Panasonic Lumix TZ70 - "System Error (Zoom)"

[8bit]

I offered to try and fix a friend's Panasonic Lumix compact camera which, on powering up, shows a white screen with "System Error (Zoom)" and will not operate at all. Google has returned a good number of sites, threads etc. suggesting this is not uncommon and can have a few different causes and resolutions. I've tried manually pulling the lens out of the body, hoovering around the lens barrels (in case of grit or sand), gently pushing the outer bezel in to the body on startup, lightly tapping the body on startup, powering on with charging cable attached or while attached to a computer etc. to no avail.

My friend thinks the camera was dropped at a party so it's likely it was an impact on a hard surface that caused this. On power up, the lens does appear to retract slightly into the body and I can hear it clicking like the motor is working to try and move the lens but after a couple of seconds it returns to the previous position and stops with the system error message. Given the lens does move and noise is heard it seems likely that the motor and power cable to it are OK at the moment.

Any further suggestions?

[Tea Pot One]

I had a friends present this error or similar as it would extend and not fully retract. As I worked for a camera store he asked me to try and fix it ... well, a full reset did nowt and resorting to Google showed there was a combination of buttons than a contortionist could try to press at the same time to provoke a zoom reset to kick in ... well I tried it and it made a clicking noise and reset !

I can't remember it but Google this work this once.

Repair is not really an option if Google isn't your friend sadly.

[8bit]

Tea Pot One said:

I had a friends present this error or similar as it would extend and not fully retract. As I worked for a camera store he asked me to try and fix it ... well, a full reset did nowt and resorting to Google showed there was a combination of buttons than a contortionist could try to press at the same time to provoke a zoom reset to kick in ... well I tried it and it made a clicking noise and reset !

I can't remember it but Google this work this once.

Repair is not really an option if Google isn't your friend sadly.

Thanks for that. Just searched now and the first result seems to suggest turning the zoom button all the way to one or other side and holding it for a few seconds - I coulnd't see a zoom "button" on the camera in question though?

[jingars]

My wife has a TZ70.

Looking at it, I can only assume that "they" are referring to holding the wide/telephoto switch all the way to either the left or the right.

Doing this affects nothing on my wife's camera - but it is working correctly in the first place.

[Tea Pot One]

I just found this ... it might help ?

Here's a fix I got from Panasonic, I figured I would post this since I haven't seen this anywhere on the web and this post was the highest hit on google

Based on the information that you have provided, we suggest that you perform the following operation:
1. Turn off the camera 2. While off, turn the zoom button fully to the left or right (hold for about 3-5 secs) 3. Release then turn the camera back on... At this point in time the lens should retract. If it does not, repeat the previous steps however, press the zoom to the opposite direction than you did the first time around. If this does not resolve the issue, we recommend the product be sent to our Customer Service Center.

This seems to work for me. The lens retracted back in place and my camera resumed working.

[8bit]

Thanks both. I have since returned the camera to it's owner as I was unable to do anything for it at the time but I've passed that suggestion on, appreciate your time.