World’s longest telephoto lens – 1700mm f/4

One of the displays worth visiting at Photokina when it opens in Cologne on September 26 will be the Carl Zeiss stand where the optical specialist will be showing the world’s largest telephoto lens. Developed for long distance wildlife photography, the supertele lens is purpose-built for the Hasselblad 203 FE and provides 21x magnification.

At 1700 mm focal length and a speed of f/4 this lens put requirements on optical glas, lens assembly and quality assurance methods, never before encountered in photo lens manufacture. Hand-holding the lens is not an option, no matter how big you are – it weighs in at 256 kg and required Carl Zeiss to develop totally new ways of operating a telephoto lens, including servo controlled aiming and focusing.

Via Engadget