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Even with fresh batteries my camera shuts down - lens closes after opening - and the low battery light flashes. Is this a common problem, and is there a fix or workaround? Thanks!

yes - it is common there is a workaround - like this you can also use your preferred search engine and search for: powershot toothpick trick

According to Canon customer service, one should follow the following steps to re-set your camera. It did work for me and the camera works OK Power Reset

  1. Make sure the camera is off, and then remove the battery and memory card.
  2. Close the battery door.
  3. Press and hold down the on/off button for 1 minute.
  4. Release the on/off button, and reinsert the battery and memory card.
  5. Power the camera on. Settings Reset
  6. While the camera is on, press the menu button.
  7. At the top of the menu move over to the tools tab (wrench and hammer).
  8. Go all the way to the bottom of the tools menu list to “Reset All”.
  9. With “Reset All” highlighted press the Func./Set button.
  10. To complete the reset highlight “OK” and press the Func./Set button again. Update It works

There is often a second, concealed “button” battery that can produce these symptoms. Test or replace it. The manual has instructions for locating and removing it.

Hi, I had the same problem with a powershot A1200, and I found a proper way to fix it: I’m almost sure it may also apply to most of the powershots : Repairing Canon Powershot Camera indicates low battery and shuts down

I had the same problem.

  1. You have to clean the battery contacts in the camera.
  2. Check the contacts of the charger (if you are using rechargable batteries).
  3. See if you need to get new rechargables.
  4. make sure you use rechargables with more that more that 2200mAh power ratings value .

Had problem with batteries since purchase, extremely short life or “change batteries” immediately with new batteries. Bought one brand of ultimate lithium that worked the best, but still too short. Per advice here, I have bent contact up. But then I put a small piece of foam under the contact to maintain the change. Hopefully this will keep me from having to go back and re-bend the contact, thus breaking it. I’ll let you know…

Poor contacts are always a big problem with low voltage D.C. a) because voltage = ‘pressure’ and any limited resistance [i.e. dirty contacts within the camera or on the batteries] will impede the flow of electrical current, and b) direct current tends to ‘plate’ any metal connections/contacts [read: fur them up]. So - thoroughly clean all connections with Isopropyl Alcohol. Also [as mentioned by others] gently re-tension the camera battery bay contacts and if possible fit a small pad of very thin foam rubber underneath each. I did this with my Fujifilm A700 [which has been annoying me for ages] and it’s been fine ever since.

Hi…. I´ve read about “toohtpick” problem…. if the main problem is, that one battery is slightly lower then other, and batteries will not make contakt on “doors” there should be easy solution…. like putting some conductive material on doors….. its just connect two sides of batteries together… So you can use some metal foil, or even better… use soldering gun, and solder a small “blob” on doors contact….

In my case the solution was to replace the CR1220 lithium battery that is located next to the memory card in a Canon Powershot S5

A common problem with these camera’s is that in the contact within the camera springiness resulting in one of the batteries sitting 2mm lower than it should and not getting a good sitting. Ideally this should be fixed properly (idea for a ifix walkthrough) but I’ve not been prepared to do this as yet and settled for a workaround fix which I posted about and is already linked on this site (also below) Camera Contact Fix

It worked for me for awhile. I had to keep doing it. Now, tonight I broke off one of the contacts, darn. Now I do not know what to do. Anyone have any thoughts? Thanks

I tried the toothpick trick, and it seemed to work occasionally and then go back to the same old, “Change Battery” I did it for over a year and finally I broke off one of the contacts. I bought a parts camera on eBay for $10 and took the contacts out of it and put them in my own camera. At least the contacts do work but I still have to use the toothpick trick. It is really aggravating. Canon should make a better camera, shame on them. Next time, I will not buy a Canon.

Same problem with my brand new canon SX 160 when using imported batteries these do not have a flat -ve base (they have circular indentation with fine black print on it), If you use batteries with a flat base they work just fine!

Cannon should recall all the power shots. They all suffer from bad connections. Add more power and it may over come the connection problem, but that only over rides the real problem. BAD DESIGN OF THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT. I am going to try a external battery pack. Love the camera, but the battery tray was poorly engineered.

I just bought a used Powershot A590 and it has the same low battery indication even with new batteries. I suspected a contact problem so I cleaned the contacts on top and bottom of the battery case area with a little rubbing alcohol on a Q-tip and let it dry. This seems to fix the problem, however based on what I read here I suspect the problem will recur. I like the solution with the L-shaped dental pick used to bend (pull) up the contacts SLIGHTLY and I will be doing that if the problem recurs. If you get unlucky and break off the contact you may be able to carefully fold a small square of aluminum foil and drop it into the battery hole to make contact with the remaining metal.

I had the same problem. Contacts were good and AA batteries were good. Although it didn’t seem logical, as a last resort, I replaced the CR1220 button cell. This solved my problem on an SX160.

hi everyone im also facing this problem. its a new camera but its been unused for years since purchase. no batteries were ever installed. so I tried to use the camera for the first time today. popped in new AA batt in and the camera powers on. set the date and before I can take a photo it shows battery is low and seconds later it shuts down. where is the cr1220 slot please? cant find it anywhere in the manual. the model is Olympus fe170. thanks