10 best telephoto lenses in 2026 (245+ compared)

Leading the Canon telephoto lineup is Canon EF 70 200mm F 2 8L IS II USM, delivering an overall score of 7.75 points, compatibility with Canon EF cameras, a telephoto zoom design, and retailing for around £970.

The Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM is a professional-grade telephoto zoom lens featuring a fast constant f/2.8 aperture and a robust weather-sealed magnesium alloy construction. Its optical design incorporates five UD elements and one fluorite element to minimize aberrations, while the ring-type Ultrasonic Motor (USM) ensures rapid, silent autofocus.

Best value alternative: Canon EF-S 18 135mm F 3 5 5 6 IS STM, with an overall score of 6.16 points, compatibility with Canon EF-S cameras, a zoom design, and a price of around £170.

See our complete best Canon lenses guide for in-depth comparisons and alternatives.

Ranking first among Olympus telephoto models is Olympus M.Zuiko ED 40 150mm F 2 8 Pro, with an overall score of 7.77 points, compatibility with Micro Four Thirds cameras, a telephoto zoom design, and available for around £960.

The Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO is a professional-grade telephoto zoom for Micro Four Thirds, offering an 80-300mm full-frame equivalent focal range with a constant f/2.8 maximum aperture. Key characteristics include a robust, IP53-rated weather-sealed metal construction, an internal zooming mechanism that maintains lens length, and a Dual VCM autofocus system for high-speed tracking.

Best value alternative: Olympus Zuiko ED 50 200mm F 2 8 3 5 SWD, with an overall score of 6.79 points, compatibility with Four Thirds cameras, a telephoto zoom design, and a price of around £240.

Topping the Pentax telephoto selection is Pentax D FA 70 200mm F2 8 ED DC AW, earning an overall score of 7.42 points, compatibility with Pentax K cameras, a telephoto zoom design, and costing around £1670.

The Pentax HD PENTAX-D FA* 70-200mm f/2.8 ED DC AW is a high-performance, weather-sealed Star-series telephoto zoom lens engineered for full-frame and APS-C K-mount DSLRs. Its optical structure features 19 elements in 16 groups, including extra-low dispersion (ED) glass and rounded 9-blade diaphragm, delivering a constant f/2.8 maximum aperture, a minimum focusing distance of 1.2 metres, and advanced Aero Bright and HD coatings to prevent flare and ghosting.

Best value alternative: Pentax SMC DA 50 135mm F2 8 ED IF SDM, with an overall score of 6.76 points, compatibility with Pentax K cameras, a telephoto zoom design, and a price of around £380.

The best Samyang telephoto lens is Samyang AF 135mm F 1 8 FE, with an overall score of 7.93 points, compatibility with Sony E cameras, a prime design, and a price of around £590.

The Samyang AF 135mm f/1.8 FE is a high-performance telephoto prime lens designed for Sony E-mount mirrorless cameras, featuring an optical construction of 13 elements in 11 groups, including extra-low dispersion and aspherical elements. Its main characteristics include a fast f/1.8 maximum aperture for shallow depth of field, an 11-blade diaphragm for smooth bokeh, a Linear STM motor for quiet autofocus, and a dedicated Astro-focus mode for astrophotography.

Runner-up: Samyang 135mm F 2 0 ED UMC, with an overall score of 6.88 points, compatibility with Canon EF-M, Canon EF, Nikon F, Fujifilm X, Sony A, Sony E, Micro Four Thirds, Pentax K, Samsung NX cameras, a telephoto prime design, and a price of around £410.

Our top-rated Fujifilm telephoto lens is Fujifilm XF 200mm F 2 R LM OIS WR, achieving an overall score of 7.72 points, compatibility with Fujifilm X cameras, a prime design, and priced around £4050.

The Fujifilm XF 200mm f/2 R LM OIS WR is a pro-grade super-telephoto prime lens offering a 305mm full-frame equivalent focal length, constructed with 19 elements in 14 groups including one Super ED and two ED elements, and featuring 5-stop optical image stabilisation along with a fast linear autofocus motor. Its primary characteristics include an exceptionally bright f/2 maximum aperture, 17-point magnesium-alloy weather sealing operational down to -10°C, and a bundled 1.4x teleconverter that extends reach to 427mm equivalent at f/2.8.

