Best Telephoto Lens for Smartphone in 2024

This list is best because some of these Lenses offer the highest quality, and others offer excellent quality for the price. So, there is something for everyone. Before we go on to our list, let’s talk about the best smartphone telephoto lens.

What is a telephoto lens used for?

The smartphone telephoto lens narrows the camera’s field of view and magnifies the subject. How much the subject is magnified depends on the lens’s focal length—the longer the focal length, the narrower the field of view and the larger the image.

If the focal length of a telephoto lens is twice that of a camera wide-angle lens, it is considered a 2x telephoto lens. When the focal length is three times that of a wide-angle lens, it is known as a 3x telephoto lens, etc.

If you have a smartphone with a telephoto camera, fixing an additional smartphone telephoto lens will allow you to zoom in even further and magnify the subject.

Attaching a telephoto lens to a smartphone camera is comparable to a zoom lens in that it uses optics instead of digitality to magnify the subject, as smartphone cameras usually do.

Top things to Consider before buying Smartphone Tele Lenses in 2024

When choosing a telephoto lens for your Smartphone, you don’t want to go out with a working lens for the first time. Due to a large number of low-quality Smartphone lenses, the image of the subject is blurry and does not render correctly. Instead, you want to find a lens that fits your needs while allowing you to take beautiful smartphone photos. Before choosing a telephoto lens for your iPhone, here are some things to ask yourself:

What do you want to shoot?

For example, if you’re looking for a lens that can get a little closer to your subject than a primary Phone lens so you can capture photos of a half-body or face, you only need a small number of telephoto lenses. Zoom like 5x (or 2x). However, it would be best if you had something longer to capture photos of players far away from a football match. A 10x telephoto lens would be a good start.

If you want to shoot a bird in a faraway tree, you’ll need something longer, like a 15x or 20x telephoto lens. Unfortunately, most Phone tele lenses don’t offer a wide range of focal lengths. That means you can’t shoot at 5x and then zoom in 10x. Instead, you are stuck at a single focal length. This limits your photography flexibility, but you can learn how to work with practice.

What Image quality do you want?

First, the best Smartphone telelenses should have a sharp center. It’s too much to expect edge sharpness, but I want to take a picture that isn’t noticeably blurry in the center of the frame. The best telephoto lenses should also have limited chromatic aberration and vignetting. Chromatic aberration often refers to fringing that appears on high-contrast edges. A vignette is the darkening of the edges of the frame.

In telephoto lenses, chromatic aberration due to optical imperfections is something to watch out for. On the other hand, vignetting is often a compatibility issue, with the external telephoto lens covering up part of the internal phone lens. Anyway, both are optical issues that should be avoided if possible. Without fringes and vignetting, your photos will look a lot more professional.

What should build quality be?

Regarding the lenses for Phones, manufacturers don’t often consider build quality to keep their prices down. Unfortunately, this creates cheap lenses that last for weeks before they break. That’s why it’s essential to recognize which lenses will stand the test of time and which cannot. The best lenses are made of metal, not plastic. And they have a nice and solid feel when you hold them in your hand.

What compatibility fits your needs?

Some phone lenses are made to work with almost any Smartphone, including Apple and Android. Other Phone lenses are designed to work only with iPhones. The rest only work on a single iPhone model. Before buying a Smartphone telephoto lens, you must ensure it is compatible with your Smartphone. Purchasing a lens compatible with additional iPhone and Android devices has the advantage.

If you buy a new Samsung, Poco, Vivo, or iPhone, you can use the Teli lens without any problems, saving you money in the long run.

How much of your budget do you have to buy a telephoto lens?

We can’t evaluate the best Phone telephoto lenses without considering the price. Fortunately, even the best telephoto lenses are relatively inexpensive. For those on a tight budget, cheap telephoto lenses can be purchased at an affordable price.

Are cheap tele lenses less performant than expensive lenses?

Generally yes. However, impressive budget lenses offer a lot of power at an affordable price.

Best Telephoto Lens for Smartphones for Perfect Photography in 2024

Here are the eight best smartphone telephoto lenses suitable for mobile photography and producing excellent results.

1. Moment 58mm telephoto lens

The Moment is a very well-known brand in the world of smartphone photography. They make the best high-quality smartphone camera lenses on the market. They are made of aerospace–grade metal and the same hand-polished glass used in high-end 4k film lenses. This is the best Telephoto Lens for smartphones; the Moment Tele Lens offers a 58mm focal length that gets you 2x closer to your subject. When used on a telephoto camera on a smartphone, the focal length corresponds to a 115mm lens. That’s 4x magnification.

To use the Moment 58mm Tele Lens, you must purchase a Moment Case for your Smartphone or a Battery Photo Case to attach the lens to your phone. Unfortunately, these items are for cell phones only, so not all phones can use moment lenses.

Best Smartphone Telephoto Lens under $30

2. MACTREM Phone Camera Lens

The MACTREM is the best Telephoto lens for phones, with a 9-piece collection on the way. You can turn your Smartphone into a photo powerhouse. You can capture great photos with your Smartphone in various environments and scenarios. This kit includes a 20x telephoto lens, 205° fisheye lens, 0.5x wide-angle lens, 25x macro lens, universal smartphone lens clip, eyecup, and tripod.

