Automatic flash in creative, close-up and portrait modes on Rebel EOS T5?

[jaredt2012]

When taking pictures in Creative Auto, Portrait and Close-up modes on my Rebel EOS 1200 Rebel T5, the automatic flash keeps flickering and sometimes I'm unable to take pictures for some reason. Is there a way to turn off the automatic flashing and keep it on? How do I fix this problem? I try to sit there and finally it will take a picutre with the flash if I get it jsut right, but sometimes it won't even take. Is this a problem with backlight or something? Thank you.

[TCampbell · Accepted solution]

The sounds like the camera may be using the flash as a light to help it focus in the dark.  

The camera will automatically pop up the flash in the automatic modes, but if lighting is not adequate to allow the camera to focus, the camera will rapidly burst the flash for about 1 second in order to create enough light to allow the lens to focus.

If the focus points are not on a subject that allows for enough contrast to focus in that 1 second then the camera may refuse to take the shot.

The pop-up flash is not particularly powerful (built-in flashes are never very powerful on cameras) and the subject needs to be reasonably close for this to work.  If they are too far away then it will fail.

Some Canon Speedlite flashes have a focus-assist beam 9e.g. the 430EX II and 430EX-III RT both have this as do several others).  This emits a red pattern which is adequate to allow the camera to quickly lock focus even in very dark situations.

[jaredt2012]

Thank you. So there isn't any way to fix the problem unless I want to get the speed lite flash for the camera then? Is that correct?