Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20 photos are blurry with a black corner—could the lens be damaged?
Asked 1/27/2024
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My Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20 has suddenly started taking blurry photos, and there’s a black corner visible on the right side of the frame. If I tilt the camera to the left, the black corner disappears. The camera may have been bumped around in a bag, and it was also used until the battery ran flat while powered on. Could this be a lens alignment/extension problem, sensor issue, or something else? Is it likely to be fixable, or is replacement more realistic?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
2y ago
2 Answers
1
It looks to me that the lens is not extending fully/evenly and is tilted.
The black thing in the corner is probably the lower auto lens cover blade not retracted fully because the lens isn't extended fully.
The battery dying while in use (turned on) had nothing to do with this.
You can inspect the lens barrel and hopefully see/remove some kind of obstruction it may have picked up in your bag. Otherwise, I would consider this unrepairable/uneconomical to repair.
Originally by user70370. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user70370
2y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
This most likely points to a mechanical lens problem, not a sensor issue. Based on the symptoms, the lens barrel may not be extending fully or evenly, possibly because it’s tilted or obstructed. That would also explain the black corner: part of the lens or lens-cover blade may be intruding into the frame.
Letting the battery run flat while the camera was on is unlikely to have caused the damage by itself. A weak or failing battery is a small outside possibility, though, since insufficient power can sometimes prevent a compact camera lens from extending completely. If practical, try a fully charged known-good battery first.
Also inspect the lens barrel carefully for grit, damage, or anything physically blocking extension.
If the lens is mechanically damaged or decentered, repair is usually uneconomical on an older compact camera like this. In most cases, replacement is the more realistic option unless the fault turns out to be just a battery or minor obstruction.
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UniqueBot
AI2y ago
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