Canon eos R5 low light studio shot
Dec 6, 2020 08:49:13 #
whitehall
Loc: Canada
I recently acquired my EOS R5 and am in the process of testing its limits. Normally, I shoot landscape or street and so far I am impressed. However, attempting to shoot some portraits in studio with a strobe, I ran into problems framing the image. Even with the modelling light on the viewfinder/screen remains dark. The camera will focus, AND BRIEFLY ILLUMINATE, but all adjustment of the sitter had to be done with a dark screen. I had the camera at 100 ISO, F8, 1/200. I appreciate I could turn up the ISO to say 3000, frame and the turn the camera back to 100 ISO but I wonder whether there is a simpler solution. I looked but have not been able to find an answer in the manual, but I might have missed it.
Dec 6, 2020 08:55:06 #
I have a power strip with a remote - got it at Home Depot. Get one and plug a light into it then turn light on for focusing & then off for the shot.
Dec 6, 2020 08:56:02 #
I don't have an R5 but you may find a screen brightness adjustment in the power section of the Setup menu.
Dec 6, 2020 08:56:31 #
leftj
Loc: Texas
whitehall wrote:
I recently acquired my EOS R5 and am in the proces... (show quote)
I think a discussion with Canon technical assistance is in order. Clearly there is a setting to correct or there is a defect in the camera. Hopefully if there is a setting solution someone here will chime in.
Dec 6, 2020 09:15:58 #
I'm wondering if the answer lies in your exposure simulation setting. If you turn it to off, it might fix the problem. If the modeling light is of lower intensity than the strobe, and you are in manual mode, the exposure simulation will be dark, because the meter is readiing the modeling lights and showing what that exposure would look like. If you turn off exposure simulation it will stay bright, similar to how a DSLR would act.
Dec 6, 2020 09:16:30 #
Look for the setting “Exposure Simulation.” On the EOS R it’s under the “camera” image on menu tab. Turn that off when using studio strobe
Dec 6, 2020 09:30:20 #
Had the same problem with my Sony A7c - took about 5 minutes to find that you just had to switch off the option which shows you the effect of your ƒ and shutter speed settings and return it to the "wide open" view.
Dec 6, 2020 09:40:56 #
Agreed about VF simulation. Different brands use different vocabulary. Some will refer to “exposure simulation” or “preview”. You’d wanna turn that OFF. Others will refer to “optical viewfinder simulation”. You’d wanna turn that ON.
FWIW, some menus put those choices in a submenu under “live view settings” or some similar heading.
Your question is pretty common from new users of live view systems when they first try flash with their new gear. IOW it happens to almost everyone.
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You’d think that with all the smarts built in lately, that cameras would sense when the flash usage circuits go live and would then switch the finder mode to optical simulation. It’s not rocket science, and many users do prefer to use exposure simulation for all their NONflash work.
FWIW, some menus put those choices in a submenu under “live view settings” or some similar heading.
Your question is pretty common from new users of live view systems when they first try flash with their new gear. IOW it happens to almost everyone.
======================
You’d think that with all the smarts built in lately, that cameras would sense when the flash usage circuits go live and would then switch the finder mode to optical simulation. It’s not rocket science, and many users do prefer to use exposure simulation for all their NONflash work.
Dec 6, 2020 10:23:21 #
MartyM wrote:
Look for the setting “Exposure Simulation.” On the EOS R it’s under the “camera” image on menu tab. Turn that off when using studio strobe
Marty....On my “R” it came set as enabled and I didn’t change it. Everything was working just fine so I didn’t mess with it. Any suggestions?
Dec 6, 2020 11:39:48 #
Dec 6, 2020 11:41:53 #
whitehall wrote:
Thank you. ‘Exposure Simulation off’ did the trick.
Glad it worked out for you.
Dec 7, 2020 07:32:57 #
If you set the shutter speed fast enough, the scene will illuminate via the strobe, even with a room light on -- if I recall my home studio learning curve correctly.
whitehall wrote:
I recently acquired my EOS R5 and am in the proces... (show quote)
Dec 7, 2020 07:39:20 #
tcthome
Loc: NJ
whitehall wrote:
Thank you. ‘Exposure Simulation off’ did the trick.
Is there a way to set it turned off but comes on when you push a button of choice programed for this?
Dec 7, 2020 08:34:30 #
whitehall
Loc: Canada
I don’t think there is a button option, and in any event I configured most of the back buttons to perform AF related functions. However, you are given an option to exposure simulation on all the time except when you push depth of field button on the front. To me that is the preferred option.
Dec 7, 2020 10:03:46 #
tcthome wrote:
Is there a way to set it turned off but comes on when you push a button of choice programed for this?
Canon has c1, c2, c3 on the main dial. Set the the camera up as just you like it for any shooting situation, then assign it to C3 (for example). Now all those settings return when you turn the main dial to C3.
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