What is a 70 300mm lens Used For ? [Explained]

Many of us have either seen or directly participated in a photoshoot before. You might have noticed that photographers often utilize especially long lenses. These lenses are commonly used in wildlife photography or at certain observation points.

You probably wondered why that was necessary or what it was used for; you’re on the right page to understand what such lenses are and can do.

There are a few large and larger lenses on the market, but our focus in this article is the 70-300 mm lens. If we are to delve right in, a 70-300 mm Lens is fine for zoom photography.

It is common (and understandably so) to see newbies into the world of photography make rash conclusions about the art and often the equipment, for instance, the lenses. Contrary to general beliefs, all lenses don’t work the same.

Cricket It is required of newts always to learn the different lenses available for another type of photography and the situations where they are best suited. Therefore, you need to understand a 70-300 mm lens and its purpose.

What is a 70-300 mm Lens?

A telephoto lens is often used for taking photos of sporting events, wildlife photos, and astronomical subjects such as planets, the moon, and stars.

An example of a medium telephoto lens is a 70-300 mm Lens, which is also recommended for street photography, travel photography, and other valid occasions.

As you must have been able to guess by now, a 70-300 mm Lens helps take pictures of distant objects because it provides a magnification that makes it look like you took the view up close.

Please don’t mistake this Lens for a sole purpose functionality because its zoom feature is not fixed but flexible as you can switch to taking pictures of mid-range objects due to its option of short focal length, which overlaps with that of many prime lenses.

So, with a 70-300 mm Lens, you don’t have to change the Lens even when you have to switch between mid-range and long distant objects. That way, you don’t have to worry about carrying a heavy bag of lenses as you can make do with the 70-300 mm light Lens and enjoy your hobby without hassle.

To better understand when to use a 70-300 mm lens (mentioned in the course of this review), you need to understand its focal length.

Understanding the Focal Length of a 70-300 mm Lens

The focal length of a camera is the distance between the point at which light rays converge inside the Lens and the camera’s sensor. This shows us that this Lens’s 70 to 300mm length is not about the length but its focal length.

This length further lets us know the degree of view angle and magnification a lens can provide. What does this mean? Say you take a picture of a squirrel on a tree; it will not look close at a 70 mm focal length compared to the same photo taken at a 300 mm focal length – this is magnification.

On the other hand, the view angle is different at 300 mm focal length as you will see less of the surrounding objects (which in this case is the nearest tree) than the view angle available to you at 70 mm focal length.

The 70-300 mm lens is perfect because of its focal length flexibility. Imagine you have to visit a national park with your family to view the wild. You can use the 300 mm focal length to take pictures of animals even if they are lounging behind their enclosures.

You can take distant pictures as though you’re standing right in front of that yawning lioness. But then, at some point, if you want to take a picture of yourself and your family to have a memory of the experience, you can easily switch back to the 70 mm focal length. How impressive!

What’s the essence of this short review if we don’t answer your questions? Let’s answer some…

Frequently Asked Questions about 70-300 mm Lens

How Do I Know Which 70 – 300 Mm Lens Will Fit My Camera?

Different camera manufacturers and camera models use different connectivity for lens attachment. So, before you place that order for a lens, confirm its compatibility with your camera. You can get that information from the seller or visit the manufacturer’s website for comprehensive information.

A second option is to make use of adapters. They are available to allow connection between different cameras and lenses.

Can I Use A 70-300 Mm Lens For Portraits?

While this Lens can be used for portraits, they are not the best choice for the job. Don’t forget that your prime lenses max out at 85 mm, so you often don’t have to zoom in when taking a portrait.

But with a 70-300 mm lens, you’ll need to take many steps backward lest you won’t get the full image of the subject(s) because your Lens has a narrow field of view. Now, that will pose a significant problem if you don’t have enough space for stepping back or other people or undesired objects will feature in the picture.

Is the 70-300 Mm Lens Good For Bird Watching?

A straightforward answer will be yes. The 300 mm focal length will make you feel close to your subject. Nevertheless, if you’re looking at filling up the frame with your feathered subject, you may need to opt for longer focal lengths like the 400-600 mm lens, or you can walk towards the subject.

How Much Zoom Does A 70-300 Mm Lens Have?

The maximum focal length of this Lens is 300 mm, which is equivalent to a zoom of about 8.5x

The 70-300mm Lens is the best option for hobbyists and travelers because of its versatility.