the Minolta Dynax 5, not so good on theory, with S2 and the four way dial using M, it all started. But a lot of development since then. Maybe time to put it on a shelf or behind glass.

That E18 repair guide is a good read and may come in handy. My wife's S100 is in the serial # range for a possible problem but so far all has been working well. Canon should fix it for free if and when it does expire.

One point worked for me, fine. But the "change batteries" mesage was faulty. It appeared 15 times, only by being stubborn E18 came. If a camera is stuck you have to try different things, and often seek help in camera forums. Most problems can be solved.

One way is to check S2 and "change batteries" on the net. There is another battery at the side of the battery room! Cr1220, very common and cheap. See the same in the SX1, and maybe in the S3 and SX20. Maybe it can outlive the G10, where the battery is full after a long time. Well, it's now in the G12..... Maybe put them with the S95 and S100 and the 3 Ixuses... And fix the faulty G12 with the lens out...and SX3 and SX1 faulty screens.

eilivk wrote:

One way is to check S2 and "change batteries" on the net. There is another battery at the side of the battery room! Cr1220, very common and cheap. See the same in the SX1, and maybe in the S3 and SX20. Maybe it can outlive the G10, where the battery is full after a long time. Well, it's now in the G12..... Maybe put them with the S95 and S100 and the 3 Ixuses... And fix the faulty G12 with the lens out...and SX3 and SX1 faulty screens.

Well, I put in the small battery from S3, it worked there. Did not work in S2! Blew some air, no change.  Electro spray maybe, and if no result.....

eilivk wrote:

eilivk wrote:

One way is to check S2 and "change batteries" on the net. There is another battery at the side of the battery room! Cr1220, very common and cheap. See the same in the SX1, and maybe in the S3 and SX20. Maybe it can outlive the G10, where the battery is full after a long time. Well, it's now in the G12..... Maybe put them with the S95 and S100 and the 3 Ixuses... And fix the faulty G12 with the lens out...and SX3 and SX1 faulty screens.

Well, I put in the small battery from S3, it worked there. Did not work in S2! Blew some air, no change. Electro spray maybe, and if no result.....

Problem solved! Hairdryer fixed it. Dust I guess. A little tractor sound and small vibration when I zoom. Use it, maybe electro spray... Solid cameras these old Canons.

User4286416121 wrote:

Congratulations keeping the camera going.

Been on the edge of my seat fir years.

Thanks! Also fixed unstable NX 30 with same method and tape and some strong words....

I2K4 wrote:

The first clue about the little button battery is failure to show or save images with the proper date / time, that fixed a problem about 9 years out on an S5IS, and I replaced it on an SX10IS at the same time.

The one other repair tip I'd share is freeing up stuck or malfunctioning buttons, control wheel or moving parts with a no-residue electrical contact cleaner. Harmless to plastics or metal and evaporates very quickly, removing gunk. It worked for me on the SX10, and helped a couple of readers here with old models. (One made the initial mistake of spraying the camera with the little nozzle tube - much safer to apply the solvent onto a piece of cloth and work it carefully into crevices, to avoid any exposure of sensor or other sensitive elements.)

Agree with your method. Best to be careful. Helped a friend with Leica D-Lux, it worked. ... for an hour, then crashed, and worked now and then.  Not into opening cameras, you got to be interested. But of course, the faulty screens on both S3 AND SX1 are irritating...