Max aperature

[irish626]

Recently an "alleged professional photographer" told me that if I was using a lens that had an aperature or f5.6 that I could not set the aperature to anything but 5.6. I think this may be not true based on some photos I took with my 70D and a 400mm f5.6l lens but I am not able to find a definitive statement to verify the face.

Please comment.

tnx marty

[TTMartin]

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@irish626 wrote:

Recently an "alleged professional photographer" told me that if I was using a lens that had an aperature or f5.6 that I could not set the aperature to anything but 5.6. I think this may be not true based on some photos I took with my 70D and a 400mm f5.6l lens but I am not able to find a definitive statement to verify the face.

Please comment.

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You can not set it larger than f/5.6, you can set it smaller than f/5.6. (remember smaller f/number larger aperture, larger f/number smaller aperture)

For example your EF 400mm f/5.6L can be set at any aperture from f/5.6 to f/32. Depending on how your camera is set this can be in 1/3, 1/2, or whole stop increments. 

[ebiggs1]

You have the Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM Lens?  The  "alleged professional photographer" is correct incorrect.  The question is, why do you think this not to be so?  There must be something that you have seen or read to contradict this.

There are lenses that can not change their aperture but the Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM Lens is not one of them.

f5.6, like all f-stops, is a ratio.  It will not be the same size in all lenses.  Perhaps that is what you are thinking?

[TTMartin]

@irish626 wrote:

Recently an "alleged professional photographer" told me that if I was using a lens that had an aperature or f5.6 that I could not set the aperature to anything but 5.6.

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

 The  "alleged professional photographer" is correct. 

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Don't you mean is INCORRECT.

The EF 400 f/5.6L can be set to apertures other than f/5.6, just not wider than f/5.6.

As you said 'There are lenses that can not change their aperture but the Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM Lens is not one of them.'

[ebiggs1]

"Don't you mean is INCORRECT."

Yes sir, you are 'correct'!  I edited the post.

 After re-reading the OP post, I think there must be a misunderstanding.  Why would anyone that had a camera for any length of time think that?  Let alone a, "alleged professional photographer" ?

[Waddizzle]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

"Don't you mean is INCORRECT."

Yes sir, you are 'correct'!  I edited the post.

 After re-reading the OP post, I think there must be a misunderstanding.  Why would anyone that had a camera for any length of time think that?  Let alone a, "alleged professional photographer" ?

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I would chalk it up as something getting lost in the fog of war during the conversation.  The lens does meter only at f/5.6.  Who knows what was really asked, and what question was actually heard.  Ditto, for the expert answer.

[irish626]

I said he was an "alleged professional photographer" because I didnt know the guy from the man in the moon. I  was looking at lenses in a camera store and he just started giving unsolicited advice. I know I have set the aperature on my 400mm f5.6L lens at aperatures smaller than 5.6 . So, I knew the info he gave me was at least partially incorrect and I doubted his "professional status" thus my question of this forum. 

Thank you for your remarks and advice, it is appreciated.

marty

[Waddizzle]

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@irish626 wrote:

I said he was an "alleged professional photographer" because I didnt know the guy from the man in the moon. I  was looking at lenses in a camera store and he just started giving unsolicited advice. I know I have set the aperature on my 400mm f5.6L lens at aperatures smaller than 5.6 . So, I knew the info he gave me was at least partially incorrect and I doubted his "professional status" thus my question of this forum. 

Thank you for your remarks and advice, it is appreciated.

marty

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I'm guessing he may have been referring to metering.  It's the only thing that is restricted to only f/5.6, under normal conditions.

[kvbarkley]

I think you are being too generous. Before the internet that was how I heard most of my bad information. Some random guy coming up to you in a store with unsolicited advice. 8^)

[Waddizzle]

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@kvbarkley wrote:

I think you are being too generous. Before the internet that was how I heard most of my bad information. Some random guy coming up to you in a store with unsolicited advice. 8^)

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LOL, the "random guy coming up to you" was usually the salesperson.