Six super-telephoto lenses that make wildlife photography a walk in the park

Are you ready to get back out into nature so you can capture all of the wonderful wildlife that surrounds you? If you answered yes, but you’re short a super-telephoto lens, well, you’re in luck. We’ve rounded up the best super-telephoto lenses for each system to help you decide which is the right one for you.

All of the super-telephoto lenses listed below are spectacular. I have used them all and have nothing but good things to say about them. They truly are the best super-telephoto lenses on the market that cost below $2,000. If you’re looking for top optics, great autofocus performance and more, check out the list below. I promise you. These lenses make wildlife photography easy.

Fujifilm XF100-400 f/4-5.6 R LM OIS WR — Big name, big results

Fujifilm primes lenses are fantastic. Fortunately, the level of quality and workmanship made their way into the Fujifilm XF100-400mm f/4-5.6 super-telephoto lens. On Fujifilm’s APS-C cameras, this lens has an equivalent focal range of 152-609mm. There are 21 elements in 14 groups. This includes 5 extra-low dispersion elements and 1 super extra-low dispersion element. All of this is to say that this is a premium lens with premium optics that can produce premium results.

Like others in this list, the Fujifilm 100-400mm is weather-sealed to the nines. This lens can be used in the wind, snow and rain, and will still work in temps as low as 14°F (10°C). Five stops of optical image stabilization help maintain steady focus. Two fast and accurate linear autofocus motors help track subjects. The lens can also be used with the 1.4x Fujifilm teleconverter. If you need maximum reach on your X mount camera, check out this option.

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Olympus 100-400mm f/5-6.3 IS

A lens that I use often to capture images of birds in flight or Bison roaming around the open range. The Olympus 100-400mm f/5-6.3 is as good as telephoto lenses come. With an equivalent focal length of 200-800mm on micro four-thirds cameras, this lens can help put you right into the thick of the action. In our review, Bryan said:

“During my time using the Olympus 100-400mm, I was pretty impressed with what it could do. Focusing was pretty fast and, for the most part, spot on. It was able to keep up with burst shooting (as long as I could follow my subject’s movements). Images were crisp and of great quality.”

Bryan Esler, Managing Editor

Weighing just 2.46lbs, this lens will not bog you down. The lens also has a weather sealing rating of IPX1, which means it can withstand rain for extended periods. Autofocus is brisk, and the built-in image stabilization makes it super easy to use, even at 800mm equivalent focal lengths. It can also be used with Olympus teleconverters. The Olympus 2x teleconverter will give you an equivalent focal length of 1600mm! It’s one of the best super-telephoto lenses for the M4/3 platform.

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Canon RF 600mm f/11 and RF 800mm f/11IS STM

Many people scoffed at both the Canon RF 600mm f/11 and the RF 800mm f/11 prime lenses at launch. ‘There’s no way you can use lenses like this with such small apertures‘. Boohoo! What rubbish! Get off your high f-stop horses. So, I’m here to tell you that these two lenses are both pretty spectacular. Not only do these lenses offer incredible reach, but they’re also super affordable, and they have image stabilization.

The aperture is fixed at f/11. There’s nothing more and nothing less. The high ISO capabilities of Canon’s RF cameras make this a moot point, though. The optics in these wallet-friendly super-telephoto lenses are excellent. I took them to capture wild Elk in Arkansas and had no problems creating spectacular images in the morning light. Autofocus is plenty fast enough, and the lenses are nice and light. However, there’s no weather sealing. Still, at prices as low as these sell for, that’s OK. Super-telephoto lenses for masses. Count us in.

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Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sport — A workhorse super-telephoto lens

The Sigma 150-600mm DG DN Sport is one of the best mirrorless super-telephoto lenses. Period. Yes, it’s weighty at 4.5lbs, but it’s expertly designed. When in use, the lens feels much lighter than it is. I reviewed the L mount version and said:

“I don’t believe I have ever used a super-telephoto lens that’s as sharp as the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports. The levels of sharpness are off the charts. Sharpness doesn’t even fall off at 600mm, which happens with many zoom lenses.”

Brett Day, Gear Editor

Seriously, the optics are stunning. The optical stabilization is off the charts good. Your images will be razor-sharp. Autofocus, even on Panasonic Lumix full-frame cameras is top-notch. The weather sealing is great too. I took it to a motocross track where mud and water were flying around everywhere and this lens never flinched. It’s a stunner. If you love sports and/or wildlife photography and you want all the reach, this could be the lens for you. It comes in both L mount and Sony E mount flavors.

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Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 Di III VXD — An affordable super-telephoto lens for E mount

Tamron and Sigma went head to head with their 150-600mm lenses for DSLRs, now they’re doing the super-telephoto lens dance again. However, this time, Tamron decided to shake things up a bit. Their 150-500mm f/5-6.7 Di III VXD might be 100m shorter than the Sigma offering, but it’s no less spectacular in the image quality department. In our review, Bryan said:

“If you shoot a lot of wildlife, definitely give the Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7 a try. I was impressed with its fast, accurate autofocus, sharp images and little to no distortion.”

Bryan Esler, Managing Editor

For the price, this lens performs like a rock star. You’ll get everything from super sharp images to nice bokeh and gorgeous colors to fast autofocus performance. It’s a killer lens for Sony’s E mount cameras. The lens is just 8.3 inches long and weighs just 3.8lbs, which is much lighter than other super-telephoto lenses. The lens is also fully weather-sealed. If you don’t want to break the bank, check out this option from Tamron.

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Sony 200-600mm f/5-6.3 G OSS — Sony’s super-telephoto lens is a stunner

Sony shooters are spoiled for choice when it comes to super-telephoto lenses. On top of offerings from Sigma and Tamron, they also have a first-party option to choose from. and wow is it pretty special. It’s another hefty lens at 4.65lbs, but Sony, like Sigma, managed to find a way to make this lens feel great in the hand. Even after long use I never tired.

Paired up with Sony’s cameras, wildlife photography, birding, and sports photography are a breeze. Using Sony’s advanced autofocus systems with this lens almost made me feel like I was cheating. I rarely missed a shot. This is also thanks to the speedy autofocus motors in the lens. As you would expect, the optics and optical stabilization deliver brilliant results. The Sony 200-600mm is also fully weather-sealed. It’s pricey, but well worth the cost of entry if you dabble in any of the genres listed above.

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