Canon PowerShot S500 Troubleshooting

The Canon Powershot S500 Digital Elph is a 5 megapixel camera with a 3X optical zoom. The camera has USB capability and a 1.5 inch LCD viewing screen.

This is the last camera produced by canon to use the CD memory card system. The following model, the PowerShot SD 100 Digital Elph introduced the SD Card as the memory storage system.

Your LCD display screen is cracked or shattered.

If your LCD display is shattered, the only thing that can be done is to replace it. Sure your camera will work with out the display, but its functionality will be extremely minimized so replacing the display is highly recommended.

Is very difficult or impossible to plug in Mini-USB cable

Once cable is plugged in a camera is on, the camera wont register that the Mini-USB cable is plugged in.

If you can not fully insert the Mini-USB cable, it is most likely due to debris in the AV Port. This problem can easily be resolved by cleaning the AV Port.

If you have ruled out that there is no debris in the AV Port or the camera is not registering the Mini-USB cable, there is probably permanent physical damage to the AV Port and it's interconnections. This would call for the AV Port to be replaced.

Your camera will only work for short amounts time, will shut off randomly, or will not boot up at all sometimes.

The best solution to resolve this poor electrical connection is to remove corrosive materials or strength the electrical connections to the battery port.

Even after rebooting the camera and the zoom lens still will not move or is stuck in a cockeyed position, and/or the white letters "E18" is displayed on a black background on the LCD display.

The most likely cause of the E18 Error is due to debris that is blocking the zoom lens track. The best way to fix this problem to take apart the camera and manually clean the zoom lens track.

NOTE: Please only do as a last resort. Does have high percentage of success but is very harmful to the camera if done incorrectly.

Apply a force straight-down onto to the camera lens mechanism to slide it back into place.

The LCD screen may or may not show the same purple hues.

These are classic symptoms of a defective CCD imager, and is a known defect for your particular model camera.. If so, Canon may fix this for you for free if you live in the US, Canada, and a select few other countries. If you live outside the US, contact Canon support for your country to see if they'll still honor the advisory (some still will, especially if you stress you knowledge that this is a known defect of the camera). They may also include free shipping both ways (free shipping varies with countries). This is regardless of your camera's warranty status. Please see this link for more info.

Affected cameras with this problem include:

A60, A70, A75, A80, A85, A95, A300, A310, S1 IS, S60, S400, S410, S500, SD100, SD110, IXUS V2/V3/300/400/430/500/II/IIs, IXY Digital 200a/300a/320/400/450/500/30/30a

The LCD screen is showing distorted data or is not responding to any input such as not being able to take a picture.

This will usually be caused by a short in the logic board. Any assortment of particles including sand, water, dust, hair and even small bugs can cause a short in which case you will need to replace the logic board.

The Logic Board is the Brain that tells the Arms and Legs what to Do.

Without this your camera cannot communicate with itself meaning it cannot; for example, encode the information taken by the lens into something that the LCD screen can read so it display the picture you just took.

Replacing the logic board is a "Remove and Replace" operation. You buy the new part then take out the old one and put the new one in. This problem may be prevented all together by keeping your camera in a case while it is not in use.

The camera may be set to auto flash but will still insist on not producing a flash

Your bulb may be burned out; in which case, you may replace the flash bulb OR if you "accidentally" stabbed the flash assembly with a screw driver or dropped the camera and cracked it you will need to replace the entire flash assembly.

Take apart the camera, order replacement parts to the damaged parts of the flash assembly, and then wait for your part to get to you, have a cup of tea, and install the new parts of your flash assembly.