Photography is a world that thrives on capturing the remarkable in the ordinary. Central to achieving this is the use of telephoto lenses. Telephoto lenses have dramatically transformed photography, bringing distant worlds within reach. Whether you’re a small business owner, an entrepreneur, or a freelance photographer, investing in a telephoto lens can unlock new creative horizons. From capturing stunning portraits to breathtaking wildlife shots, the telephoto lens makes it possible.
Designed for photography enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, and small business owners alike, this comprehensive guide covers what you need to know about telephoto lenses, their uses, and where to get the best telephoto lens for your photography needs.
Understanding Telephoto Lenses
What is a Telephoto Lens?
A telephoto lens is a specific type of camera lens designed for shooting subjects at medium to long distances. It’s characterized by a long focal length that extends far beyond what the human eye can perceive. Unlike other lenses, the magic of a telephoto lens lies in its unique ability to magnify distant objects, creating a narrow field of view and providing a shallow depth of field.
How Telephoto Lenses Impact Photography
Telephoto lenses affect the aesthetic of your photos by compressing facial features and producing blurred backgrounds, enhancing subject focus. For instance, using a telephoto lens in wildlife photography makes it possible to capture that majestic eagle soaring above without disturbing its flight. In portrait photography, these lenses render amazing shots without distorting your subject’s facial features.
Canon Telephoto Lenses
Canon has been a household name in photography for decades, known for delivering reliable autofocus and excellent image quality. A Canon telephoto lens often features wide apertures, such as f 2.8, allowing more light to reach the camera sensor. This enhances low-light shooting and creates a shallow depth of field that adds a professional touch to your portraits.
Canon’s range includes zoom lenses, like the popular 70-200mm, as well as super telephoto lenses designed for professional wildlife photographers and sports journalists. Their lenses provide a diverse zoom range and maximum focal lengths that can bring even the most distant subjects into sharp focus. Canon’s lens elements, built with meticulous precision, ensure image clarity and sharpness, setting a high standard for build quality.
Nikon Telephoto Lenses
Nikon is another reputable brand offering excellent image quality and super telephoto lenses that rival Canon’s lineup. Nikon lenses emphasize physical length and optical stabilization, reducing camera shake for those longer focal lengths. A Nikon telephoto lens also features a broad zoom range, giving users flexibility in composing shots.
Nikon’s array of telephoto lenses includes their 70-200mm f 2.8 zoom lens, perfect for a diverse range of applications, from portrait to wildlife photography. They also offer fixed focal length lenses, known as prime lenses, that deliver superior sharpness and image quality at a reasonable price.
Telephoto Lenses for Mobile Devices: iPhone and Android Comparison
If you’re using your smartphone for pictures, that doesn’t mean you can’t access the power of a telephoto lens!
Evolution of iPhone Camera and Lens Capabilities
Apple’s iPhone has revolutionized mobile photography, with recent models even incorporating telephoto lenses. Despite their smaller lens sizes, these lenses can capture stunning portraits and distant subjects with surprising clarity.
Available Telephoto Lenses for iPhone Users
Several third-party telephoto lenses are compatible with iPhones, enabling users to achieve even longer focal lengths. These lenses usually come with a manual focus feature, allowing fine control over focal points, and offer a maximum magnification greater than the phone’s built-in camera lens.
Using a Telephoto Lens with an iPhone
An iPhone and a telephoto lens make for an efficient, compact, and highly portable photography setup. You can effortlessly switch between your phone ‘s wide-angle and telephoto lenses, giving you more versatility when shooting portraits or focusing on distant objects. Coupled with in-body stabilization, an iPhone telephoto lens delivers exceptional sharpness, even in low light conditions.
Understanding Camera and Lens Capabilities for Android Phones
Like their Apple counterparts, Android phones have made leaps and bounds in camera technology. Some premium models come with built-in telephoto lenses, allowing users to experiment with a wide range of focal lengths.
Telephoto Lenses for Android Users
Numerous third-party manufacturers offer telephoto lenses for Android phones, too. These lenses bring the power of a DSLR to your pocket, allowing you to capture stunning, high-quality images wherever you go.
