Telephoto Camera Lenses

What You Need to Know About Camcorder Telephoto Lenses

Video lenses for your camcorder can allow you to capture a variety of shots and video for your next project. There are many different styles and features to consider when choosing a telephoto lens. Here are some questions that may come up during the selection process.

What is a telephoto lens?

A telephoto lens allows you to record subjects from far away and also to magnify subjects. This style of lens generally has a focal length of 60mm or more. Some telephoto lenses can also be classified as zoom lenses.

What types of telephoto camcorder lenses are available?
  • Short: This type of lens has a focal length of 85mm to 135mm. Short types are used for close to medium working-range shots.
  • Medium: This style uses a focal length of 135mm up to 300mm. The working distance for this style is medium to far.
  • Super: This category includes lenses that have a focal length of 300mm or higher. The working distance for this type ranges from far to very far. This type of telephoto lens is useful for photographing subjects from a distance, such as wildlife. It can also come in handy for getting close-ups at sporting events.
How do you select a telephoto camcorder lens?
  • Choose a brand: You can choose from lens brands that are from the same manufacturer as your camcorder. Other branded and unbranded models that are compatible with your camcorder are also available.
  • Choose a focal length: This will determine how close you will need to be in order to record video. Some lenses have a fixed focal length, while others allow you to increase or decrease the focal length with a zoom feature.
  • Select a focus type: You can choose from auto/manual, manual, auto, and fixed focus types.
What are the different parts of a telephoto lens?
  • Optical lens: This component is located on the front of the lens. It is typically made of glass and focuses the light that goes into the camcorder.
  • Focusing ring: This component is located on the outside of the lens. You rotate this ring to focus the image.
  • Aperture ring: This ring allows you to adjust the amount of light that can enter the camera body. It works by opening and closing the aperture.
  • Lens mount: The mount is a metal area of the lens. It is designed to fit a particular brand or model of camera.
  • Filter threads: These threads are located on the front of the lens and allow filters and other types of accessories to be attached to them.
What types of focuses are available?
  • Auto and manual: This type of focus allows the computer to use sensors to focus the image. You can also use a setting that lets you manually adjust the focus.
  • Fixed: This type of focus is preset and cannot be adjusted.