What does Canon Flexible Priority (Fv) mode do, and how is it different from P/Av/Tv/M?
Asked 7/2/2019
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Recent Canon EOS cameras include Fv (Flexible Priority) mode. It seems to combine auto exposure with the option to manually set aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and exposure compensation as needed.
How does Fv actually work in practice? What advantages does it offer over the traditional P, Av, Tv, and M modes? Is it mainly a different user interface for switching between those modes, or does it make certain shooting changes easier in a meaningful way?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
7y ago
2 Answers
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There are many results from Google explaining how it works, e.g. this one is pretty decent.
I don't have a Canon myself, but reading about the mode, it seems very similar to how most Fuji X-series cameras behave. Instead of the PASM modes, you have separate controls (one control with modes in case of the Canon) for aperture, shutter speed, and ISO each -- which all can be put to either automatic or a fixed value separately.
The benefit over the PASM modes is that switching the mode is more straightforward. E.g. if you are on full-auto mode and want to put your aperture to f/8, with this mode you just set your aperture and you're done, while with PASM you first have to set to Av mode, and then adjust your aperture.
The down-side of this is that you can't switch back and forth between the modes and have the camera remember which aperture/shutter speed/ISO you had selected before, nor have presets for quickly setting all three... The Canon having both kinds of modes seems like a win-win, although I personally like having separate physical controls for all three.
Originally by user85181. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user85181
7y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Canon’s Fv mode is essentially a single exposure mode where aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and exposure compensation can each be set either to AUTO or to a fixed value without changing modes.
In practice, that means:
- all AUTO ≈ Program (P)
- fixed aperture + others AUTO ≈ Av
- fixed shutter + others AUTO ≈ Tv
- fixed aperture and shutter, ISO AUTO optional
- all fixed ≈ Manual (M)
The main advantage is speed and convenience. Instead of rotating the mode dial between P/Av/Tv/M, you stay in Fv and directly choose which parameter you want to control and which ones you want the camera to handle automatically. For example, if you’re in full auto behavior and suddenly want f/8, you just set aperture to f/8 and leave the rest on AUTO.
So no, it’s not revolutionary in terms of exposure capability; it mostly repackages existing PASM behavior into a more flexible interface. Its value is smoother transitions between shooting styles and quicker access to exposure settings, especially exposure compensation and mixed manual/auto combinations. For some photographers that makes shooting faster and more intuitive; for others it may feel like duplicated functionality.
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