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.

---

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

---

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

Indonesian villager Octavius wades through the forest in rubber boots and tattered joggers, ears pricked, eyes peeled, a telephoto lens on his phone primed to capture orangutans, monkeys or birds.

From Barron's ● Sep. 17, 2026

It’s hard to imagine a riskier trek, but he managed to pull it off, traveling through cities and towns with a telephoto lens.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 14, 2025

Sporting a telephoto lens with her camera, Philbin now can identify individual whales from their fins and tails and is second to Muul in sorting sighting tips and sending alerts.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 28, 2023

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

Somebody was leaning through the driver’s-side window, aiming a telephoto lens at us.

From "Burning Blue" by Paul Griffin