Using a Telephoto Lens with an Android Phone
Using a telephoto lens with an Android device can enhance your phone’s photo-taking capabilities beyond the built-in zoom lenses. With features such as a tripod collar for stability, a narrow aperture for creating blurred backgrounds, and even weather sealing for durability, these lenses can transform your Android device into a potent photography tool.
Telephoto Lenses – Our Top Picks
To help you search for the best telephoto lens, we’ve rounded up our top telephoto lens picks from the web. Our picks include telephoto lens options from Amazon and Best Buy and represent a range of brands, price points, and features. We hope our list helps point you in the right direction when investing in a good telephoto lens for your business is time.
- Top Pick: Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II Full-Frame Telephoto Lens
- Runner Up: Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L is USM Super-Telephoto Lens
- Best Value: Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/2.8 Medium-Telephoto Zoom Lens
Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II Full-Frame Telephoto Lens
Top Pick: The Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 is a top-of-the-line lens that delivers excellent optical quality and performance for both photography and videography. Its lightweight and high-speed autofocus capabilities make it a great choice for a variety of shooting situations. Designed with the needs of movie makers in mind, it uses the latest lens technology to reduce focus breathing, focus shift when zooming and axis shift when zooming.
Key features include:
- Two aspherical elements and one XA (extreme aspherical) element that ensure high resolution throughout the image area.
- Two ED (extra-low dispersion) glass elements, two Super ED glass elements and one ED aspherical element to minimize chromatic aberration.
- Nano AR (anti-reflective) Coating helps to subdue flare and ghosting.
- Fast, Precise Autofocus
- Movie-friendly design: quiet operation, independent control rings for focus, zoom and iris.
- The world’s lightest 70-200mm F2.8 zoom lens, weighing only 2.3 lb.
Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II Full-Frame Telephoto Lens
Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L is USM Super-Telephoto Lens
Runner Up: The Canon RF 100-500mm is a high-performance, versatile lens built to capture intricate details even from considerable distances. It is compatible with Canon full-frame mirrorless cameras and offers three distinct Image Stabilization modes (Standard, Panning, and during exposure only) for creative versatility in different shooting scenarios.
Key features include:
- Optical Image Stabilization with up to 5 stops of shake correction ensures clear and steady shots
- Three Image Stabilization modes (Standard, Panning, and during exposure only)
- Dual Nano USM for high-speed, smooth, and silent auto-focus
- Provides a minimum focusing distance of 3.0 ft./0.9m**, enabling sharp and detailed close-up shots.
- Compatible with Canon Full Frame Mirrorless Cameras (EOS RP, EOS R, EOS R5, EOS R6)
Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L is USM Super-Telephoto Lens
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/2.8 Medium-Telephoto Zoom Lens
Best Value: The Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/2.8 lens is a versatile medium-telephoto zoom lens designed for Micro-Four-Thirds cameras. Given its focal length range, this lens is excellent for portraits, events, wildlife, and even sports photography, providing the equivalent field of view of an 80-300mm lens in a 35mm format.
Key features include:
- Compatible with most cameras having a Micro-Four-Thirds mount.
- Internal zooming and fast, silent dual VCM lens drive mechanism for precise control and clear images.
- Splash-, freeze-, and dust-resistant
- Snap-focus manual-focus ring with a distance indicator that allows you to easily pre-focus or refine focus.
- 40-150mm focal length which equivalent to 80-300mm in a 35mm format
- F/2.8 maximum aperture throughout the zoom range, providing excellent low-light performance and a shallow depth of field for creating images with smooth background blur.
- Minimum aperture is f/22
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/2.8 Medium-Telephoto Zoom Lens
Fujinon XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR Lens
The Fujinon XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR Lens is ideal for photographers who frequently shoot subjects from a distance, such as wildlife or sports events. Its optical design and versatile features make it a solid choice for image-makers who want to bring vast distances beautifully into frame.
Key features include:
- Super-telephoto zoom lens with a 35mm equivalent focal length of 229-914mm.
- Maximum aperture of F5.6-8, which can be extended to F8-11 with the XF 1.4x teleconverter, and F11-16 with the XF 2x teleconverter.
- Lens construction features 24 elements in 17 groups, including 4 Super ED and 3 ED lens elements.
