indoor flash.. M or... Tv mode?

[DStanic]

After realizing that Av mode was kind of useless in low light with the flash (can't get the shutter speed high enough), I started shooting in M, with great results.

I never use Tv mode much (not into sports or anything and my lens is slow) but now I'm wondering if using Tv mode with a flash (setting it to 1/60 or faster, it will select the fastest aperture) will the flash fire the same amount of light as if it were set it manual (1/60 f/4.5 preset as an example) ?

I'm wondering if shooting in Tv mode at a wedding would be a stupid idea, or a faster or the same as shooting in M with a flash. ?

Maybe I'm not fully understanding how Tv mode works, so any technical advice is appreciated. :)

[ryant35]

I usually shoot with M mode for indoor flash. I have noticed with Av & Tv the camera trys to expose properly without the flash. M works the best for me.

[egordon99]

M mode for indoors when flash is primary light source. Av for outdoors when you want the flash to "fill in" the subject.

Have no idea what Tv mode would do with flash; don't care :)

[JeffreyG]

Tv and Av work about the same, each lets you set one value and then it adjusts the other according to the EC you have set and the meter.

Both assume the flash is for fill only!!!

You can sort of dumb your way into making Tv work like M if you have slower lenses by setting a higher shutter speed (up to 1/250) and then the camera will open the aperture up all the way and the flash will light it.

The thing is, this is pointless as you are always going to be better off in M mode setting the aperture to control the DOF and the shutter speed to either try and preserve some background ambient (1/60 - 1/100) or not (1/250).

I personally almost never shoot with flash having the camera in Av or Tv mode, even for fill. Life is faster and better in M with greater predictability.

[Alexajlex]

M all the time.

More control, More options (shutter dragging, DOF, etc.).

I don't like it when the camera makes the decisions for me.
It is already a fulltime job to get consistent results in certain situation form the 580EXIIthat I fell running the Av - Tv will add additional problems.

While running in M won't fix the 580EXII underexposing issues in certain situations (the FEC+1, +1.~ will) at least you eliminated one issue (the camera making desisions for you in Av -Tv).

[kevin_c]

For indoor flash I always use manual exposure mode. For outdoor fill-in I'll use Av and FEC.

[brownbugger]

I have used AV only outdoors, indoors its always M , more control over everything. A few clicks in TV mode to compare the M settings for exposure.

[René Damkot]

Either M or Av with -EC.
I never use Tv.

[samnz]

Manual. Usually 1/80 - 1/160sec @ f3.5-5.6

ISO 400-800 to bring out background a bit.

[Alexajlex]

The real issue you are going to run into with anything but Manual is that most indoor places use fluorescent tubes (CFL) for their lights.

Depending of where you live they pulse at a certain rate (60Hz for me).
You have to keep this in mind when setting the shutter.
To catch a whole cycle for even light you have to go with 1/60 or 1/125 (since 1/125 is not a shutter speed you can select).

There are other slower shutter speeds you can go with like 1/30.

One thing that can happen if you don't follow the formula is that you may catch just a fraction of the light cycle and all of the sudden one side of your picture is really warm (or cold) compared with the rest of the picture.

This can be a pain to fix in post since you can't just use a global WB fix (which will most likley throw your subjects colors out of whack since he/she is being lit by a flash and you are trying to fix some partial fluorescent light cycle).

[Curtis N]

Tv mode is not necessarily a bad idea if you understand how it works. You can set your shutter speed and let the camera pick the aperture. It allows you to select a fluorescent-compatible shutter speed if needed. In low light environments this will generally result in a wide-open lens unless you crank up the ISO. It will expose the ambient as much as possible within your predetermined limitations of shutter speed, ISO and the lens' max. aperture. Be sure not to enable Safety Shift on your camera if this is your strategy.

P mode with flash works much the same way, with a 1/60 minimum shutter speed. So Tv mode would allow some license in setting the shutter speed and at least be a step in the right direction in terms of controlling the camera.

However, I agree with those above me in favoring M mode with flash. Rarely am I content with the lack of sharpness and DOF that a wide-open lens gives me. When I do want max. aperture, I can select it quickly enough.