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Lens Types: Telephoto and Super Telephoto

Lenses with a focal length of 80mm or more are generally called telephoto lenses, while lenses 400mm or more are called super telephoto lenses. Telephoto lenses are best known for having three effects: a "pull-in effect," with which they magnify a distant subject, a "compression effect," with which they compress the perspective, and a "soft-focus effect," in which their shallow depth of field makes the subject more prominent. When combined, these effects create a high-impact image.

Photographs taken with a telephoto lens are characterized by a pull-in effect, which magnifies distant subjects to bring them right up close, a compression effect, which eliminates the feeling of perspective, and a soft-focus effect, in which the extremely shallow depth of field makes the subject more prominent.

Magnified, pulled in distant subject	Compressed perspective	Dramatic soft-focus

Since telephoto lenses from 80mm to 300mm are relatively easy to handle, they can be used for various types of photography - from portraits to scenery to wild animals.

80mm		200mm

Called mid-range telephoto lenses, the unique softfocus backgrounds produced by these lenses make them popular for portrait photography.		These lenses produce an especially dynamic soft-focus effect. The background is highly blurred, which isolates and pulls in the subject.

Super telephoto lenses dramatically magnify and pull in distant subjects. Often used for sports and wild animal photography, the extremely soft backgrounds created by these lenses also make them useful in portrait photography.

400mm		600mm

The compression effect eliminates perspective and creates a bond among the subjects.		Super telephoto lenses are useful when the photographer cannot get close to a subject. They capture expressions unseen by the naked eye, that are often gone in an instant.