Kit Lens Aperture Question

[vinnyveez]

Why is it that the kit lens aperture value is 3.5-5.6 yet the lowest I can get is 5.0?.am I missing something here? What does that number range mean?:o

[Jon]

It's an f/3.5 at 18 mm. It's an f/5.6 at 55 mm. It's what's called a "variable-aperture" lens. See my explanation on this thread (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=65978).

[Anteros]

It's the range of max apertures for the focal length range.

At 18mm the max aperture is 3.5 and at 55mm the max aperture is 5.6.

So a 5.0 max aperture would occur somewhere between 18mm and 55mm.

Hope this helps.

[Bodog]

f.3.5 is only available at 18mm focal length. As focal length increases apparent max aperture decreases. Did I say that right?? :rolleyes:

[vinnyveez]

excellent, thanks.

[vinnyveez]

i make it a goal to try and learn something new every day before i go to bed. this is my new piece of knowledge for the day. i guess i can go to sleep now.

[Paul_B]

Glad I saw this thread, kept forgetting to ask about this. I remember times setting aperture, zooming in/out on something, and it changed aperture. At times I thought I was going nuts, but this explains things.