Read more about cookies
Buyer's Advice

Which Telephoto Lenses are Best for Wildlife Photography? Still unsure about the telephoto lenses to use for wildlife photography? This quick guide will help

5 min read

When it comes to wildlife photography, a reliable telephoto lens is crucial for creating images of distant subjects with sharpness, clarity, and detail.

Fujifilm offers a number of excellent telephoto lenses for X Series mirrorless cameras, but if you’re new to wildlife photography and want to know which lenses to choose, this guide will help you find the right ones for your needs.

Anhinga bird preening its feathers, displaying a mix of brown and white plumage against a backdrop of lush green leaves.

Photo 2023 © Bobbi Lane | FUJIFILM X-T5 and FUJINON XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR, 1/250 sec at F11, ISO 640

Essential Features of Telephoto Wildlife Lenses

●      Appropriate and versatile zoom range that provides enough reach for distant wildlife subjects.

●      Superb autofocus performance for fast and accurate tracking of moving subjects.

●      Image stabilization for ensuring sharp images, especially when making photos handheld.

●      Weather sealing so you can make photos with confidence even in rugged outdoor environments.

Best X Series Lenses for Wildlife Photography

FUJINON XF100-400mmF4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR

Why it’s great for wildlife: This lens has an impressive zoom range of 100-400mm that makes it versatile for both semi-close and distant wildlife subjects. The Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) helps reduce camera shake, especially at longer focal lengths. Additionally, the weather-resistant (WR) design allows for use in various environmental conditions, which is helpful for outdoor wildlife photography.

Key features:

  • 100-400mm zoom range (152-609mm full-frame equivalent)

  • Optical Image Stabilization

  • Weather-resistant

  • Fast autofocus with Linear Motor (LM)

  • Compact for a telephoto zoom (1375g/3.03lb)

FUJINON XF70-300mmF4-5.6 R LM OIS WR

Why it’s great for wildlife: Even more compact and affordable than XF100-400mmF4.5-5.6, XF70-300mmF4-5.6 offers a solid zoom range for wildlife photography. It's exceptionally light and portable – great for hiking or fieldwork. Despite its smaller size, it still offers great optical performance and image stabilization. The weather-resistant build also ensures durability in challenging conditions.

Key features:

  • 70-300mm zoom range (107-457mm full-frame equivalent)

  • Optical Image Stabilization

  • Weather-resistant

  • Fast and quiet LM autofocus

  • Light and compact

FUJINON XF200mmF2 R LM OIS WR

Why it’s great for wildlife: If you're looking for a prime lens with exceptional image quality, XF200mmF2 is a superb option. Its fast F2 aperture allows for beautiful subject isolation and excellent low-light performance, while the OIS helps ensure sharpness at longer focal lengths. This lens is weather-sealed and built for rugged conditions, perfect for wildlife in various environments.

Key features:

  • F2 aperture for better low-light performance and subject isolation

  • Optical Image Stabilization

  • Weather-resistant

  • Exceptional sharpness and optical quality

  • Powerful, fast autofocus motor

FUJINON XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR

Why it's great for wildlife: The long focal range of the XF150-600mmF5.6-8 allows you to create images of wildlife subjects from unbelievable distances, without disturbing them. Its linear motor provides fast, smooth, and silent autofocus for tracking moving subjects. Finally, its OIS also reduces camera shake at longer focal lengths and in low-light conditions, and helps maintain sharpness at slower shutter speeds.
Key features:

  • 150-600mm zoom range (229-914mm full-frame equivalent)

  • Weather-resistant

  • Optical Image Stabilization

  • Fast autofocus with LM

FUJINON XF1.4X TC WR Teleconverter

Why it's great for wildlife: If you already own a telephoto lens like XF100-400mmF4.5-5.6, the XF1.4X TC WR Teleconverter is a great way to extend your reach. This teleconverter will provide an additional 1.4x magnification to your existing lens, making it ideal for homing in on distant wildlife without the need to carry an extra lens.

Key features:

  • Increases focal length by 1.4x

  • Retains autofocus functionality

  • Compact and lightweight

  • Maintains image quality with minimal degradation

Featured Products

Did you find this article helpful?

Thank you for your feedback, let us know how we can improve the site
Cancel Submit
loader
Loading...
Thank you!

This form is protected by reCAPTCHA - the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Related Content

Disclaimer: Creator Endorsements

The testimonials and endorsements provided on this website are from individuals who were compensated and/or received remuneration in exchange for their participation.

Disclaimer: Errors and Omissions

The information provided on this website is for general information purposes only. FUJIFILM makes no representations as to accuracy, relevancy, recency, or otherwise, and gives no warranties of any kind with respect to the information provided in the posts presented on this website. FUJIFILM does not review the posts for outdated technology references or information and therefore such posts should not be relied up on as if the information presented is current or updated.