telephoto lens

American  

noun

Photography.

1. a lens constructed so as to produce a relatively large image with a focal length shorter than that required by an ordinary lens producing an image of the same size: used to photograph small or distant objects.

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telephoto lens British  

/ ˈtɛlɪˌfəʊtəʊ /

noun

1. a compound camera lens in which the focal length is greater than that of a simple lens of the same dimensions and thus produces a magnified image of a distant object See also zoom lens

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Etymology

Origin of telephoto lens

First recorded in 1940–45

Compare meaning

How does telephoto-lens compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• telephoto lens vs. wide-angle
• telephoto lens vs. zoom lens

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

telephoto lens

Its single rear camera lacks the telephoto lens of the Pro models and the ultrawide lens in the entry-level iPhone 17, which costs $200 less.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 8, 2025

Sometimes she was using a short lens when she should have been using a telephoto lens and vice versa.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 16, 2024

As I didn't want to risk disturbing the potoo into flight, I photographed it with a long telephoto lens.

From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2023

If the rumor mill pans out, this year’s iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max may feature a periscope-style telephoto lens that will improve the quality of photos taken from far distances.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 12, 2023

Since you couldn’t use a telephoto lens underwater, he’d probably zoomed in and cropped the shot tighter.

From "Shooting Kabul" by N. H. Senzai