Best Camera Lenses For Long-Distance Shooting

Capturing far-away subjects in photography requires a telephoto or superzoom lens. These lenses have a fixed focal length, with telephoto lenses starting at around 70mm, and superzooms covering a range of focal lengths.

The focal length of a lens is the equivalent of its zoom level. The longer the focal length, the further away the subject appears. For example, a 300mm lens will make a subject appear much closer than a 24mm lens.

Telephoto and superzoom lenses are ideal for wildlife photography, where the photographer needs to capture images of animals from a distance. They are also useful for crafting images where the subject fills the entire frame, making the viewer feel very close to the subject.

When choosing a long-range zoom lens, it's important to consider the features that are most important to you. Some key features to look for include:

- Image stabilisation to reduce blur caused by shaking

- A wide maximum aperture for better depth-of-field control and improved performance in low-light conditions

- Optical zoom for precision and the ability to enlarge photographs without sacrificing clarity

- Face and eye detection for humans and animals

- WiFi, Bluetooth, and NFC connectivity for easy image transfer

Telephoto lenses for wildlife photography

Capturing images of wildlife in their natural habitat from a safe distance requires a good telephoto lens. Here is a guide to choosing the right telephoto lens for wildlife photography.

Focal Length

The focal length of your lens will determine how close you can get to your subject. Most wildlife photographers prefer a focal range of 400mm or greater as this allows them to maintain a safe distance from the animals. If you are photographing larger animals or want to include more of the landscape in your images, you may need an even greater focal range.

Zoom vs Prime Lenses

There are two types of telephoto lenses to consider: zoom lenses and prime lenses. Zoom lenses are more versatile, lightweight, and cost-effective, but they are not as powerful as prime lenses. Prime lenses are typically faster, better performing, and produce sharper images. However, they tend to be more expensive, heavier, and less versatile.

Aperture

Another important factor to consider when choosing a wildlife lens is the aperture. Lenses with wider apertures tend to be faster and have better focusing speed as they let more light in. This is especially useful in wildlife photography when your subject is moving quickly. Most professional wildlife photographers prefer a maximum aperture of around f/2.8 to f/4, but these lenses come with a higher price tag.

Durability and Compatibility

Wildlife photography often involves being outdoors in varying weather conditions, so it is important to choose a lens that is durable and weather-sealed. Additionally, consider the compatibility of your lens with teleconverters, which can help expand your telephoto lens's focal length.

Lens Recommendations

• Nikon NIKKOR Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S Lens: A lightweight and high-quality telephoto prime lens.
• Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II G Lens: A versatile telephoto zoom lens with a constant f/2.8 aperture.
• Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM Lens: A versatile and fast telephoto zoom lens with image stabilization.
• OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/4.0 Pro Lens: A rugged, portable, and lightweight telephoto zoom lens with a maximum focal length of 300mm when paired with an OM SYSTEMS Micro Four Thirds camera.
• Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 100-400mm f/5.0–6.3 IS Lens: A powerful and durable telephoto zoom lens with a maximum focal length of 800mm when paired with a Micro Four Thirds camera.
• Sigma 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports Lens: A versatile telephoto zoom lens with a wide focal range and fast autofocus.
• Fujifilm GF 250mm f/4 R LM OIS WR Lens: A telephoto prime lens with a constant f/4 aperture, perfect for Fujifilm cameras with a Micro Four Thirds sensor.

Wide-angle lenses for landscapes

Wide-angle lenses are a staple in the kit bag of any landscape photographer. Their extensive field of view makes it possible to capture sweeping vistas and dramatic skies. They also have a distinctive look and character, with the potential for exaggerated perspective and a sense of depth that pulls the viewer into the scene.

When shooting landscapes with a wide-angle lens, it's important to emphasise foreground elements. This means getting very close to an element in the foreground, which will then loom large in the frame, creating a sense of drama. Leading lines, such as rivers, pathways, or rows of trees, can also be used to guide the viewer's eye through the image and add depth.

Another benefit of wide-angle lenses is their inherently large depth of field, which allows you to keep everything in the scene sharp from the foreground to the horizon. To maximise this, it's recommended to use a relatively narrow aperture, such as f/8, and focus about a third of the way into the scene.

When composing wide-angle landscape shots, it's important to be mindful of potential distractions and keep the camera level to prevent distortion. Ultra-wide lenses can also cause uneven exposure across the frame, so it's important to correct this in-camera or during post-processing.

• Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM: Designed for Canon cameras with an APS-C sensor, this lens offers a wide field of view and excellent image quality while being compact and lightweight.
• Nikon AF-S 16-35mm f/4G ED VR: A full-frame lens with optical stabilisation, excellent sharpness, and distortion-free images thanks to its aspherical and extra-low dispersion elements.
• Pentax DA* HD 11-18mm f/2.8 ED DC AW: A lightweight and weather-resistant lens with an ultra-wide view, a fast f/2.8 aperture, and a Focus Clamp mechanism for locking the focus.
• Tokina Atx-I 11-20mm F2.8 CF: An ultra-wide zoom lens available for Canon EF-S and Nikon F mounts, offering excellent sharpness and contrast, an internal focusing mechanism, and the ability to take front filters.
• Canon RF 14-35mm f/4 L IS USM: A lightweight and weather-sealed lens for Canon's RF-mount cameras, offering superb sharpness and distortion control with three aspherical and three ultra-low dispersion elements.
• Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S: A premium wide-angle lens for Nikon's Z Series, offering top-notch optics with four extra-low dispersion and four aspherical elements, a compact and lightweight design, and weather sealing.
• Fujifilm XF 10-24mm F4 R OIS WR: A versatile and weather-sealed lens for Fujifilm X Series cameras, offering excellent image quality with four aspherical and four extra-low dispersion elements, an upgraded aperture ring, and effective stabilisation.

