Last Updated on 08/15/2017 by Chris Gampat
Telephoto zooms are more popular in the party and event scene than you might think initially from the outside. These fast lenses with long-range help photographers capture interactions from a distance without disturbing anyone. You certainly shouldn’t be using a telephoto zoom for an entire party or event in most cases, but as part of a well-rounded party and event photography kit, these make for valuable tools.
Now just as in our previous posts on this subject, we will be going over some high-end and budget options for each camera system, so none of you need to feel left out because of how much you can spend on the lens.
So here are our top picks for telephoto zoom lenses from the event and party photography perspective…
Canon Shooters
Canon obviously has a ton of great lens options out there for party and event photographers thanks to its EF/EF-S mount having one of the most extensive lens selections on the market. Here are our picks for Canon party and event photographers looking at telephoto zoom lenses:
- High End Choice: Canon 70-200mm F2.8L USM II (Buy One: [amazon_textlink asin='B0033PRWSW' text='Canon 70-200mm F2.8' template='PriceLink' store='thephobl-20' marketplace='US' link_id='b9c23314-6196-11e7-bf5d-59ec7e869bc9'])
- Budget Choice: Tamron 70-200mm F2.8 G2 – Read Our Review (Buy One: [amazon_textlink asin='B01MZIGOV9' text='Tamron 70-200mm F2.8 G2' template='PriceLink' store='thephobl-20' marketplace='US' link_id='fc6a5955-619c-11e7-89ac-a5000f75b0a6'])
Nikon Shooters
Nikon may be struggling lately with their camera business, but in terms of lenses, besides Canon, they have without a doubt one of the most vast catalogs of compatible lenses, and of course the telephoto zoom segment is no different:
- High End Choice: Nikon 70-200mm – Read Our Review (Buy One: [amazon_textlink asin='B01M4L36RJ' text='Nikon 70-200mm' template='PriceLink' store='thephobl-20' marketplace='US' link_id='ff82c002-61a0-11e7-b11f-1f6bb9efd1ff'])
- Budget Choice: Tamron 70-200mm F2.8 G2 – Read Our Review (Buy One: [amazon_textlink asin='B06X6GQPWL' text='Tamron 70-200mm' template='PriceLink' store='thephobl-20' marketplace='US' link_id='3bdbf871-61a1-11e7-976b-43638059545c'])
Sony Shooters
Sony has a lot of catching up to do with their own lens lineup to even get in the same league as Canon or Nikon, not to mention promoting third-party lens makers to get on board. That said, there are some options to consider from Sony for a telephoto zoom lens at parties:
- High End Choice: Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G-Master – Read Our Review (Buy One: Sony [amazon_textlink asin='B01IDQEQ34' text='70-200mm G Master' template='PriceLink' store='thephobl-20' marketplace='US' link_id='5f65b7d8-61a1-11e7-88b2-073e115edc18'])
- Budget Choice: Sony 70-200mm F4 OSS – Read Our Review (Buy One: [amazon_textlink asin='B00I8BICEO' text='Sony 70-200mm F4' template='PriceLink' store='thephobl-20' marketplace='US' link_id='eb05040e-61a2-11e7-99f7-f380b2e04db2'])
Fujifilm Shooters
Fujifilm finds itself in a similar situation here to Sony, and unlike in the prime lens category where they have many options that could be considered 'budget', in the standard zoom category there is really only one option for Fujifilm shooters:
- Only Choice: Fujifilm 50-140mm F2.8 – Read Our Review (Buy One: [amazon_textlink asin='B00NGFLO74' text='Fujifilm 50-140mm' template='PriceLink' store='thephobl-20' marketplace='US' link_id='2945c0ce-61a3-11e7-baaa-4fbe1cde4444'])
Micro Four Thirds Shooters
Olympus and Panasonic have managed to put together an impressive offering of micro four thirds lens options, and while we doubt many of you are considering micro four thirds for your party/events kit, if you are already invested in the system then one of the following lenses could make your kit party/event ready:
- High End Choice: Olympus 40-150 f2.8 Pro - Read Our Review ( Buy: [amazon_textlink asin='B00NGSLSK4' text='Olympus 40-150 f2.8 Pro' template='PriceLink' store='thephobl-20' marketplace='US' link_id='691644b4-61a3-11e7-85d5-53848c0a542a'])
- Budget Choice: Panasonic 35-100 f2.8 – Read Our Review (Buy: [amazon_textlink asin='B01MU3WOVP' text='Panasonic Lumix 35-100 f2.8' template='PriceLink' store='thephobl-20' marketplace='US' link_id='8e9210d5-61a3-11e7-9361-e7f809376a3e'])
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Now that we have cameras and lenses out of the way we will start looking into great accessories for party and event photographers; things like bags, speedlights, and more – so stay tuned!