Help - XTi question on shutter speed display

[techiedude21]

Hi I got an XTi not long ago and have a question on something that seems odd.

In AUTO mode on the LCD screen I can see the shutter speed changing when I point the camera in different directions. It shows a VERY SLOW speed like like 3", 5", 1", and varies depending on where I move the cam.

Then when I press the shutter down half way it changes quickly by locking to a new shutter speed (which is usually 1/60). When I let go of the shutter it goes back to the other slower speed displays.

This happens in Auto and Portrait mode (the only 2 tested), While in the (P) program mode it does NOT go back and forth with the slower shutter speeds in the display.

Is this normal? And if so can someone please explain why this happens?

[killing switch]

in auto mode the camera is adjusting the shutter speed according to how much light it is seeing thru the lense. so when your moving it around, different areas are going to be brighter than others etc. now im sure what its doing when it jumps to the 1/60 shutter but think its prolly locking onto a speed for the pic. it sounds normal. might try reading your manual to find out more...

[GaryS]

It goes to 1/60 because auto mode has decided that it is going to use the flash...

[zmikers]

It goes to 1/60 because auto mode has decided that it is going to use the flash...

Yep, you beat me to it. If it keeps going to 1/60 everytime, that's because 1/60 is the flash sync speed. In auto mode it pops the flash and automatically sets the SP to the 1/60. In P mode the same will happen only if you flip up the flash yourself, then your SS will be 1/60 too.