| Long lenses | | | | elements in the scene, it will allow him or her to |
| Telephoto lens settings allow you to fill the frame | | | | tackle these subjects in a refreshing way. The |
| with distant subjects. But the ideal maximum focal | | | | way in which a telephoto lens can seem to |
| length to take with you will depend on your | | | | compress elements in the composition, or throw |
| holiday plans | | | | backgrounds so convincingly out of focus, can |
| The main purpose of telephoto lens settings is | | | | often be more beneficial than its narrow angle of |
| that they allow you to get 'closer' to a subject | | | | view |
| without having to move your feet, magnifying the | | | | The exact length of lens required will depend on |
| image in comparison with shorter lenses. They are | | | | the subjects you find at your destination. The |
| essential in situations where it is impossible or | | | | further away you are, and the smaller your |
| unwise to move within a certain distance of the | | | | subject, the longer the lens you will need. On a |
| subject. But whilst the use of long telephotos with | | | | safari you will benefit from the magnification of a |
| sport and wildlife subjects is usually essential, | | | | 400mm, whilst shooting surfers from the beach |
| most subjects will occasionally benefit from the | | | | you may need an 800mm. Such extreme focal |
| use of a more extensive zoom. | | | | lengths are not often found on zooms, requiring |
| A short telephoto lens (with a focal length 70mm | | | | you to buy a bulky additional lens (or use a |
| to 135mm, say) is often the best lens for | | | | teleconverter). Zooms for SLRs, however, are |
| close-up portraits, as it tends to flatten the | | | | widely available with a maximum focal length of |
| features in a flattering way. Longer settings (from | | | | 300mm - capable of dealing with most subjects, |
| 200mm to 300mm) can be useful for candid | | | | including action and nature. |
| shots - letting you capture shots of local people, | | | | Avoiding undue disturbance |
| or of family and friends, without their becoming | | | | Even if the people you meet on your travels do |
| camera conscious. | | | | not object to being photographed, a long |
| Even with subjects such as architecture and | | | | telephoto lens will allow you take their picture |
| landscape, where the wide-angle is often the lens | | | | without invading their personal space. By taking |
| of choice, a long telephoto will not only allow the | | | | pictures from of locals from afar, you don't need |
| photographer to pick out details and individual | | | | to ask their permission or disturb their work. |