- Inner zoom construction maintains a consistent length throughout the focal range
- Fast and reliable autofocus for consistently beautiful results in both still images and video.
- Weighs only 3.53lb, making it manageable for extended periods of use.
- 82mm filter size
Fujinon XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR Lens
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED
Designed for compatibility with Nikon F (FX) mountings, this lens stands out for its ability to deliver high-quality wide-angle photographs. Upgrade your photography gear with the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED lens and experience the difference in your imagery.
Key features include:
- Focal length range of 14 -24mm, ideal for capturing extensive landscapes and architectural structures.
- Maintains a minimum focus distance of 0.9 feet (0.28 meter) and a minimum f/stop 22, providing sharp and detailed images even in close-up shots.
- Crafted with 14/11 lens construction that includes 2 ED glass elements, 3 aspherical lenses, and 1 Nano Crystal Coat.
- Provides a wide angle of view ranging from 114° – 84°, allowing you to encompass more of the scene in your frame.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED
Selvim 4 in 1 Phone Lens Kit
The Selvim 4-in-1 Phone Lens Kit is designed for photography enthusiasts and professionals, transforming your smartphone into a versatile camera. The lenses are enhanced with a 10-10 multi-resistant coating that reduces ghosting, flaring, and prevents smears and fingerprints, ensuring each shot is as flawless as possible.
This kit is compatible with a wide range of devices, including iPhone 7, 8, 11 Pro Max, X, XS, XR and various Android Samsung models, and it works well with both front/rear and single/multi-camera phones.
Key features include:
- 22X Telephoto Lens for magnifying distant subjects and providing vivid close-up shots
- 235° Fisheye Lens to create fun, circular, mystical-result pictures
- 25X Macro Lens for capturing intricate details with precision, ideal for macro photography
- HD 0.62X Wide Angle Lens for capturing a broad field of view with minimal distortion
- Comes with travel case
APEXEL High Power 36X HD Telephoto Lens
Turn your smartphone into a capable camera with the APEXEL High Power 36X HD Telephoto Lens. Compact and portable, this lens offers a comfortable viewing experience and a wide range of compatibility.
Key features include:
- A 36X adjustable telephoto lens, easily focused by spinning the focus ring. It doubles as a monocular telescope, making it a great travel partner.
- Effectively brings objects up to 8000 meters away closer for detailed photography.
- High-quality Full Colors 4K HD lens for capturing stunning pictures of people, pets, sceneries, landscapes, buildings, and more.
- Made with quality optical glass and aircraft-grade aluminum for enhanced strength and clarity.
- Compatibility with single/multi-camera phones, including smartphone and tablet models like iPhone 13/14pro/14/13, Google Pixel 7 pro, iPad, Samsung Galaxy S22/21/S20 Ultra/S10, S9Plus/9, Oneplus 7t, HTC, Sony, LG, and more.
APEXEL High Power 36X HD Telephoto Lens
Nikon – AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR Telephoto Zoom Lens for DSLR Cameras
The Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR Telephoto Zoom Lens is a professional-grade lens designed for Nikon F-mount cameras, both FX (full-frame) and DX (crop-sensor). It’s well-suited for various photographic scenarios, including sports, wildlife, portrait, and event photography. The lens comes with a lens hood, front and rear lens caps, and a ballistic nylon case.
Key features include:
- Versatile 70-200mm focal length, ideal for capturing detail from a distance.
- Maximum aperture of f/2.8 allows the lens to perform well in low-light situations and allows for a shallow depth of field
- Vibration Reduction technology helps to reduce the effects of camera shake, improving image stability and allowing for sharper shots
- Silent Wave Motor: This provides fast, quiet autofocus performance, making it suitable for both photography and video recording.
- High Refractive Index Lens helps to ensure great optical performance in a compact body.
- M/A focusing mode allows for quick switching from automatic to manual focusing.
- Nano Crystal Coat helps reduce lens flare and ghosting
Nikon – AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR Telephoto Zoom Lens for DSLR Cameras
Tamron – 18-400mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD All-In-One Telephoto Lens for Nikon APS-C DSLR Cameras
This lens is versatile and can handle different types of shots, from portraits to landscapes, providing high-quality images. Its wide zoom range makes it a great option for those who want a single lens that can handle a wide variety of shooting scenarios. It’s compatible with a range of Nikon APS-C DSLR cameras with an FX bayonet mount.
