Nixon B500 Coolpix Issue

Hi All,

I'm new to both photography and this forum so apologies if I've posted this in the wrong area.

I recently dropped my camera (Nixon B500 Coolpix) causing a slight dent on the lens. This in turn has stopped the lens being able to extend and therefore the following message appears on the screen "Turn the camera off and then on again".

I just wondered if anyone had any advice about how I can repair the camera or has experienced a similar issue?

Welcome to Photrio!

Ouch, that sounds painful. I think it's a fairly common problem, but it probably doesn't spell good news. Sounds like the extension mechanism is broken, and since this is likely a rather delicate mechanism (a tiny motor and a transmission), odds are that repair is either impossible or uneconomical.

Personally I'd be tempted to open up the camera and see if it's possible to get to the mechanism, and then (hopefully) re-adjust whatever it is that has been knocked out of alignment to fix the issue.

Btw, a quick Google search turns up a plethora of links on similar issues - mostly with different types of cameras, but the lens-extension design has been common in cameras for decades, and I bet they're all conceptually similar. Hence, solutions that others have tried might be worth a shot.

PS: thanks for posting in a perfectly appropriate category