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What is the Best Wildlife Photography Lens?

What is the Best Wildlife Photography Lens image

Photo courtesy of Exposure Tours 

Whether you are a beginner or a pro, owning the right wildlife photography gear is essential, and it all starts with your camera body and lenses. While equipment isn’t the only thing that matters, having the right lenses makes shooting easier, delivers greater results, and frees you up to concentrate on other core elements of wildlife photography, like composition and focus. 

This lens guide will teach you the best focal lengths for wildlife photography and will cover everything from budget-friendly 70-200mm zoom lenses to high-end 800mm prime lenses. We’ll share the benefits of each one and recommend our favorite wildlife photography lenses within each focal range.

Something to note is that all the lenses highlighted in this article are for mirrorless cameras. However, plenty of excellent options exist if you shoot with a DSLR. All you have to do is decide on your preferred focal length and choose from one of the many DSLR lenses that match your camera system.

Additionally, we’ve included some tips for wildlife photography, such as going on a wildlife photography tour. With that in mind, it’s time to help you find the perfect wildlife photography lens for your needs and budget! 

Check out the video above by Camera Zone to learn how to choose the best lens for wildlife photography. 

Table of Contents

A Good Wildlife Photography Lens

 Sony FE 70 200mm image

Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II

An effective and affordable wildlife photography lens is the 70-200mm. While it doesn’t provide as much reach as longer telephoto lenses, it’s a wonderful choice for beginners. Just be aware that you won’t be able to crop your images as tightly during shooting. You can still zoom and crop in post-production, though.  

70-200mm lenses are also much smaller and lighter than other wildlife photography lenses, making them easier to carry and more preferred for traveling. Finally, this focal range is extremely versatile. Besides wildlife photography, it excels at street, landscape, and portrait photography. 

Here is a list of the top 70-200mm zoom lenses for wildlife photography. We have included options for all of the most popular lens mounts. 

A Better Wildlife Photography Lens

Nikon Nikkor Z 400mm image

Nikon Nikkor Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S 

Once you start getting a little more serious as a wildlife photographer, you can upgrade to a lens between 200mm and 400mm. A wildlife photography lens with this focal length has significantly more reach, allowing you to capture better images of animals from further away. They are also good for sports and architecture photography.   

You can find these telephoto lenses as both zoom and prime lenses. Zoom lenses are more flexible, but prime lenses typically offer superior sharpness and a higher maximum aperture. It’s up to you to decide which is more important for you. 

Here is a list of the top 200mm to 400mm lenses for wildlife photography. We have included options for all of the most popular lens mounts. 

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The Best Wildlife Photography Lens

Canon RF 800mm image

Canon RF 800mm f/5.6 L IS USM

Lastly, the best wildlife photography lenses are those over 400mm. With one of these powerful lenses, you can make animals hundreds of feet away appear as if they are only a hand-length away. Wow! Even if you have a camera with in-body image stabilization, we recommend getting a lens with optical image stabilization. Because at this length, camera shake is inevitable. 

A wildlife photography lens boasting over 400mm of reach is usually a luxury lens (especially the primes) reserved for professional photographers. That’s because they are heavy, bulky, and extremely expensive. Nevertheless, if you can afford it, their image quality is unbeatable. 

Here is a list of the top telephoto lenses over 400mm for wildlife photography. We have included options for all of the most popular lens mounts. 

How to Capture Stunning Wildlife Images

How to Capture Stunning Wildlife Images image

Photo courtesy of Exposure Tours

Remember, gear is only a part of the equation necessary for taking great wildlife photos. You also need the skills. Lucky for you, a fun and easy way to enhance your wildlife photography skills and capture extraordinary photos exists—joining a wildlife photography tour. One company we highly recommend is Exposure Tours!

They are an experienced tour operator with over 30 years of experience running photography expeditions across Africa. Their director of photography (and our close friend), Bryan Pereira, is an award-winning photographer. Furthermore, their tour director, Simon Ball, has a degree in zoology and has worked as a professional guide in Africa for 10+ years. 

How to Capture Stunning Wildlife Images 2 image

Photo courtesy of Exposure Tours 

On top of that, their trips are unlike those of other companies, thanks to their small group sizes and one-on-one instruction. Their photo tours have a maximum capacity of six people, and only two people travel in each safari truck, providing you with better visibility and a more comfortable experience. Plus, the professional guides provide every guest with personalized feedback. What’s not to like?!

Here are some of the spectacular trips Exposure Tours offers: 

There is no substitute for getting experience in the field, and if you’re in Africa, Exposure Tours will get you the up-close-and-personal experience you desire with incredible wildlife!

Heads up: Clicking on our affiliate links and exploring our sponsored content helps us at no extra cost to you, and we only recommend gear we're absolutely crazy about!

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