You may experience problems with your Canon camera from time to time that don't result in any error messages or other easy-to-follow clues as to the problem. Troubleshooting such problems can be a little tricky. Use these tips to give yourself a better chance to fix the problem with your Canon camera.
- The camera will not turn on. A few different issues can cause this problem in a Canon camera. First, make sure the battery is charged and inserted properly. Make sure the metal terminals on the battery are clean; you can use a dry cloth to remove any grime from the contact points. Finally, if the battery compartment door is not securely closed, the camera will not turn on.
- The lens will not retract fully. With this problem, you may have inadvertently opened the battery compartment cover while operating the camera. Just close the cover securely and turn the camera on and off, and the lens should retract. It's also possible that the lens housing has some debris in it; you can clean the housing with a dry cloth when the lens is fully extended. Otherwise, the lens could be damaged.
- The LCD will not display the image. Many Canon cameras have a DISP button, which turns the LCD on and off. Press the DISP button to turn on the LCD.
- The LCD screen is flickering. If you find yourself holding the camera near a fluorescent light, the LCD screen image may flicker. Try moving the camera away from the fluorescent light.
- White dots are appearing in my photos. Most likely, this is caused by the light from the flash reflecting off dust or other particles in the air. Try turning off the flash or wait until the air clears to shoot the photo.
- The image I saw on the LCD looks different than the actual photo. Some Canon point and shoot cameras don't exactly match the LCD image and the actual photo image. LCDs might only display 95% of the image that will be shot, for example. This difference is exaggerated when the subject is close to the lens.
- I cannot make the camera's images display on my TV. Press the Menu button on the camera, select the Settings tab, and make sure you match the video system settings in the camera with the video system your TV is using.