Can't connect to camera

[Guest i am not a hacker]

So as you can see in the title, I was using my camera then I snapped a picture. It saved the picture then closed to the home screen. Now whenever I try to open the camera, it says can't connect to camera. Also using other camera apps it says the same and with z-device test, it says there isn't a camera.

There is no physical damage so any ideas?

[Guest topcat07]

Have you installed any new apps recently which could be conflicting?

Does rebooting work?

Anything in the background running which could be locking the camera process, maybe worth closing all open apps and retrying?

[Guest i am not a hacker]

Yeah I've tried the simple stuff rebooting and trying other apps.

No new apps could be interfering as I haven't installed any recently

[Guest MaxtheMoney]

I know this is not helpful but I just got a San Diego off E bay and managed to get one shot out of It before exactly the same problem. I then updated it to ICS no change. This is all stock.

[Guest i am not a hacker]

It seems like it's a hardware problem. The person you bought it from on eBay probably knew about the problem and didn't like it so he sold it without telling you about the camera failure

[Guest Roids]

Just wanted to chime in, I have had my phone since June last year and now, all of a sudden, I too get a 'Cannot connect to camera' message. My phone is totally stock Orange ICS. I suspect it is a software conflict, as I treat my phone well re: physical knocks. Will let you know if a factory data reset helps, as that is about the only option I have open to me.

[Guest i am not a hacker]

The problem is now gone. It just needed some time to fix itself I guess

[Guest Roids]

The problem is now gone. It just needed some time to fix itself I guess

Well that is interesting, and also seems to suggest more of a software issue/conflict. Hmmm..........

[Guest i am not a hacker]

No I don't think so, because while it was fixing itself, there were time where it would work, but only slightly. The exposure would be far to high and the camera would fail to control it, resulting in the entire screen going white after a matter of seconds. That suggests it is a hardware issue

[Guest Roids]

For information, my camera is also now working again, seems fine. Very odd behaviour.

Edited March 14, 2013 by Roids

[Guest symun]

First post, so hello.

My phones camera has stopped working and i have done a full factory reset which does nothing.

If i reboot it then it will open but freeze or stop after one pic.

After the factory reset it opened to the front camera, but as soon as i change to rear camera it goes off and faults again.

Is it worth me bothering taking it back to Orange.

Or do i need to contact the makers.

Edited April 29, 2013 by symun

[Guest DaveSimonH]

Try downloading "Camera ICS" from the Google play store, see if that works.

[Guest i am not a hacker]

I believe I have worked out what causes this problem. If you look at the actual silver part holding the led flash and camera, you are able to pull it out.

If you push it inwards, the camera will stop working (if you do it too much), but then you can pull it back out again with your nail and it should work again.

A different camera app won't fix this I don't think.

Edited April 29, 2013 by i am not a hacker

[Guest symun]

I believe I have worked out what causes this problem. If you look at the actual silver part holding the led flash and camera, you are able to pull it out.

If you push it inwards, the camera will stop working (if you do it too much), but then you can pull it back out again with your nail and it should work again.

A different camera app won't fix this I don't think.

Had my phone back from orange repair today, and for the second time it has been sent back with just a software flash and the same camera fault.

So i tried what you posted, i gently prised the silver lense cover off with a knife and bent it slightly outwards, stuck it back with the sticky that was still good and hey presto fully functioning camera.

Cheers mate you have saved a lot of phonecalls and hassle and probably getting nowhere and just buying a new phone.

Tempted to go back to orange shop and tell them how to do it, then i think badword'em.

[Guest bloomylicious]

Had my phone back from orange repair today, and for the second time it has been sent back with just a software flash and the same camera fault.

So i tried what you posted, i gently prised the silver lense cover off with a knife and bent it slightly outwards, stuck it back with the sticky that was still good and hey presto fully functioning camera.

Cheers mate you have saved a lot of phonecalls and hassle and probably getting nowhere and just buying a new phone.

Tempted to go back to orange shop and tell them how to do it, then i think badword'em.

