"Check status of a lens" error—how common is this?

I just found out that my kit lens (Olympus 14-42 II R) is pretty much dead. A "check status of a lens" error occurs whenever I zoom past around 25mm. Hums plenty, too.

A good long Googling reveals that it mostly happens to the kit lens, but the 9-18 isn't safe from it either. I could either DIY it (haha nope) or send it for repairs, which would cost almost as much as buying a new lens.

How common is this issue? Granted, my copy's ~4 years old now, but I barely used it (I got the Pany 20mm, and has almost never left the camera since). You could dismiss it as usual cheap kit lens quality , but it's still pretty disappointing. Especially since image quality was quite okay.

mmmartin wrote:

I just found out that my kit lens (Olympus 14-42 II R) is pretty much dead. A "check status of a lens" error occurs whenever I zoom past around 25mm. Hums plenty, too.

A good long Googling reveals that it mostly happens to the kit lens, but the 9-18 isn't safe from it either. I could either DIY it (haha nope) or send it for repairs, which would cost almost as much as buying a new lens.

How common is this issue? Granted, my copy's ~4 years old now, but I barely used it (I got the Pany 20mm, and has almost never left the camera since). You could dismiss it as usual cheap kit lens quality , but it's still pretty disappointing. Especially since image quality was quite okay.

I had the same happen with the 12-50 that I initially bought with my OM5.  Luckily I was able to replace it with a new one, at a very moderate price, from Japan.  (I need this lens because its power-zoom function is very handy for video.

The message apparently indicates an electronic short or broken connection in the lens.  Not usually worth trying to fix, especially on cheaper - and usually less servicable- lenses.

I realize the OMD EMI is smaller and cuter than a roughly equivalent Panasonic camera (G80 ). But I've never heard of such a thing happening on with Panasonic (or Sigma, or Voigtlander) lenses on a Panasonic body.  Does it take more than this ...  ?

Last year, I had the same thing happen to my then 5 year old 14-42 RII lens. I bought another one used. If the same thing happens to this one, I'll likely purchase a different lens in the same range.

I should qualify that I bounced it on two different occasions.

hindesite wrote:

Other reports of the same with the later 14-42, as well as the 9-18 m.Zuikos have appeared in this forum. Apparently the problem is caused by the failure of a flexible ribbon cable.

I'd be upset if my 9-18 developed this problem, but if it happened on the 14-42 I'd just go and buy another 14-42 Panasonic, they are cheap as chips on ebay.

A couple of years ago I sold my seldom used EPL2 with the 14-42II to a colleague, shortly after she had this lens problem, luckily I had another to give her. Then, a few weeks later, I was in Cambodia, around the temples at Angkor with my EM10 with my wonderful 9-18 attached.....then the same thing happened to me. Upset isn't the way I felt, it was a bit stronger! Now it's a 9-12. If I stray into 13mm territory, I have to switch the camera off, press the lens release button, and twist the lens.

EDIT: Also, my 40-150 (original) just stopped working, no 'check status of a lens' message or owt. Luckily it was free with my EPL1. Last year though I found an EPM1 at a camera fair with a battery and a 40-150 for 40 Euros, which was nice.

erichK wrote:

The message apparently indicates an electronic short or broken connection in the lens. Not usually worth trying to fix, especially on cheaper - and usually less servicable- lenses.

This happened to my 9-18mm. I spoke to Olympus about it and was told categorically that it wasn't a short or a broken connection, the guy said that 'something has probably broken inside' and that it would be very expensive to replace, but they could give me 'some' discount on a new one...... They hadn't taken it apart, and my lens was out of warranty.

My BS detector was working quite well I think.

mmmartin wrote:

I just found out that my kit lens (Olympus 14-42 II R) is pretty much dead. A "check status of a lens" error occurs whenever I zoom past around 25mm. Hums plenty, too.

A good long Googling reveals that it mostly happens to the kit lens, but the 9-18 isn't safe from it either. I could either DIY it (haha nope) or send it for repairs, which would cost almost as much as buying a new lens.

How common is this issue? Granted, my copy's ~4 years old now, but I barely used it (I got the Pany 20mm, and has almost never left the camera since). You could dismiss it as usual cheap kit lens quality , but it's still pretty disappointing. Especially since image quality was quite okay.

This happened to me too, sucks, yes?  The thing is, I've been lusting after the Oly 17mm f1.8, but I'm concerned this will happen again....

mmmartin wrote:

The Jacal wrote:

This happened to me too, sucks, yes? The thing is, I've been lusting after the Oly 17mm f1.8, but I'm concerned this will happen again....

I believe this only happens to the zooms. More incentive to stick with primes, I guess…

Sure, but the focus clutch thing, while it works great, seems like the possibly weak link.

shinndigg wrote:

Last year, I had the same thing happen to my then 5 year old 14-42 RII lens. I bought another one used. If the same thing happens to this one, I'll likely purchase a different lens in the same range.

I should qualify that I bounced it on two different occasions.

So, Now, a second 14-42IIR lens goes bad in just over a year... Sucks, Man! Options?

Last summer my then 4+ year old 12-40Pro developed this issue.  Worked fine at the short end but when zoomed beyond 28mm it would give the "Check status of lens" error and not work.  Sent it in to Olympus for repair.  They turned it around quickly and it's worked fine ever since - but - I got it back less than a week before a 3 week trip to Italy - was nervous about trusting it so picked up a 12-100 Pro which worked great for the trip and has been a wonderful lens, so, the 12-40 doesn't get near as much use anymore.