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Device fails to power on despite all efforts
Reassure that the battery is properly inserted into the device. There is a small black arrow located at the back of the battery. When inserting the battery into the device, this arrow should be facing opposite of the coolpix logo on the bottom left of the camera, and once inserted the little yellow clip should click if properly positioned. Another giveaway that the battery might not be properly inserted is if the battery lid does not hinge in place properly when closing it.
If you have determined that your battery is inserted properly in the device and it still does not turn on, then your device’s battery is either drained and/or damaged. If your camera has not been used for a relatively long period of time, you may simply have a drained battery. Plug the device into the AC adapter and observe for any response from the camera. The camera will recognize being plugged into a power source, by both a blinking light under the flash symbol to the right of the camera screen and continuously lit ON/OFF button, and charge the battery. If it will not charge, your battery is damaged and needs to be replaced. Here is a replacement guide. A new battery can be purchased at Nikon-USA.
The camera makes small noise when being started up, shut down, and take a picture. Try taking a picture and/or turning it off, if you can hear the small noises but it seems to still be turned off, then most likely you have a bad display and it needs to be replaced. The replacement guide can be found here.
If the device is completely unresponsive despite all your efforts to turn it on, then the device may be experiencing a motherboard failure and needs to be replaced. The main board can be purchased online at ebay and we offer the instructions for replacing it.
When turned on, the screen is void of any display.
If the screen is blank/black when attempting to capture a photo, the image sensor that is a part of the camera’s motherboard may have failed. The motherboard may need to be replaced and can be purchased at ebay.
If the screen is blank/black when attempting to capture a photo, and the image sensor is working properly, the lens may be broken. This would prevent the screen from displaying any image that can be seen through the viewfinder. The lens may need to be replaced and can be purchased at ebay.
If you drop your camera, the monitor screen can possibly crack and distort your view of the pictures you take. You will need to get a new back cover for the camera in order to replace the monitor screen. You can purchase the back cover at ebay. Here is our guide to replace the back cover.
When the camera is on, it shuts off after a few seconds/minutes
If the battery is inserted correctly and turns on but won’t stay on, you may have a drained battery. Plug the device into the AC adapter and observe for any response from the camera. The camera will recognize being plugged into a power source, by both a blinking light under the flash symbol to the right of the camera screen and continuously lit ON/OFF button, and charge the battery. If it will not charge, your battery is damaged and needs to be replaced. A new battery can be purchased at Nikon-USA.
If the interior is too hot, either due to long usage or environmental conditions, the camera will turn off while being used. Keep the camera off and allow it to cool down. This may take up to 15 minutes or more depending on how hot the camera is.
If the outside temperature is too cold or too hot, the camera may turn off while in use. If the outside temperature is too hot, allow the camera to cool off in shade or inside somewhere cooler. If the outside temperature is too cold, take the camera somewhere warmer and it will turn back on. Try to minimize usage while in extreme hot or cold environments. Sudden changes in temperature, from hot to cold and vice versa, can cause condensation to form inside the device.
Device feels hot to the touch
If the camera is hot, either due to long usage or environmental conditions, the camera will turn off while being used. Keep the camera off and allow it to cool down. This may take up to 15 minutes or more depending on how hot the camera is. If the outside temperature too hot, the camera may turn off while in use. Allow the camera to cool off in shade or inside somewhere cooler. Try to not leave the camera on without use for more than 45 minutes to an hour. Minimize usage while in hot environments as well to keep the camera cool.
Audio from device sounds unclear
If you are attempting to record videos with your camera but you are not capturing any sounds then you may have a faulty microphone. This can be caused by overheating, water damage, or electrical problems in the camera. Shutdown the camera for 15 minutes before testing the microphone again. If still no sounds are recording during videos then you may need to replace the microphone piece.
If you camera is producing garbled audio from video playbacks then you may have an issue with the camera’s speakers. This can be caused by overheating, water damage, electrical problems, or build up of dust/dirt in or on the speakers. Clean camera thoroughly with a paper towel and let sit for 15 minutes before using again. If videos recording by your camera still provide muffled audio sounds then you may need to replace the speaker piece.
Image on display is foggy or unclear even after cleaning it
If you dropped your camera in water or the camera has been splashed/sprayed with water then you may have water that is inside the lens causing unclear images. Turn off the camera and remove all parts that you can (Battery, memory card, etc.. ) Take a paper towel and dry thoroughly around your camera and then let sit for 30 Minutes. Put all parts that you removed back into the camera and try to take a picture. If images still come out unclear then you may need to replace the lens piece.
When turned on, the screen displays the message “Lens Error”
“Lens error” indicates that there is an issue with the lens mechanism, usually due to an obstruction preventing the lens from extending. First, inspect the lens for any visible obstruction. If one is present, then attempt to remove it. Next, turn the camera off and then on again. If the message displays again, remove and recharge the battery then retest the device. If the problem persists, the camera lens may need to be replaced.
When turned on, the screen displays “Memory card is write protected”
The camera recognizes that the SD memory card is in a locked mode that prevents pictures from being saved on it. First, turn off the camera and remove the SD card. The card should have a small tab on the side that controls whether it is write-protected, so make sure it is turned off. Simply pushing the tab in the other direction should turn it off. Then, reinsert the SD card and turn the camera on to check if the message still displays.
