@bert_4221 could be that there is grime/dust/sand in the lens unit mechanism. Of course you do want to clean the outer area of the barrel to ensure it is not carrying stuff inside the unit. Check to see if the spacing of the lens is the same all around so as to ensure it is not misaligned. There are no repair parts for the lens unit available so if anything checks out but it still makes that noise you may consider trying to replace the lens. Check [http://camerarepair.blogspot.com/2007/12/fixing-lens-error-on-digital-camera.html|on here] for more info