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← Creative Hut LibraryPhotography basics · Aperture

Part 8 of 13 in the aperture guide

What is lens speed, and what does maximum aperture mean?

Written by Abin Alex, Founder and Director, and Anu Joseph, Faculty, Creative Hut Academy. Reviewed 29 October 2026.

Short answer. The widest opening a lens can reach is its maximum aperture, also called its speed. A lens at f/2.8 or wider is called fast, because it lets in more light and allows a faster shutter.

  • The maximum aperture is printed in every lens specification, for example 50 mm f/1.8.
  • The minimum aperture matters less. Most lenses close to f/16 or f/22, and some to f/32.
  • Prime lenses have one focal length and often open wider than zooms.
  • Zooms can be variable aperture (such as f/3.5 to 5.6, which gets slower as you zoom in) or constant aperture (such as 70 to 200 mm f/2.8, which stays f/2.8 across the range).[2]
In photography
A 50 mm f/1.8 prime lets in about three stops more light than a kit zoom at f/5.6, so in a dim room it can use a shutter speed roughly eight to ten times faster.
In cinematography
Cine lenses can open wider than most photo lenses, which is useful in low light.[1]
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[Lecture example slot: two lenses side by side, a 50 mm f/1.8 prime and an 18 to 55 mm kit zoom, with their markings]

Questions people ask

What is a fast lens?

A lens with a wide maximum aperture, f/2.8 or wider. It lets in more light, so it allows a faster shutter speed.

What is the difference between a variable and a constant aperture zoom?

A variable aperture zoom, such as f/3.5 to 5.6, gets slower as you zoom in. A constant aperture zoom, such as a 70 to 200 mm f/2.8, stays at f/2.8 across the range.

References

  1. Creative Hut Academy (2025) Aperture. Lecture slides by Abin Alex and Anu Joseph.
  2. Langford, M., Fox, A. and Sawdon Smith, R. (2015) Langford’s Basic Photography, 10th edn. Abingdon: Routledge.

All 13 questions in this guide

  1. What is aperture, and what does it do?
  2. What is a diaphragm, and how does it work?
  3. What is the difference between absolute and relative aperture?
  4. How is the f-number written, and why does a bigger number mean a smaller opening?
  5. Why does each f-stop multiply by 1.4 and not by 2?
  6. What are full, half and third stops of aperture?
  7. What is effective aperture?
  8. What is lens speed, and what does maximum aperture mean?
  9. How do I set the aperture on my camera?
  10. What is the difference between an f-stop and a T-stop?
  11. Does a smaller aperture always make a sharper picture?
  12. How does aperture affect depth of field?
  13. How do cinematographers use aperture?
Previous: part 7Next: part 9
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Guide by Abin Alex and Anu Joseph, Creative Hut Academy.