Your favorite EOS R5 Mark II exposure setting

[watash1965]

What is your favorite R5 mkII exposure setting and why?

Thank you for your guidance.
Steve

[Waddizzle · Accepted solution]

Do you have a favorite exposure setting?

Do you mean shooting mode? Actual exposure settings (Tv. Av, ISO) can vary widely, depending upon the shooting scenario.

[watash1965]

Greetings Waddizzle,

Yes, I do mean shooting mode. Thank you.

Im leaning towards Fv mode, have you tried it?

[JeffXB]

As @Waddizzle mentioned, it depends on the situation. For fast changing light, such as on a partly cloudy day, I prefer to shoot in AV mode so can control depth of field. Macro and closeup where I want to control depth of field and am using a flash or LED ring / panel light then full Manual. Same where I can control the light, like product and portrait photos. TV or M for birding and wildlife.

FV mode does have its advantages, the main difference is you can easily change exposure compensation whilst taking over control of two other settings. I only tend to use FV shooting when I want control over aperture and shutter. As I shoot with an R6 M2, I don’t worry too much about higher ISO’s. FV is handy when I do street photography and motion blur photos (either blurred subject or blurred background and moving subject).

If you haven’t mastered Manual control yet, I suggest you do that before using the other modes such as FV, AV and TV. 

[SignifDigits]

For me personally, I shoot M (because that's what I'm used to) then Fv.  But that's just me.  Fv is a great mode, for sure and I am very glad Canon created it.  I used to shoot P if I wasn't shooting M, but that was on cameras that didn't have Fv.  Fv is a powerful mode and a great tool IMO.

[Waddizzle]

Personally, I am not a fan of Fv mode. None of my previous DSLR bodies offered anything like it. I tried it just to see how it felt in hand. It made me think too much about operations the camera, instead of getting the shot.

I didn’t like it. All my DSLR bodies have similar rear panels. They are programmed in similar ways.  The [Set] button is AEB. The [AF-ON] button is set for AF-OFF. I use M mode with ISO Auto. When shooting indoors, I will dial in an ISO value,

I carry more than one body, instead of changing lenses, usually two or three, I don’t have to look at the camera model number to figure out how to use it.  I look at the lens, and I am good. 

I can’t do that with Fv mode. It cuts against the grain of my muscle memory, It’s just too easy to change the shooting mode, which is something that I have no use for.

It’s too cute. 

[Waddizzle]

“ The [Set] button is AEB. “

Coordction. The [Set] button is AEC. 

[Wandalynn]

I'm a hobbyist photographer. When I got my first mirrorless, a Canon R in 2019, because it offered so many custom setting options that were new from a DSLR, I decided to include trying FV mode since with a DSLR I was usually switching from AV to TV--I hadn't gotten in the habit of using Manual at that time. Each mirrorless I've had since then, I find myself keeping it in FV mode 99% of the time. To me, it's like having AV, TV, or Manual available on the same screen without having to go to the MODE button. It works for me. 

I did discover a year or so ago, when playing with high speed shooting that FV mode won't allow shooting faster than 1/8000. Manual or TV mode has to be used in those instances. And there may be other similar limitations in FV but they haven't hindered me in my typical shooting.

[watash1965]

I appreciate your response. Thank you.

I've decided to learn to get comfortable with the Manual mode. I believe it offers more creativity; do you agree? 

Steve (Watash1965)

[SignifDigits]

@watash1965 the reason I choose Manual mode isn't that I'm so sophisticated and accomplished - FAR from that.  What is does for me is that it forces me to THINK and LEARN from mistakes.  The thinking is what I am most lacking when I'm shooting.  I definitely flub up because of it sometimes.  One time I was shooting at a botanical garden.  Most of the shots I was shooting shutter at 1/100th and f/6-10 or so at ISO 100.  Well, along came a bumblebee and I set the shutter to 1/1000th and ISO to Auto so that I could capture the thing and to heck with the ISOs.  Of course, one the bee left I forgot to adjust everything back, and everything post-bumblebee is very noisy.  I give myself some compassion in that I went straight from there to the urgent care to find out I had a sinus infection, but still,  THINKING hard about what I am doing is my great nemesis.  I'm reminded of Master Yoda's reprimand to Luke Skywalker "...Never his mind on where he was. On what he was doing."

But one you get used to shooting in manual it sort of becomes second nature, and it's a GREAT way to learn.  Every college photo intro course that I have heard of starts their students in manual mode.  My kids took high school courses and it was the same for them there.

I hope you enjoy your new camera and make some great photos!