These are the best telephoto lenses under $500 when you want real reach, fast focus, and clean stabilization for sports, wildlife, portraits, travel candids, and stage—without wrecking your budget—and here’s what to look for as you buy: prefer lenses with optical stabilization (VR/IS/OSS/OIS) for handheld sharpness, quick AF (stepping/linear motors or fast DC), good contrast at the long end (many cheap teles get soft past 200–250mm), practical close-focus for detail, and sensible weight so you’ll actually carry it; on mirrorless, check for strong IBIS pairing, and don’t ignore used DSLR glass + adapters—it’s the value sweet spot. Budget standouts (often new under $500, or easily under via sale/used): APS-C Sony E: E 55–210mm OSS (featherweight travel tele), Tamron 70–300mm ƒ4.5–6.3 Di III RXD (FF E-mount but light and sharp—frequently hits ~$499), and Viltrox 85mm ƒ1.8 (portrait tele prime with quick AF); Canon RF/RF-S: RF-S 55–210mm IS STM (tiny, stabilized), EF-S 55–250mm IS STM (DSLR APS-C favorite; razor value used), and EF 70–200mm ƒ4L USM (non-IS) or EF 70–300mm IS USM/II (both excellent used buys under $500 via adapter); Nikon Z/DX/F: Z DX 50–250mm VR (shockingly good kit tele), AF-P DX 70–300mm VR (DSLR lightweight with snappy AF), and AF-S 70–300mm VR (FX version—best bought used); Fujifilm X: XC 50–230mm OIS II (light, stabilized), XF 55–200mm OIS (often dips under $500 used—great optics), Sigma 56mm ƒ1.4 DC DN (short-tele prime with portrait pop—frequent sale pricing ≤$500); Micro Four Thirds: Olympus/OM SYSTEM 40–150mm ƒ4–5.6 R (ridiculously light, sharp stopped a hair), Panasonic 45–150mm OIS (tiny with solid stabilization), Panasonic 45–200mm OIS (Mk II/III versions often < $500), and Olympus 75–300mm ƒ4.8–6.7 II (huge reach in a light body—watch good light); L-mount/Sigma C: Sigma 90mm ƒ2.8 DG DN C (not a zoom, but a compact, sharp short tele that often hovers near promos under $500 used/open-box). Classic DSLR sleepers that shine on adapters: Canon EF 85mm ƒ1.8 USM (fast portrait tele), Canon EF 200mm ƒ2.8L II (often around the threshold used—crisp and light), Nikon 180mm ƒ2.8 ED (lovely rendering), Tamron 70–300mm VC USD (stable and sharp), and Sigma 70–300mm OS (cheap, cheerful reach). Practical buyer tips: pick a stabilized 70–300 if you want maximum versatility outdoors; choose a 50/55–200/250 if you value compact travel size; for portraits and low light, a budget 85mm ƒ1.8 or Sigma 56mm ƒ1.4 on APS-C delivers subject pop that slow tele-zooms can’t; on mirrorless, used EF/F-mount tele-zooms via OEM adapters are unbeatable per dollar; prioritize newer versions with better motors (AF-P/STM/RXD) and IBIS compatibility; verify long-end sharpness in reviews and keep expectations realistic at 300mm—stopping down a notch helps. Telephoto shooting tips: use stabilization but keep shutter speeds honest (≈1/(focal length × crop) for static subjects; 1/500s+ for action), set AF-C with subject detection where available, use a focus limiter if your lens has one, stop down 2/3–1 stop at the long end for extra bite, brace with elbows/knees or a monopod, track smoothly and fire short bursts to beat micro-shake, watch heat haze at long distances, and manage backgrounds—telephotos compress clutter, so shift your feet for clean color fields; for portraits, shoot near wide open then stop 1/3–2/3 stop for eyelash-sharp results, and for wildlife/sports, pre-focus on a zone and pan through. Whether you’re capturing sidelines, birds at the park, kids on stage, or compressed city scenes, the best telephoto lenses under $500 combine stabilization, competent AF, and honest long-end performance—so your distant moments come back sharp, steady, and budget-smart.