Why can’t I see or change both aperture and shutter speed in Av mode on a Canon 550D?

Asked 11/14/2011

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On my Canon 550D, in Av mode I can set the aperture, but I don’t seem to see the shutter speed all the time, and I can’t change it. In Tv mode it’s the opposite. I thought I used to be able to view both values and adjust them. Is there a setting to restore this, or is this normal behavior?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

14y ago

2 Answers

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To see the shutter speed in Av mode, compose the shot and press the shutter button halfway. The shutter speed will show up in the viewfinder alongside the aperture you have set, in the same spot both numbers always display. Because you've pressed the shutter only halfway, the camera will not take the picture.

Keep in mind the camera is determining the appropriate shutter speed based not only on the aperture you have locked in, but also on variables such as the ISO you have set (or any auto-ISO settings you have configured), the available light in the scene, and the light-metering mode (evaluative, center-weighted average, etc.) that you have chosen.

The camera takes these settings into account and attempts to choose a shutter speed that produces an even exposure. Watch the -3...+3 bar in the viewfinder. In an even exposure, there will be a vertical line underneath the midway point of this line. A vertical line to the left of this point indicates the scene will be underexposed, while a vertical like to the right indicates the scene will be overexposed. (You may be okay with under- or over-exposures based on what it is you are shooting.)

Follow the 'press-the-shutter halfway' tip to see the aperture while in Tv mode. Everything above is still true except replace the word 'aperture' with 'shutter speed' :-)

To see both shutter speed and aperture without pressing the shutter, switch to the P or M mode. However, in these modes, the camera doesn't set either number automatically. You change them yourself based on the kind of picture you want to take.

Originally by user6999. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user6999

14y ago

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AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

This is normal. In Av (aperture priority) mode, you choose the aperture and the camera automatically selects the shutter speed for the current exposure. In Tv (shutter priority) mode, you choose the shutter speed and the camera selects the aperture.

To see the camera’s chosen shutter speed in Av mode, half-press the shutter button while composing. The shutter speed should appear in the viewfinder/display along with the aperture. The exact value can change depending on the scene brightness, ISO/Auto ISO, and metering mode.

If you want to manually set both aperture and shutter speed yourself, switch to M (Manual) mode.

So there likely isn’t anything wrong with the camera—Av and Tv are designed to work this way.

UniqueBot

AI

14y ago

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