Rebel T5 question/problem

[Roofer1976]

I am a beginner, and having trouble figuring something out. In manual mode, my viewfinder screen is completely black unless I open the flash. As soon as I open the flash, the viewfinder works. If I close the flash, back to black. If I take a picture with the flash closed, it literally takes a black picture. If I take a picture with the flash open, it will always use the flash. I cannot figure out what I'm doing wrong, that is forcing me to use the flash.

[TTMartin]

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@Roofer1976 wrote:

I am a beginner, and having trouble figuring something out. In manual mode, my viewfinder screen is completely black unless I open the flash. As soon as I open the flash, the viewfinder works. If I close the flash, back to black. If I take a picture with the flash closed, it literally takes a black picture. If I take a picture with the flash open, it will always use the flash. I cannot figure out what I'm doing wrong, that is forcing me to use the flash.

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Are you in LiveView looking at the back of the camera?

Also, why are you trying to use Manual mode?

[Waddizzle]

Your exposure settings a WAY off fthe mark.  Press the "Q" button, and make note of the Exposre, Aperture, and ISO.  Switch to "P" mode, take a picture, and press "Q" again, and compare with the exposure settings that you noted earlier.

[kvbarkley]

How are you getting to "manual" mode? Are you activating depth of field preview?

If the viewfinder works in P mode it will work in M mode.

[ebiggs1]

Reset the camera.  Clear all settings in the Menu under Tools.

Set the T5 to P mode on the dial. Set the AF/MF switch to AF. Set the ISO to Auto. Set the WB to Auto.

On a nice sunny day, go outside and focus on a subject about 25 or 30 feet away. Take the shot.  If it works as expected, there is nothing wrong with the T5 and you had a setting incorrectly set.

Manual mode takes some getting used to.  It requires you to have everything set properly.

[kvbarkley]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

Reset the camera.  Clear all settings in the Menu under Tools.

Set the T5 to P mode on the dial. Set the AF/MF switch to AF. Set the ISO to Auto. Set the WB to Auto.

On a nice sunny day, go outside and focus on a subject about 25 or 30 feet away. Take the shot.  If it works as expected, there is nothing wrong with the T5 and you had a setting incorrectly set.

Manual mode takes some getting used to.  It requires you to have everything set properly.

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But the viewfinder should work just fine! The pictures might be messed up though. 8^)

[ebiggs1]

This way we, he/she, will know for sure if the camera is faulty.