Kit guide
A telephoto starter kit
A telephoto zoom brings distant subjects close. Here is the lightest one for each system that reaches at least 300 mm equivalent, its weight with the camera, and what it frames at 20 metres.
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Canon RF
645 g ready to shoot
Canon EOS R50 + Canon RF-S55-210mm F5-7.1 IS STM
reaches 336 mm equivalent · 645 g with the camera · 55 mm filter
Drawn beside it: the RF-S18-45mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM, 130 g more; the bag then weighs 775 g.
Sony E
748 g ready to shoot
Sony a6400 + Sony E 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 OSS
reaches 315 mm equivalent · 748 g with the camera · 49 mm filter
Drawn beside it: the E PZ 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OSS II, 107 g more; the bag then weighs 855 g.
Nikon Z
955 g ready to shoot
Nikon Z50II + Nikon NIKKOR Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR
reaches 375 mm equivalent · 955 g with the camera · 62 mm filter
Drawn beside it: the NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR, 135 g more; the bag then weighs 1,090 g.
Fujifilm X
813 g ready to shoot
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujifilm XC50-230mmF4.5-6.7 OIS II
reaches 345 mm equivalent · 813 g with the camera · 58 mm filter
Drawn beside it: the XF16-50mmF2.8-4.8 R LM WR, 240 g more; the bag then weighs 1,053 g.
Reach in numbers
At its longest, each pick frames a patch of scene about this size at 20 metres:
- Canon EOS R50 with the RF-S55-210mm F5-7.1 IS STM at 210 mm: 2.1 × 1.4 m at 20 m
- Sony a6400 with the E 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 OSS at 210 mm: 2.2 × 1.5 m at 20 m
- Nikon Z50II with the NIKKOR Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR at 250 mm: 1.9 × 1.3 m at 20 m
- Fujifilm X-T50 with the XC50-230mmF4.5-6.7 OIS II at 230 mm: 2 × 1.4 m at 20 m
The APS-C sensor helps here: a 250 mm lens frames like 375 mm on Sony, Nikon or Fujifilm and 400 mm on Canon. For birds and sport, makers' longer lenses reach 600 mm and more, at a kilogram or two; their pages are linked from each camera's lens list.
Keep the picture sharp
At long focal lengths any shake shows. A stabilised lens, or a camera with in-body stabilisation, lets you hand-hold at slower speeds; without either, use a shutter speed of at least one over the equivalent focal length (1/400 s at 400 mm equivalent). Moving subjects need faster speeds whatever the stabilisation.
Keep the standard zoom
A telephoto cannot step back. Carry the kit zoom too, for the wider scene around the subject; the kit below includes it.
Build your own kit · Lenses by subject
Facts from the makers' specification pages. How we check