Best telephoto lens on Reddit

153 reviews from r/Nikon, r/SonyAlpha, r/canon and 15 more subreddits

153 reviews from
and
By Brand
/
By Product
#1

Canon

4.4
(37)
"RF 100-400."
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"Is a fantastic lens for birds and wildlife."
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"It’s a great travel lens as it’s lightweight and relatively small, which suits me as I travel mostly on a motorbike."
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"RF 1200 f/8 IS USM."
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"The RF100-400 lens is outstanding for wildlife photography."
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"This lens is perfect for capturing distant subjects with clarity and detail."
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"Rf 100-400."
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"You can get one used for under $1000."
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"The EF-M 55-200mm is better than the EF 55-250, way smaller, lighter, no adapter and even better picture quality."
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"Very hard to go wrong here."
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#2

Nikon

4.2
(36)
"The 400 + 1.4 on a z8 would be very comfortable as a walk-around bird combo."
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"I use a z8 / 400 4.5 for sports and I love it. The combo is so lightweight and mobile."
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"The 500mm PF is an amazing lens that works great with the FTZ."
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"The Z8 / 400 f4.5 is a superb combination, lighter than the 70-200, and performs excellently with the 1.4 TC."
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"Reasonable reach that’s not too large, not too heavy, not too expensive. Oh, and it has VR."
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"The Z6 II is undeniably way better than the D3200."
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"The 500pf lens is much better than the 200-500, with faster focusing and great performance on Z mount."
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"The 500pf is an incredible lens, and if you can afford it there's basically no reason to consider the 200-500."
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"At 800mm you start to run into the problem of occasionally having too much zoom for large animals, but it's probably the best lens for birding that has ever existed."
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"The PF lens is sharper for cropping with the D850, providing better color and AF performance."
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#3

Tamron

4.1
(24)
"It's an excellent lens. I use mine when I don't want to haul around my 800. And you can't beat Tamron's 6 year warranty."
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"I have a converted Tamron SP 150-600 on my M50 that is used almost exclusively for birding and wildlife."
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"The Tamron 70-300 Z mount is very lightweight and I was very happy with it during my trip."
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"It's a compact zoom that is easy to carry around."
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"The Tamron 150-500 is a good lens for cheaper as well that could be a good intro lens for less financial commitment and is smaller than the 180-600."
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"As a press photographer I would recommend something like a 18-250 lens."
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"I'm leaning towards Tamron 50-300mm as it seems to tick most boxes."
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"If you don’t care about the option of a teleconverter and want to save some $ and weight/a little size, then the Tamron 50-400 is also an option."
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"What about 70-180 2nd generation?"
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"The 50-300mm is much more convenient to carry around."
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#4

Sigma

4.2
(10)
"A very solid choice, probably the cheapest option for a very good reach and good quality glass."
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"The extra range at the lower end means there’s a lot more flexibility when you’re out in nature."
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"The Sigma 100-400 is also an option if you want to save some $ and weight."
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"Try the sigma ef-m 56mm."
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"The Sigma 100-400 is compact and lightweight, making it easy to handle."
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"And sometimes the Sigma EF 100-400 DG OC HSM Contemporary lens as well."
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"Excellent lens with top image quality, but bulkier than Nikon."
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"The Sigma 100-400 is pretty small for what you get."
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"The Sigma is cheaper, but finding the Sony for $1600-1800 used is totally possible."
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"The Sigma 150-600 is a good lens but feels cumbersome compared to the Sony."
#5

Sony

4.2
(10)
"The Sony 100-400 GM is great and you can also plop on a 1.4X teleconverter if you need more reach for wildlife."
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"I've definitely used the 100-400 a lot outdoors."
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"Personally I’ll go for Sony always"
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"The Sony 200-600 is compact, has great weather sealing, and offers a smooth zoom experience."
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"The G2 has macro capabilities and accepts teleconverters. That might be enough to justify it."
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"It's a good performer, it takes teleconverters, and it's come down in price on the used market."
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"OSS counteracts your hand shake, but you'll still need a fast shutter speed for fast-moving subjects like birds."
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"The big selling point of the Sony is ergonomics, and it’s not even a minor point here."
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"It's the entry level telephoto zoom for Sony’s APS-C cameras, available in both black and silver."
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"Manually focusing a lens at 300mm on a bird, handheld, seems like an exercise in frustration."
#6

Panasonic

4.3
(9)
"What about the panny 14-140? This is the perfect combo with my GX85."
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"The 14-140mm lens is versatile and performs well in various conditions, including low light."
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"I love my 14-140mm, but if you already have the 12-60, add the 100-300. There's very little those 2 can't do for you."
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"Is super sharp with great colors when used between f/5.6 - f/8."
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"Both the 40-150R and the PL 100-400 would fit your description."
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"It's a great lens for the price."
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"The 100-300mm lens is excellent for wildlife photography, but not ideal for indoor use."
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"The 12-60mm lens is great for general use, but swapping lenses can be a hassle."
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"I'd go with the 100-300mm."
#7

Olympus

4.1
(9)
"If you can afford it, the OM Zuiko 180/2.8 is an excellent lens."
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"Both the 40-150R and the PL 100-400 would fit your description."
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"Is far better than it should be."
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"The first one will allow for a better FL coverage and has an impressive quality/price value."
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"The OM Zuiko 300/4.5 is a great option for long-distance shots."
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"The OM Zuiko 200/4 offers great performance for its price."
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"The OM Zuiko 135/2.8 is a solid choice for sports photography."
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"Being able to select focal length is not only useful but very fun."
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"Is good."
#8

N/A

4.3
(3)
"If price is not a concern and you know you would enjoy it, get the 600mm."
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"The 400mm would be much more portable, though."
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"150 to 600 or 500mm"
#9

Minolta

4.0
(3)
"For a long prime without bankruptcy, see if you can find an MC/MD Rokker (Minolta) 135mm f/2.8 Version marked PF."
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"Minolta 135mm lenses are affordable and can be found at reasonable prices."
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"Not too expensive and not too heavy"
#10

Sony 200-600mm

5.0
(1)
"I can vouch for the Sony 200-600"
#11

Apple

5.0
(1)
"Regular iPhone 15 also has 2x telephoto."
#12

Camera

5.0
(1)
"The long lens is an indispensable feature compared to a phone."
#13

Fujifilm

5.0
(1)
"The 70-300 lens has excellent image stabilization and is great for bird photography."
#14

Pentax

5.0
(1)
"It is sharp as hell."
#15

Nikon 300mm PF

4.0
(1)
"I would buy a used 300 pf and 1.4 TC .. that’s a pretty tiny lens for a telephoto if you don’t mind a prime."
#16

Nikon 80-400mm

4.0
(1)
"A used Nikon F 80-400 - 1,470g without the foot, and 96mm long."
#17

Beastgrip

4.0
(1)
"Beastgrip have one of the best, but it is not cheap."
#18

MD

4.0
(1)
"An MD Zoom 70-210 f/4 is versatile and a very good zoom lens."
#19

Fuji

4.0
(1)
"Consider second-hand options for better value."
#20

APO Rolleinar

4.0
(1)
"The APO Rolleinar 70-210 QBM zoom is highly recommended for those who don't mind manual focus."
#21

Moment

3.0
(1)
"Moment has a tele lens that isn't terrible but you'll need a case."

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