Supertele

Supertele, short for super telephoto lens, is a category of long-focal-length photographic lenses designed to produce very narrow angles of view and high magnification. In practice, supertele lenses refer to focal lengths roughly 300 mm and longer, with many professional models extending to 400–600 mm and beyond. The term is used across brands to describe both prime and zoom designs, including common 300–600 mm zooms and fixed-length 400, 500, 600, or 800 mm primes.

Key characteristics include large physical size, substantial weight, and significant cost. Optical designs prioritize sharpness across the frame, with corrections for chromatic aberration and other distortions. Most modern supertele lenses incorporate image stabilization and weather sealing, and many support fast autofocus. Teleconverters can extend reach, though with a reduction in light and potential AF performance changes, depending on the system.

Common uses are wildlife and bird photography, as well as sports and other distant subjects where proximity is impractical or impossible. The long focal length provides subject isolation and background compression, enabling dramatic separation between foreground and background. Limitations include bulk and cost, the need for stable support (tripod or monopod), and reduced working distance flexibility in crowded or dynamic environments. DoF is very shallow at long focal lengths and wide apertures, demanding careful focusing and often high shutter speeds in bright conditions.

Market presence encompasses major camera brands and third-party manufacturers, offering both fixed and zoom superteles in various mounts for DSLR and mirrorless systems. Prices and availability vary by specification, build quality, and optical performance.