Chosen Solution
When turning camera ON, all appears normal for a few seconds, then the ERROR MESSAGE “PLEASE TURN CAMERA OFF AND THEN TURN ON AGAIN”. When turning OFF, the lens stays out. When turning back ON, the lens retracts, then extends and stays out, and the process repeats. (The shutter does not work during the few seconds that operation appears NORMAL.) I’ve replaced the battery with a fully-charged one. No difference in operation.
It sounds like the lens is jamming. You might have some physical damage, some debris in the gears or mechanism, or it’s just worn out. You could try taking it apart and cleaning out the gunk. Good luck, but you will probably end up buying a new, better camera.
