Why does my Canon 5D Mark II stay at f/1.8 in shutter priority and still give dark photos?
Asked 7/19/2020
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2 answers
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I'm using a Canon 5D Mark II with a 50mm lens and experimenting with the different exposure modes. In shutter priority (Tv), I expected the camera to choose the aperture automatically to match the shutter speed and ISO I selected.
But the aperture keeps staying at f/1.8, and my photos still come out dark unless I manually change other settings to brighten them. I thought shutter priority would pick the right f-stop for a proper exposure. Why is it stuck at f/1.8, and what do I need to change to avoid underexposed images?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
5y ago
2 Answers
3
Sounds like you have a ƒ/1.8 maximum aperture on the lens. The camera would like to make the exposure brighter, but that's as wide as the lens's aperture will go.
The problem is the scene you are shooting isn't bright enough for your shutter speed and ISO settings. You need to slow down the shutter speed, or dial up the ISO, or both.
Originally by user11924. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user11924
5y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
In Tv mode, the camera does choose the aperture for you—but it can only use the apertures your lens actually has available.
If your 50mm lens has a maximum aperture of f/1.8, then f/1.8 is as wide as it can open. So if the scene is too dark for your chosen shutter speed and ISO, the camera hits that limit and still can’t make the exposure any brighter.
That means your settings are asking for more light than the camera/lens can provide. To fix dark photos, you need to do one or more of these:
- use a slower shutter speed
- raise the ISO
- add more light to the scene
- use a lens with a wider maximum aperture (though f/1.8 is already quite wide)
So yes, shutter priority is working correctly—the issue is that the lens is already fully open at f/1.8, and there still isn’t enough light for the shutter speed and ISO you selected.
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