Nikon Coolpix S230 Troubleshooting

The screen does not turn on when you press the power button.

If the device does not power on, the battery may be depleted. Recharge the battery and try again. If this does not work, the battery may be malfunctioning, especially if the camera has not been used in a long time. Try rebooting the camera by holding the power button. If the camera shows no signs of activity after these steps, your battery may need to be replaced.

If the monitor turns off and the "power on" lamp and flash lamp blink rapidly, the battery is overheated. Remove the device from direct sunlight in order to allow the device to cool down before trying to power on again.

If the screen is visibly cracked or otherwise damaged, it may no longer function. If this is the case, your camera may need a new LCD screen.

If the camera is not turning on after troubleshooting through the above, there may be damage to an integral part of the camera. Most likely, the motherboard has been damaged. If the camera was recently dropped, exposed to water, or otherwise damaged, this may be the cause. In this situation, installing a new motherboard may solve the issue.

The flash does not activate when you take a picture.

The camera may be in a flash mode that does not produce flash in your particular environment. Starting in shooting mode (in which the screen will display the image through the lens), the flash can be enabled by pressing the Flash Mode icon, the second icon located on lefthand side of the touchscreen monitor. This action will display five modes of flash (refer to the table below taken from the User's Manual to recognize each flash icon). If the flash is not activating in the default "Auto" mode or any of the other flash modes, select "Fill Flash" to force the flash in any lighting.

If the flash is not firing, you may be in a scene mode that does not allow the flash to be forced. Most picture taking needs can be met in the default Auto Mode, which is currently being used if there is a camera icon in the upper lefthand corner of the screen in shooting mode. If you wish to use Scene Mode, make sure it is in a scene mode that allows flash. Access the scene modes by pressing the icon on the upper lefthand corner of the touchscreen monitor. Several icons will appear underneath it; select the second icon to select a scene mode. Four scene modes do not allow flash to activate: Landscape, Sports, Sunset, and Dusk/dawn. Switch to "Scene auto selector" or another scene mode not included in the mentioned list to be able to enable the flash. Refer to the table of scene mode icons below.

The flash will not fire if the camera is in video mode. To exit video mode, press the camera icon in the upper lefthand corner of the touchscreen monitor in shooting mode and make sure the camera has either the Auto Mode icon (a camera), Scene Mode icon, or Smile Mode icon highlighted (and not the Video Mode icon).

A strap, finger, or other object may be covering the window on the front face of the camera where the light for the flash emits. Make sure nothing is covering this window for the flash to work correctly.

If the flash is still not working after troubleshooting through the above scenarios, the flash bulb may be burned out or defective. Flash bulbs are typically not replaced and complete device replacement is the most common solution.

When viewing a picture on the screen or other devices, the picture appears to have poor quality.

If images are difficult to view on the camera, try adjusting the screen brightness in the menu. To do so, click the menu icon in the lower righthand corner of the screen. Find the Setup Menu icon (depicted by a wrench) in the top righthand corner of the screen next to the arrows. Press that, then click "monitor settings" to access the brightness settings.

If images turn out blurry when viewed on any device, ensure that proper settings are used when taking photos. Make sure that the focus, flash, and other settings are utilized correctly.

If the problem persists, adjust the shooting settings such as image quality, white balance, and more, found in the menu located in the lower righthand corner of the screen.

Cleaning the lens is necessary if there appear to be fingerprints or dust interfering with the image. Dust or other light substances on the lens can be cleaned by gently blowing on it or using a compressed air duster. For anything that cannot be removed this way, first try wiping gently with a soft cloth, spiraling outward from the center of the lens to the edges. If this also fails, then the cloth can be lightly dampened using any commercial lens cleaner. While cleaning, avoid touching the glass with your fingers, and avoid applying any pressure to the lens or lens cover. Do not use alcohol, thinner, or other volatile chemicals.

If images appear to have low quality when viewed on the camera and adjusting the settings failed, the screen may need to be cleaned. Remove dust or other light substances covering the screen using a blower. If this fails to sufficiently clean the screen, use a soft, dry cloth to wipe away any fingerprints or other stains. While cleaning, refrain from applying pressure to the screen, and do not use alcohol, thinner, or other volatile chemicals.

If none of the above options solved the problem, the LCD screen may have damage that is distorting the onscreen image. Try replacing it with a functional LCD panel.

If none of the above options solved the problem, the lens might be damaged. Look for obvious signs of damage such as cracks; if the lens appears to be the problem, replace it with a functional lens unit.

When attempting to view a saved image or video, the playback seems distorted or unable to be accessed.

Playback mode can be accessed by pressing the second button located to the right of the touchscreen monitor; it can be identified by its “play” icon (a triangle on its side). In playback mode, the last image taken will appear, and you can use the onscreen arrows to browse through previous photos.

Dust may sometimes obstruct the mic or speaker. Try gently blowing the dust away or using a soft cloth to clean the speaker and mic. Avoid applying excessive force or using a wet cloth as it might damage the camera.

A damaged screen might be the cause for distorted image playback. Check the LCD screen for visible damage, such as cracks or screen distortion. In the case of internal damage, the LCD panel may be broken. Try replacing the LCD panel with a functional one.

After taking a picture or video, it does not save onto the camera.

Because this camera does not have internal memory for pictures, an external memory card is necessary to save a picture. Check the battery/memory card chamber located on the underside of the camera to make sure the memory card is present and fully inserted.

The memory card may be out of memory space. If this is the case, delete photos or transfer some of the files to your computer. You can also replace the memory card.

If you cannot transfer files out of the memory card or save a photo, the memory card is probably malfunctioning. In this case, replacing the memory card will solve the problem.