What is a Telephoto Lens?
The telephoto lens is a very popular and powerful optic used by both amateur and professional photographers. This type of lens has a long reach that magnifies far away subjects. From photographing distant mountains to capturing the architectural details of skyscrapers a telephoto lens goes far beyond your standard zoom lenses.
There are few key characteristics that define telephoto. Your standard lens has a focal length of 60mm or longer. Longer focal lengths will increase magnification and narrow the angle of view. A 60mm lens has 2x the optic magnification and is best for photographing portraits, sports, and wildlife. There also exists a medium telephoto lens ranging from 70-200mm and a super telephoto lens which includes any lens with a focal length above 300mm. Which focal length to use is dependent on the level of magnification and field of view you want to achieve.