Each lens is well-crafted and made of high-quality materials. Unlike other plastic lenses, MACTREM lenses use an elegant aluminum alloy housing that lets you easily rotate the focus ring and lock the focus. The complete MACTREM smartphone lens kit comes with a travel case, making it easy to carry the kit in your mobile photography adventure.

3. Apexel High Power 36x HD Telephoto Lens with Tripod

The Apexel High Power 36x Telephoto Lens is ideal for bringing distant objects closer. It’s a perfect mobile camera accessory to carry, for example, when camping and taking bird photography, wildlife mobile photography, or general photography in the great outdoors. This multi-element telephoto lens is crafted from aircraft-grade aluminum and premium glass for durability and clarity.

It has a special coating to minimize ghosting, reflections, lens flares, and other artifacts. The lens is about 20 cm long and weighs 246 grams. It has a tripod to support the lens and a detachable universal clamp, making it compatible with multiple devices.

4. Sirui 60-SA portrait lens

The Sirui 60-SA is a stunning 60mm equivalent additional telephoto lens that increases the focal length of your phone by almost three times for beautiful, sharp, and professional-looking images. Its 40-degree angle of view makes it an ideal phone Telephoto Lens for taking portraits with your Smartphone. The Sirui 60-SA Portrait Lens comprises aircraft-grade aluminum and German Schott optical glass.

The lens structure comprises six elements in 4 groups to prevent distortion and get the best image. The glass has a special multi-layer coating to avoid lens problems, such as glare and reflections. To attach the lens to your Smartphone, use the Sirui mobile phone lens clip adapter. This lens is compatible with a variety of smartphones. An optional lens mount adapter or protective case can be used for a better fit.

The best telephoto lenses for iPhone

5. Beastgrip Pro Series 3X

Beastgrip is a company that makes stunning lenses and smartphone accessories. The Pro Series 3X Telephoto Lens is a fantastic 85mm smartphone add-on lens that dramatically changes your mobile camera’s perspective to shoot 3x closer to your subject.

This high-quality telephoto lens comprises seven glass elements with a multi-layer anti-reflective coating. This lens is only compatible with iPhones. You will also need Beastgrip Pro or Beastcage to attach the lens to your smartphone camera.

6. CoPedvic 22X Telephoto Lens with 4K HD 0.67X Super Wide Angle

It’s a powerful option, especially for wildlife and bird photographers. The focal length is on the longer side, and that’s precisely what you need if you’re working with small, distant subjects. Also, the CoPedvic 22X can be used as a sports photography lens if it is in a high position on the stand.

Fortunately, this telephoto lens has its advantages. The build quality and handling are impressive, especially for budget-level smartphone options. This is the best Telephoto Lens for smartphones; the lens is made of aluminum and has a built-in manual zoom function to make focusing easier at various distances. The image quality is good, but not good.

The lens shows considerable distortion and smoothness, especially around the edges (definitely gives an artistic feel). However, the center works well and should be able to satisfy beginners looking for their first telephoto lens at an affordable price.

7. Sony DSC-QX10 with 4.45-44.5mm lens-style camera

The Sony DISC-QX 10 telephoto lens is a unique choice for smartphone photographers. Technically, it is neither a lens nor a smartphone camera. Instead, a Sony camera can interface with a smartphone and take pictures with an 18MP sensor. Yes, it is the most expensive camera on this list. However, it is the most versatile. Connect to your iPhone via Wi-Fi, and take pictures on your iPhone LCD.

The Sony QX 10 offers the best image quality of all the external lenses I’ve encountered. The center and corners of the image are impressively sharp, and the fringes are well-maintained. Most external iPhone lenses are a compromise, but the Sony QX 10 doesn’t.

The biggest complaint about the Sony QX 10 is the build quality. The camera/lens combo isn’t cheap, but it’s also not robust. For this reason, it’s a good idea to be kind. This lens is perfect for getting picture quality you can’t get with your phone. You can create awe-inspiring images with a larger sensor and a higher MP rating.

8. Mikikin 5 in-1 with 20X telephoto and 2X zoom lens

Anyone who wants to take close-ups of very distant subjects, such as wild animals or birds, this is precisely what this Mikikin telephoto lens is for; it offers an intense zoom function at an affordable price. The Mikikin 5 in 1 set comes with a smaller telephoto lens. The 2x zoom makes it suitable for everyday street or portrait photography.

The Mikikin 5 1 set is perfect for anyone looking to shoot distant subjects or dense portraits. Especially if you have a budget, it also comes with wide-angle, fisheye, and macro lenses, and it is always possible to get creative with these lenses. This lens set offers two telephoto lens options to experiment more with your photos. Despite the low cost, the overall quality of the lens is relatively high.

Conclusion of best Telephoto Lens for smartphones

Attaching a telephoto lens to a smartphone camera can significantly affect mobile photography, especially when taking portraits. The subject may be a little further apart and closer with a wide-angle lens to avoid facial distortion associated with portrait photography.

That said, attaching an external lens to your mobile camera doesn’t automatically allow the camera to take a better picture. It would be best to have a smartphone with a good camera; this is how you can take beautiful pictures.