Hey there, I too am having this problem, and was all set to send it back to Orange for a repair when I saw this. Where did you get at the silver bit of the camera from? Anywhere in particular? It's just I can't seem to get enough purchase on it to lift it up at all, I can't seem to really get anything under it, it seems very well sealed onto the back of the phone. Do you think this issue could also be fixed by removing the back and tinkering with the lens area from there?

Since the camera just stopped working one day, giving the 'Can't connect to camera' error, I tried the multiple reboots and different camera apps, only once, after a long reboot, did the camera work again, as did the LED flash, which also does not work for me at the moment, since however it has ceased to work, and no amount of reboots seem to help. Hopefully someone can help, not that I wish misfortune on anyone, but I'm glad to have found this topic and discovered others have had the same issue!

Thanks for reading :)

Edited May 20, 2013 by bloomylicious

[Guest i am not a hacker]

It is glued in place so it will take quite a bit of force. Try just pushing it inwards a lot first then trying the camera

[Guest symun]

I just used a pocket knife under the corner. Although the back of my phone is easier to take off as even though orange repair did eff all to repair the camera fault they did fix the depressed power button fault.

[Guest symun]

Well after a few relapses today i found out its not the silver piece but the actual camera lense. The silver piece has a square on it that surrounds the camera lense, but mine still faulted with the silver piece removed, so i took the back off and gently wiggled the lense which made it work again.

Now i know why it breaks i know how to to fix it, but will be getting something else when i can afford it.

[Guest bloomylicious]

Well after a few relapses today i found out its not the silver piece but the actual camera lense. The silver piece has a square on it that surrounds the camera lense, but mine still faulted with the silver piece removed, so i took the back off and gently wiggled the lense which made it work again.

Now i know why it breaks i know how to to fix it, but will be getting something else when i can afford it.

I've tried to have a wiggle with the camera piece with the back off, but no particular joy, I've made it work about 3 times since it initially stopped working, once since I had a wiggle, it seems very loose, the actual lens module itself, I feared it had somehow come completely disconnected, however it has worked once since my wiggle with it so it can't be entirely disconnected, I just couldn't figure out where it needs to be pushed into more. Is yours working for good now symun? If so, any chance you could take me a snap of how your camera lens looks so I can try match mine up? Still won't be able to take mine back to an EE store for a few weeks as there aren't any within range here in mid Wales =(

bloomy.

Edited May 25, 2013 by bloomylicious

[Guest i am not a hacker]

Mine doesn't look any different, I just pressed it inwards and it worked. When I pulled it back out slightly it stopped working. You can't really see a physical difference.

[Guest chinstroker]

Had the same issue and tried everything to no avail. Found this on xda which worked a treat http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=41779195.

Must have been a software issue somewhere.

[Guest JonR]

I've recently had this issue too - not sure how it started, can't recall doing anything different - although I do have stuff updating automatically so something might have changed without me realising it.

 

I've had the phone since Nov 2012, so only a few months away from an upgrade anyway so I probably won't bother fixing it, just wait for the upgrade.

 

I have had other issues with the camera - I bought a phone case, with a clip on the top, and the metal studs holding the clip are in the same place as the camera lense - after a few weeks the photos were getting blurred and I realised the screen was scratched too - where the metal stud on the phone case was rubbing the screen and the lens.  I had to buy a new back for the camera off ebay - and put the phone in the case upside down as a work around, but not ideal

 

I've taken the back off, and the square camera module does appear to be rather looser than I would think is sensible so maybe it's a disconnected wire somewhere.

[Guest Thedarkphonetech]

Same i have had this problem. I have tried the method nebeel suggested but doesnt work.  So i pulled the back cover over and tried adjusting to no avail. However when i physically lift the camera lens up (facing the ceiling) it works!!! But thne back cover then cannot close. If i then push the lens down the camera Image lags and eventually "cannot conect to camera". Any suggestions?

 

I have warranty so worse comes to worse send for repair