Exif "MaxApertureValue"

[wutske]

In the EXIF-data there is a value called MaxApertureValue .
I was wondering what this stands for, because when I look at the EXIF data from the A700 example photo's I get a bit confused.
The min. aperture the A700 can do is 4.8 and the max is 2.6 (to clear up the first obstacle, does this mean in this case 2.6 at wide and 4.8 at tele ?) in the focal range of 35-210mm (5.8-35.8).

And in the exif data I found these numbers for MaxApertureValue:

5.8 -> 3.0 (full wide)
6.4 -> 3.0
7.7 -> 3.3
11.5 -> 3.6
34.8 -> 4.5 (full tele)

So what does MaxApertureValue mean ? And if it in fact is the max. aperture size at the given focal lengt, why isn't this camera capable of f2.6 ?
Hmm, comes to my mind, maybe this is at Macro mode :confused:

So, now I'm a bit :confused:

[pagnamenta]

The 2.6 to 4.8 stands for the aperature from thw wide to tele end on your lens. So if you take a pic at the widest your lenses can zoom, it should be f 2.6. Max. aperature is just another way of saying highest aperature or lowest fstop. On the telephoto side, the max. aperature is 4.8.

Hope that helps!

[Norm in Fujino]

These appear to be approximate values. Reviews state the maximum (largest hole) aperture at the wide-angle side as being variously 2.6 or 2.8; my guess that the "3.0" figure returned by exif is also approximate; I don't know any other reason for it.