What is the difference between a macro lens and a telephoto lens?

Question

Is it possible to take macro shots with a telephoto lens? I can't decide whether to get a macro lens or a telephoto lens. My current lens is 18-55mm.

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

:) Exactly Macro is for very close up shots you want to see in great detail. A Telephoto lens is for farther away shots, like landscapes or events. That is for zooming. Sounds like you have a canon kit lens there...I would upgrade depending on the type of photography your doing.

Visit http://www.dpreview.com for more help on deciding what is right for you.

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Asker's Comment:

thanks a lot!

Answer 2

A macro lens is for shooting things in extreme close up.

A nickel from 4 inches for example.

Answer 3

A telephoto lens is used for bringing distant objects in closer . For instance , taking pictures of wild birds . You can't get close enough to them for a good picture , so you use a telephoto lens . Think of a telescope or a pair of binoculars .
A macro lens in used taking pictures of very small things . A good example would be bugs . You can get up close , but they're so small that they don't make a good picture . Think a magnifying glass .
Get the difference ? Telephoto equals a telescope or binoculars.
Macro equals a magnifying glass .

Answer 4

A telephoto lens is is used tor taking pictures of things that are pretty far away from you, sort of like when you're using the zoom feature on your camera.

A macro lens is used for taking close up pictures of small objects such as coins, bugs, jewelry, and other small things. Macro lenses also allow you to capture the details in smaller objects.

Hope this helps. :]

Answer 5

OK, just to confuse you, a macro lens is often a telephoto lens.

Most lenses don't let you get very close to your subject, often you can only get within feet and have it focus correctly. A macro lens let's you get in physically close so you can take photos of things like bugs, leaves, flowers....up close.

Now some lenses have a macro setting, that let's you get closer then usual, but generally not too close or at least not as close as a real macro lens. As far as I know, a real macro lens is only a prime lens (a single focal length like 50mm, 100mm, not a zoom like the 18-55). If you get a telephoto macro lens, you get the best of both worlds - a telephoto lens AND a macro lens.

Answer 6

A true "macro" lens allows you to take 1:1 ratio photographs (a 1 inch diameter circle photographed with a macro lens will result in a 1 inch image on the film). Most lenses sold as "macro" are actually "close focus" lenses that allow you to take photographs from a very close difference, they may be described as a 1:2, 1:4 (a 1 inch circle photographed with a 1:2 close focus lens will result in a one-half inch circle image on the film). A "telephoto" lens simply enlarges the image the same way a telescope or binoculars magnifies the image to your eye. Telephoto lenses may be "macro" or "close focus". If you're talking about digital the line between close-focus and macro is somewhat ambiguous; but the principles remain.