Key Features include:
- Focal length range of 18-400mm
- Maximum aperture of f/3.5-6.3, allowing for good performance in a variety of lighting conditions.
- Vibration Compensation mechanism that reduces image blur caused by camera shake.
- Low Dispersion Glass and Aspherical Lenses
- High/Low Torque-Modulated Drive adjusts the motor’s rotation from low to high speeds for smooth and accurate autofocusing.
- Minimum Focusing Distance of 17.7″
- Includes three months of Google One 100 GB and up to three months of Apple iCloud+ for new or returning subscribers.
Tamron – 18-400mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD All-In-One Telephoto Lens for Nikon APS-C DSLR Cameras
Vivitar High-Power 500mm/1000mm f/8 Manual Telephoto Lens
The Vivitar High-Power 500mm/1000mm f/8 telephoto lens is designed for Canon EOS SLR cameras. This lens offers a high-powered 500mm focal length, and with the 2x teleconverter, you can effectively double this to 1000mm, which is great for long-distance photography like wildlife, astrophotography or sports events.
Key features include:
- Compatible with a wide range of Canon EOS cameras,
- Lens is made of high index, low-dispersion multi-coated optical glass designed to reduce flare and increase light transmission
- Comes with a 2x teleconverter that doubles the power of your lens to 1000mm
- Manual Focus is an advantage for those who prefer to manually fine-tune their focus for precision.
- Comes with a 67mm filter thread, allowing you to attach a variety of filters for enhancing your photography.
- Includes a T-mount adapter, which makes it compatible with the T mount system of interchangeable lenses.
Vivitar High-Power 500mm/1000mm f/8 Manual Telephoto Lens
User Tips for Telephoto Lenses: Maximizing Your Experience
Care and Maintenance of Telephoto Lenses
Every lens, whether it’s a short telephoto or a super telephoto lens, requires proper care to maintain its performance. Always use a lens cap to protect the glass when not in use and clean the lens elements gently with a microfiber cloth to prevent scratching. If your lens isn’t weather-sealed, avoid using it in harsh conditions without proper protection.
Essential Skills for Telephoto Lens Users
Mastering the use of a telephoto lens involves understanding how to manage camera shake, which can be amplified at longer focal lengths. Consider using a tripod or employing your camera’s image stabilization to counteract this. Be mindful of your aperture settings as well; a wider aperture (a lower f-number like f 2.8) allows more light into the camera but can also result in a shallow depth of field. Experiment with various aperture settings to find what works best for your shooting conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the difference between zoom lenses and telephoto lenses?
While these terms are often used interchangeably, they technically represent different concepts. Zoom lenses, like the 70-200mm, refer to any lens with a variable focal length, while a telephoto lens has a long focal length designed to capture distant subjects. Thus, all telephoto lenses could be zoom lenses, but not all zoom lenses are telephoto lenses.
What factors should I consider when buying a telephoto lens?
Key factors include the maximum focal length, maximum aperture, image stabilization, whether the lens is full-frame compatible, and, of course, the price. It’s also worth considering the weight and physical length of the lens, especially if you plan to carry it for extended periods.
Can I use telephoto lenses for video recording?
Absolutely! Telephoto lenses can be used for video recording to create a cinematic effect by focusing on distant subjects or achieving a shallow depth of field. However, camera shake can be more noticeable while filming, so it’s recommended to use a tripod or a lens with image stabilization.
Are there any specific apps to improve the usage of a telephoto lens for an iPhone or Android phone?
There are various apps, like ProCamera for iPhone and Open Camera for Android, that give you better control over your phone’s camera settings, improving the use of a telephoto lens.
Final Thoughts
Don’t be afraid to experiment and see the world from different focal lengths. After all, the best telephoto lens is not just the one with the highest specs; it’s the one that allows you to express your creativity and tell your unique story.
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This article, “Telephoto Lens: Best Choices for Your Business” was first published on Small Business Trends