tele·pho·to
ˌte-lə-ˈfō-(ˌ)tō 
: being a camera lens system designed to give a large image of a distant object
also
: relating to or being photography in which a telephoto lens is used
plural telephotos
1
: a telephoto lens
2
: a photograph taken with a camera having a telephoto lens
—used for an apparatus for transmitting photographs electrically or for a photograph so transmitted
Examples of telephoto in a Sentence
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Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 13 May 2026
This unique visibility may have played a role in this spectacular image, which was captured by Petr Horálek, a NOIRLab Audiovisual Ambassador, using a camera and a wide-aperture telephoto lens on the mountain Cerro Pachón in Chile.
—Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 27 Apr. 2026
This external lens mounts to the 3x telephoto camera module and uses a 16-element optical design for the equivalent of 300-mm reach, enabling up to 13x optical zoom and improved results at 30x and beyond.
—New Atlas, 27 Apr. 2026
There are five cameras in total, including two Hasselblad 200-megapixel snappers, the main and 3x telephoto models.
—David Phelan, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for telephoto
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Noun
As mentioned, the a7R VI uses the full width of its sensor for video and includes IBIS to stabilize any lens, which works in conjunction with the Optical SteadyShot that Sony includes in most of its telephoto lenses.
—Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 13 May 2026
This unique visibility may have played a role in this spectacular image, which was captured by Petr Horálek, a NOIRLab Audiovisual Ambassador, using a camera and a wide-aperture telephoto lens on the mountain Cerro Pachón in Chile.
—Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 27 Apr. 2026
This external lens mounts to the 3x telephoto camera module and uses a 16-element optical design for the equivalent of 300-mm reach, enabling up to 13x optical zoom and improved results at 30x and beyond.
—New Atlas, 27 Apr. 2026
There are five cameras in total, including two Hasselblad 200-megapixel snappers, the main and 3x telephoto models.
—David Phelan, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for telephoto
Cite this Entry
“Telephoto.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/telephoto. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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