Best value alternative: Fujifilm FUJINON XF 18 135mm F 3 5 5 6 R LM OIS WR, with an overall score of 6.93 points, compatibility with Fujifilm X cameras, a zoom design, and a price of around £660.

The best Nikon telephoto lens is Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70 200mm F 2 8E FL ED VR, with an overall score of 8.11 points, compatibility with Nikon F cameras, a telephoto zoom design, and a price of around £1760.

The Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR is a professional-grade telephoto zoom featuring an advanced optical construction of 22 elements in 18 groups, including one fluorite (FL), one high-refractive index (HRI), and six extra-low dispersion (ED) elements with Nano Crystal Coat. It delivers a constant f/2.8 aperture, 4 stops of Vibration Reduction with Sport Mode, and a specialized electromagnetic diaphragm for consistent high-speed bursts.

Best value alternative: Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70 200mm F 4G ED VR, with an overall score of 7.72 points, compatibility with Nikon F cameras, a telephoto zoom design, and a price of around £490.

Explore our dedicated best Nikon lenses guide for full model rankings.

Ranking first among Panasonic Lumix telephoto models is Panasonic LUMIX S Pro 70 200mm F 2 8 OIS, with an overall score of 8.05 points, compatibility with L-Mount cameras, a telephoto zoom design, and available for around £1670.

The Panasonic Lumix S Pro 70-200mm f/2.8 O.I.S. is a professional L-mount telephoto zoom featuring a constant f/2.8 maximum aperture and a complex optical design of 22 elements in 17 groups, including one aspherical, three extra-low dispersion (ED), and two ultra extra-low dispersion (UED) elements. It is distinguished by a double focus system that combines linear and stepping motors for rapid autofocus, an 11-blade circular diaphragm for smooth bokeh, and a rugged, weather-sealed construction that is dust, splash, and freeze-resistant down to -10°C.

Best value alternative: Panasonic LUMIX G Vario 45 150mm F 4 5 6 ASPH MEGA OIS, with an overall score of 6.22 points, compatibility with Micro Four Thirds cameras, a telephoto zoom design, and a price of around £180.

Browse our dedicated best Panasonic Lumix lenses guide to compare all evaluated models.

Topping the Sigma telephoto selection is Sigma 70 200mm F2 8 DG DN OS Sports, earning an overall score of 8.43 points, compatibility with Sony E, L-Mount cameras, a telephoto zoom design, and costing around £1500.

The Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG DN OS Sports is a professional-grade telephoto zoom lens engineered for full-frame mirrorless cameras, featuring a robust multi-material magnesium alloy barrel with a weather-sealed internal zooming mechanism and a 77mm filter thread. Its advanced optical layout includes 20 elements in 15 groups—incorporating 6 FLD, 2 SLD, and 3 aspherical elements alongside an 11-blade rounded aperture—to deliver exceptional cross-frame sharpness and clean bokeh.

Best value alternative: Sigma APO 50 150mm F2 8 EX DC OS HSM, with an overall score of 7.16 points, compatibility with Canon EF, Nikon F, Sigma SA cameras, a zoom design, and a price of around £290.

Leading the Tamron telephoto lineup is Tamron SP 70 200mm F 2 8 Di VC USD G2, delivering an overall score of 8.29 points, compatibility with Canon EF, Nikon F cameras, a telephoto zoom design, and retailing for around £1230.

The Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 is a high-performance telephoto zoom lens featuring a fast f/2.8 constant aperture, a sophisticated optical construction of 23 elements in 17 groups, and a 5-stop CIPA-rated Vibration Compensation (VC) system. It excels with its dual MPU design for rapid autofocus, a short 0.95m minimum focus distance, and a robust, moisture-resistant build with fluorine coating.

Best value alternative: Tamron 16 300mm F 3 5 6 3 Di II VC PZD Macro, with an overall score of 6.66 points, compatibility with Canon EF, Nikon F, Sony A cameras, a macro design, and a price of around £230.