From my post of a year or so ago...sounds like you have nothing to loose.


My 5700 got the dreaded 'lens error' kiss of death in September 2005.

It happened when the camera was accidently switched on when removing it from my camera bag. Lens froze about half way out.

I was in Death Valley and taking some great photos when it froze. Fortunately my 4500 is always close and saved the day...a practice we Nikon users need to take seriously (Rule #1) - having a backup camera!


Tried everything mentioned in this forum:
1. Take or batteries (for up to a month!),
2. Changing cards
3. Warming it up a little...
4. Gently roching / twisting /pulling the lens.
%. Just about everything else.

I had decided to not get the camera repaired...better to get a new one.

So I decided to take action that I felt could destroy the camera...what did I have to lose?

So about three weeks age I plugged in the DC power cable and started to pull and twist on the lens barrel. First gently, then less so. Then forcibly; then with vigor. Finaly, almost with all my strength and pulling axially out on the furthest extended barrel with some rocking (no twisting) the motor started and I immediately let go. I was surprized, no, astonished! I switched it on and off maybe a hundred times. Worked perfectly.

I ran some lens tests and verified focusing was still good. It was excellent. Zooming also. No noises or grinding or anything really.

So over the last two weeks and several hundred start-ups and 700 or so photographs, I feel the camera is as good as before. However I still, and always will, practice Rule #1!

While I CAN"T recommend this (I'm an Engineer and have concerns about what I don't understand) I was ready for throwing the camera in the trash!

So, for me, it was worth a shot. Do I trust it? Well I never really could, hence Rule #1. Even with a Nikon repair, all credibility is shot as far as I'm concerned.

The only downside is, it didn't fix the famous flash problem! Since I rarely ever use flash I'm no better or worse of than before.