Prime lenses for portraits

Prime lenses are a type of camera lens with a single, fixed focal length. They are a popular choice for portrait photography due to their ability to produce high-quality images with a shallow depth of field, resulting in beautiful bokeh and sharp focus on the subject. They also tend to have faster apertures, making them suitable for low-light conditions and creating a soft background blur.

• Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II Lens: This lens offers exceptional image quality and a fast maximum aperture, making it perfect for low-depth-of-field portraiture. It features a Super Spectra coating to suppress flare and ghosting and is weather-sealed for outdoor use. It can be used with both full-frame and crop-frame sensor cameras.
• Nikon 85mm f/1.4G: This lens is a high-performance classic portrait lens with an internal focusing mechanism, ensuring stability during use. It allows for quick and silent switching between manual and autofocus, making it ideal for video recording. Suitable for both full-frame and crop-frame sensor cameras, it produces beautiful out-of-focus backgrounds.
• Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L Lens: Known as the quintessential portrait lens, it delivers exceptional optical quality and stunning bokeh. It also features a Super Spectra coating to suppress flare and ghosting and is weather-sealed. This lens can be used with both full-frame and crop-frame sensor cameras.
• Nikon 50mm f/1.8G AF-S: This lens is a great option for portrait photography, especially if you're on a budget. It offers a fast maximum aperture, allowing for shallow depth-of-field images and low-light shooting. It is versatile and can be used for both full-frame and crop-sensor cameras.
• Tamron SP 45mm f/1.8 Di VC USD for Canon: This lens provides a focal length similar to the human eye's perspective, making it ideal for portraits. It has a wide maximum aperture, enabling shallow depth-of-field photography.
• Fujifilm 56mm f/1.2 APD: With an equivalent focal length of 85mm, this lens offers a reasonable working distance from the subject. It provides a narrow field of view compared to a 50mm lens, making it suitable for portraits where you want to fill the frame with the subject.
• Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art: This lens is a favourite among portrait photographers, offering a wide aperture and a slightly longer focal length for gorgeous background blur. It allows you to get close to your subject without invading their space, making it perfect for intimate portraits.

Superzoom lenses for versatility

Superzoom lenses are a great option for photographers who want to travel light and still have a versatile range of focal lengths to work with. They are typically more lightweight and cost-effective than other lenses, making them a good choice for travel and budget-conscious photographers.

While superzooms don't offer the same sharpness as high-end primes and shorter zooms, they have improved significantly over the years. Modern superzooms can deliver excellent image quality and sharpness, especially at the centre of the image frame. They are also much more compact and lightweight than lenses with similar focal ranges.

One of the best superzooms on the market is the Canon RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM, which offers a remarkable 10x zoom range and impressive sharpness throughout. It is a great choice for Canon EOS R cameras, delivering outstanding results for a lens of its type.

Another excellent option is the Nikon Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR, which offers a versatile zoom range, fast autofocus, and strong image stabilization. It is a brilliant choice for Nikon Z-series cameras, providing a tough, weather-sealed construction that weighs just 570g.

For Canon APS-C DSLRs, the Sigma 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM C is a superb choice, offering amazing telephoto reach and impressive sharpness thanks to its FLD elements. It is a bit bigger and heavier than some comparable lenses, but the extra reach makes it a great option for wildlife photography.

If you're looking for a lightweight superzoom to take on your travels, the Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC is a fantastic option. It delivers solid sharpness and pleasing colour fringing at a very competitive price. This lens is now discontinued, but it can still be found on the used market.

Superzoom lenses offer the ultimate in versatility, providing a wide range of focal lengths that can cover most shooting situations. They are a great choice for photographers who want to travel light and don't want to carry multiple lenses. While they may not offer the same sharpness as more specialized lenses, modern superzooms deliver impressive image quality and performance.

Macro lenses for close-ups

Macro lenses are used for macro photography, which is the art of making small objects look life-size or larger. They can render tiny objects with incredible detail that is not possible with the naked eye or a standard lens.

A macro lens has the ability to focus from infinity to 1:1 magnification, meaning that the size of the image in real life is the same size as it is reproduced on the sensor. The magnification ratio tells you how the image projected on the camera's sensor compares with the subject's actual size. For example, a lens with a 1:2 ratio can project an image on its sensor up to half the size of the subject, while a lens with a 5:1 ratio can project an image five times the size of the subject.

Macro lenses are capable of achieving tack-sharp focus on minuscule details. They also allow for closer focusing distances than normal lenses and often require you to get very close to your subject. The longer the focal length, the further you can be from your subject and still achieve the effect of extreme closeness. Smaller focal lengths allow for very close working distances while maintaining easy focus acquisition.

Macro lenses are available in a wide variety of price points. You can expect to spend anywhere from $300 to $1,500 or more to purchase a macro lens.

Some of the best macro lenses include:

• Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x Macro Lens
• Nikon 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED AF-S VR Micro Lens
• Sigma 70mm f/2.8 DG Macro Art Lens for Sony E Mount

Frequently asked questions