f stop - is smallest aperture controlled by camera or lens

Hi I'm sorry if this sounds stupid but I am awaiting delivery of Nikon 40Dx with 18-55mm lens. f3.5 to 5.6. When reading tips for large depth of field it says to use small aperture, up to f22. Does the f3.5 to 5.6 mean that 5.6 is the smallest aperture I can get, or will I still be able to select f22 on the camera. Please help me as I am totally confused.

I believe at 18mm f3.5 is the largest aperture setting you can get and at 55mm f5.6 is the largest aperture setting but at both ends you should be able to get down to f22 for maximum depth of field.

Thank you for your help- I understand now

I would highly recommend going to the site I have below. After you click on the different exsosure modes you will be able to change the different settings and see how it effects your picture. The lens opening is shown at the top and changes not only the picture it also shows you the difference in the size of the opening "F STOP" that the lens will be using. With this you can change everything just as if you were taking the picture with your camera and see how it changes the results immediately, Jeff

http://dryreading.com/camera/index.html

Very interesting site - it really helps to understand the theory and to see it in action. Many thanks

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Originally Posted by NY_Trekker

I believe at 18mm f3.5 is the largest aperture setting you can get and at 55mm f5.6 is the largest aperture setting but at both ends you should be able to get down to f22 for maximum depth of field.

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Close, but not quite.

I don't have that particular lens but I have the 18-70. At 18mm it probably goes from f3.5 to f22 while at 55mm it probably goes from f5.6 to f32. The aperture diaphram itself does not get larger or smaller as you zoom the lens but the light making its way through the lens reduces as you zoom out. This changes the f-stop reading at all zoom levels so the numbers change as you zoom.

f/3.5 or 5.6 are the largest apertures you can get, not the smallest.
Small numbers = large aperture. Large numbers = small aperture.