Problem with manual zoom on olympus camera and lens

[Aronrat]

Hello,

I am new to photography and I have just bought an Olympus OM-D E-M10 mark 2 along with an Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II R MSC lens from MPB but I am having an issue: when I rotate the manual zoom ring on the lens to anything above 14mm the screen on the camera says “please check the status of a lens” and even if I turn it back to 14mm it won’t work until I remove the lens and put it back on. Does anyone know what the issue is and how can it be fixed it?

 

[agott123]

Send it back. Those small zoom lenses are prone to failure

Small suggestion, get a better lens.

 

[James Stirling]

Hello,

I am new to photography and I have just bought an Olympus OM-D E-M10 mark 2 along with an Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II R MSC lens from MPB but I am having an issue: when I rotate the manual zoom ring on the lens to anything above 14mm the screen on the camera says “please check the status of a lens” and even if I turn it back to 14mm it won’t work until I remove the lens and put it back on. Does anyone know what the issue is and how can it be fixed it?

Have you tried cleaning the contacts on the lens/camera and ensure it is firmly mounted . MPB are usually quite reliable but if you can't resolve it I would send it back.

While the 14-42 kit lens is not the best , the kit lenses are decent and using it you will find out what focal lengths you like . Hope you get it sorted out

--
Jim Stirling:
"To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason, is like administering medicine to the dead." - Thomas Paine
Feel free to tinker with any photos I post

 

[Chris R-UK]

I not sure whether you lens has this, but some of the 14-42mm lenses have a retracting "parked" position to reduce the length of the camera+lens when not in use. Check whether yours is in the "parked" position. There should be a catch to release it.

 

[Allan Brown]

Hello,

I am new to photography and I have just bought an Olympus OM-D E-M10 mark 2 along with an Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II R MSC lens from MPB but I am having an issue: when I rotate the manual zoom ring on the lens to anything above 14mm the screen on the camera says “please check the status of a lens” and even if I turn it back to 14mm it won’t work until I remove the lens and put it back on. Does anyone know what the issue is and how can it be fixed it?

I would send the lens back.

You could buy another O14-42 IIR but the lens is not very good. I had one and got rid of it.

It is probably the ribbon cable in the lens that has broken. This is a common failure with the cheaper lenses.

You are unlikely to get it fixed as the lens is not worth the cost of repair.

Optically superior lenses in the same price range are the Panasonic 12-32 and 14-42 MkII.

For more money, you can get the Olympus/OM 12-45 f4 or the O12-40 f2.8

Allan

 

[Skeeterbytes]

Got this message once, after dropping the lens. Fixing the lens was the only solution.

Good luck,

Rick

 

[Danielvr]

Have you tried cleaning the contacts on the lens/camera and ensure it is firmly mounted .

This, and be sure not to press the lens release button when you mount the lens onto the camera.

 

[Aronrat]

Update:

I have discovered that the lens can zoom to about 32mm before the message on the screen appears, so i am still confused as to what the problem might be.

Thank you to everyone for the help.

 

[Art_P]

Definitely sounds like a ribbon cable. Flat cable that flexes as the lens is zoomed. A weak spot- the cable can fail where one or more of the conductors breaks, but will still connect intermittently, depending on position of the internal components of the lens.
Solution is to repair or replace the lens.

 

[baxters]

Been following the 14-42 zoom since 2010, and it's quite common to read about broken ribbon cables.

I'm sure you have a short term warranty from MPB. Use it now for a replacement lens.

 

[Aronrat]

I understood that the warranty should be 12 months so that shouldn't be a problem

 

[Asherax]

the 14-42 is a pretty solid starter lens, in fact with the MCON-P01, it can be a great little semi-macro, and with the WCON-P01 attached is an excellent wide 10.5mm wide angle landscape lens. So it is pretty versatile. That said, there are two issues with the lens...
-
Firstly, you have to be sure to retract it from the starting position, and that can be a bit of a pain. but not a deal breaker.
-
Secondly, they are notorious for internal ribbon cable failure.
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My advice would be to send it back under warranty, and if you like the lens get a new one, or upgrade. They are relatively inexpensive, so a couple of cheep second hand attachments, WCON-P01 and MCON-P01, make it extremely versatile. That, along with say the 40-150mm f4-5.6R (plastic fantastic) and you are good to go!
-
Have fun take more photo's (once the lens is fixed)

--
Photography is poetry made visible; it is the art of painting with light!

 

[baxters]

I understood that the warranty should be 12 months so that shouldn't be a problem

This being your first camera, and an Olynous too, I hope the experience doesn't sour you on the brand.
.
The ribbon cable was probably broken when MPB acquired the lens, and it should have been found in inspection before they sold it,
.
The Olympus ED 40-150 f4-5.6 zoom is another very good lens to add to your EM10. Probably under 90 euros second hand. Don't get the M.Zuiko 40-150 as that's for an older camera.

 

[Danielvr]

The Olympus ED 40-150 f4-5.6 zoom is another very good lens to add to your EM10. Probably under 90 euros second hand. Don't get the M.Zuiko 40-150 as that's for an older camera.

I think you are mistaken.

The E-M10 is a Micro Four Thirds camera, and M.Zuiko lenses are for Micro Four Thirds.

So, why do you believe that an M.Zuiko 40-150 wouldn't be a good match?

As to your "Olympus ED 40-150 f4-5.6", there are both Zuiko and M.Zuiko lenses that meet that description. The Zuiko would be for legacy Four Thirds cameras (not Micro 4/3) and would be unsuitable for the E-M10.

 

[Skeeterbytes]

The Olympus ED 40-150 f4-5.6 zoom is another very good lens to add to your EM10. Probably under 90 euros second hand. Don't get the M.Zuiko 40-150 as that's for an older camera.

I think you are mistaken.

The E-M10 is a Micro Four Thirds camera, and M.Zuiko lenses are for Micro Four Thirds.

So, why do you believe that an M.Zuiko 40-150 wouldn't be a good match?

As to your "Olympus ED 40-150 f4-5.6", there are both Zuiko and M.Zuiko lenses that meet that description. The Zuiko would be for legacy Four Thirds cameras (not Micro 4/3) and would be unsuitable for the E-M10.

Can confirm. I have both.

Rick

 

[baxters]

You're correct. I screwed up my names. Sorry,
.
I have four five 40-150;'s, The original 40-150 for the DSLR, and the smaller 40-150 that replaced it. The latter was also sold for M43 with an adapter, Then of course, two of the M43 models, both version 1. Haven't used the first two in many years, and the last two have been on the shelf since I got the 40-150 f4.
.
I was looking at ebay.uk and the ED was 89 euro,, while the M.Zuiko was 39 euro, Assumed the cheaper model was for four thirds.