Tele supports

Tele supports for long focal lengths

Out and about with a 400 or 600 and after a few hours your arms feel like you’ve just moved house? This is exactly where tele supports come into play – that inconspicuous but extremely helpful must‑have lens accessory that finally stabilises long telephoto lenses, relieves strain and, above all, makes them predictable.

Instead of letting the full weight hang only on the mount or the tripod foot, tele supports provide additional support for your telephoto lens, distribute the load more evenly and reduce vibrations that would otherwise ruin your shot at the very moment the kingfisher finally takes off. Sounds dramatic – and it is.

Function and benefits of tele supports

What tele supports actually do (and why you wish you’d had them earlier)

At their core, a tele support is an additional resting or fixing point for large telephoto lenses, integrated between camera, lens foot and tripod or gimbal. As a result:

• the mount of your camera is relieved
• you reduce micro-movements and camera shake
• your setup runs more smoothly on gimbals or video heads
• the centre of gravity remains easier to control, especially with heavy super‑telephoto lenses

Especially in wildlife, sports, bird and nature photography, when you’re working wide open, with long focal lengths and sometimes even with a teleconverter, tele supports are not “nice to have” but, well, quite clearly must‑haves.

Tele supports at a glance

Tele supports for large telephoto lenses from Leofoto

The tele supports for large telephoto lenses from Leofoto are something like the pragmatic all‑rounders in this category: robust, well thought out and surprisingly flexible. Many models are based on an Arca‑style compatible system, so you can combine them directly with common tripod heads, gimbals and rails without having to drag half a workshop along with you.

Typical Leofoto: CNC‑milled aluminium, clean edges, nothing wobbles, nothing rattles, and yet the whole thing remains surprisingly light. Especially when you’re working with long focal lengths like 400 mm, 500 mm, 600 mm or 800 mm, the additional support ensures that the lens doesn’t “pull forward” but sits balanced on the tripod. That may sound like a detail, but in practice it’s the difference between “so‑so” and “wow, that’s rock solid”.

Tele support module from Kirk – modular precision for fine‑tuning

If you prefer things a bit more refined and compact, then the tele support modules from Kirk are interesting. Kirk has been a mainstay in the field of high‑quality tripod and quick‑release systems for years, and that experience flows directly into their tele supports. These can be easily mounted to a suitable tripod plate under the lens and support the front section of your tele on two rollers.

If you value maximum stability, repeatability and a very precise centre of gravity (e.g. for video, panoramas or long bursts in a hide), these tele support modules from Kirk are a very well‑designed option.

Carrying systems for heavy telephoto lenses

Lens Carrier carrying aid from MrJanGear – when the tele has to come along but your back shouldn’t scream

A slightly different topic, but at least as important in everyday use: how do you actually carry all this stuff from A to B? This is exactly where the Lens Carrier carrying aid from MrJanGear comes in.

Instead of constantly balancing your large telephoto lens in your hand or slung diagonally over your shoulder – which your shoulders and neck won’t find funny in the long run – the Lens Carrier distributes the weight more ergonomically across your body. You can grab the lens quickly, hook it back in, move on, without having to open and close your entire bag every time. Especially on long hikes, on safaris, in stadiums or in the mountains, that’s worth its weight in gold.

You may know the situation: you see a scene, want to react, but your lens is buried deep in your backpack. By the time you’ve fished it out, the moment is gone. With a clever carrying aid like the Lens Carrier from MrJanGear, your super‑tele hangs securely on your body, ready to grab – a kind of “holster” for large telephoto lenses, just in comfortable.

Areas of use and target group

Who really benefits from tele supports and carrying systems?

If you only occasionally go out with a lightweight telezoom, you might ask yourself: “Do I really need this?” Maybe not right away. But:

• if you regularly work at 300 mm, 400 mm, 500 mm or more
• if your lens has a massive tripod foot and falls more into the “cannon” category
• if you shoot longer sessions on a tripod or gimbal
• if you’ve ever worried about your camera mount because everything is pulling on it

… then tele supports and a sensible carrying aid are not a luxury but more like an insurance policy – for your gear, but also for your joints. And yes, for your nerves as well.

The interplay of stability and ergonomics

Stability, ergonomics, image quality – how it all works together

In the end, it all comes down to three things: stability, ergonomics and image quality. A good tele support provides a more stable base, less micro‑movement and therefore sharper images, especially at critical shutter speeds or in combination with image stabilisation and teleconverter.

At the same time, tele supports relieve the camera mount, which is simply the sensible choice in the long term when using heavy telephoto lenses frequently. And with a carrying aid like the Lens Carrier from MrJanGear, a setup that once felt like “Wow, I’m never lugging this along again” turns into a system you actually use more often because it feels practical.

Small accessory, big impact

A tele support may look like a rather nerdy specialist part at first glance. But once you’ve worked with a properly supported super‑tele – whether with the tele supports for large telephoto lenses from Leofoto, the flexible tele support module from Kirk, or in combination with a carrying aid like the Lens Carrier from MrJanGear – you’ll quickly notice how much more relaxed, controlled and reproducible your entire setup becomes.

In short: if you don’t just want to own your telephoto lens but really want to get the most out of it, tele supports and a well‑designed carrying aid clearly belong in the “must‑have lens accessories” category – not just as a nice extra, but as a fixed part of your kit.