EOS R5 & Speedlite 430EX III-RT get bad shots together

[DebbieBirds]

I added a new flash to my R5 today.  Followed the instructions and got the flash working just fine.  Instructions say to put the camera in P mode.  Soon as I do that, my shutter speed is 1/200, yielding not good shots.

How to handle this?  What is am using is below

Thanks in advance

----Canon R5

--- Canon Flash Speedlite 430EX III RT, 0585C011

--- Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L

-- Canon EF 1.4X III Telephoto Extender

[deebatman316 · Accepted solution]

With E-TTL flash is treated as fill flash in automated modes and semi auto modes. In Manual it’s treated as main light. So the flash will behave differently depending on the mode. Now sync speed is a limitation of the camera. Most cameras have a sync speed of 1/200th sec. Using High Speed Sync (HSS) overcomes this limitation. But at the cost of less power. When HSS is used the flash pulses to avoid the shutter curtains from being visible in the shot. Also flash photography is NOT COMPATIBLE with the fully electronic shutter it will NOT FIRE. 

[kvbarkley]

Don't use P mode. But note that you are limited when using the flash.

What instructions?

[DebbieBirds]

Thank you kindly, this makes much more sense.  I was using instructions from the speedlite Quick Start Guide right before heading out to get some bird shots. Step 6 of the quick start guide says 'Set the shooting model to <P>'.  Soon as I did that  my shutter speed changed, and intuition told me that was wrong. I prefer using M, and will continue to use that for my birds.  Thanks again!

[DebbieBirds]

So I turn my flash off, put my camera in M mode and all is fine.  I can change my shutter speed as usual.

WITH MY CAMERA in M Mode, I turn the flash back on.  The second the flash is turned on while I am in M mode, my shutter speed goes to 1/200.  Ideas?

Thanks
Deb

[kvbarkley]

1/200 is the shutter sync speed, the maximum speed you can use with the normal flash. Note that most of the time, the exposure is determined by the flash and not the ambient exposure.

In M mode, you should be free to change it.

[deebatman316 · Accepted solution]

With E-TTL flash is treated as fill flash in automated modes and semi auto modes. In Manual it’s treated as main light. So the flash will behave differently depending on the mode. Now sync speed is a limitation of the camera. Most cameras have a sync speed of 1/200th sec. Using High Speed Sync (HSS) overcomes this limitation. But at the cost of less power. When HSS is used the flash pulses to avoid the shutter curtains from being visible in the shot. Also flash photography is NOT COMPATIBLE with the fully electronic shutter it will NOT FIRE. 

[DebbieBirds · Accepted solution]

Ok, so sounds like  1/200 is the default unless I use HSS.  Today I was snapping very small migrating birds who were landing in dark trees. The light helped tremendously.  I did get some great shots that I otherwise would not have gotten without the flash, so I'm happy with that. Thanks for the info.