IMHO it is an incredible lens, and makes an exceptional macro tool as well (I would never get the 180 Macro if you prefer to do macro work handheld).
Its use on a 2x converter is pretty poor, with a big hit to sharpness, but it is plenty sharp by itself or with the 1.4x. If you look at the site in my signature line, many (most?) of these shots there were taken with this lens, including the fawn, and the silhouetted ducks which were shot into the reflection of the setting sun with this lens on the 2x (this shot turned out quite sharp, but others didn't, and it was unpredictable, probably somewhat due to camera shake) so you can see its flare performance in significantly less than ideal conditions. Also the multicolored tulips shots were made with this lens into the setting sun. I did switch to a 300/2.8 IS last summer, but mostly for better performance with a 2x (much sharper than the 300/4 IS lens on a 2x at all but the widest stop...1/3 stop down it is already sharper than the 300/4 on the 2x), but of course there are some significant drawbacks to this lens vs. the 300/4 (weight, size, weight, cost, weight, close focusing, and weight). Also, without a 2x converter, my experience is that this lens is extremely sharp, the tests on photodo.com notwithstanding, and handholdable down to 1/60th of a second (the chipmunk shot on the website was shot at 1/40th or 1/50th on pushed provia (rdpII) and stands up well to cropped printing at 12x18). If I had the money, I would have one of these in addition to the 300/2.8 IS. The 100-400 is also very nice and versitile for wildlife, but not as good for closer focus type work, I don't think, and also a tad more expensive. That's my experience and opinion. Mike Ken Durling wrote: > > I'm considering a purchase, I would like to invite folks to crow or > complain about this lens, in terms of absolute sharpness, color > vividness, portability, usability with a 1.4 TC, limitations in early > morning or evening shooting - anything that comes to mind. Links to > sample images most welcome. <snip> -- Michael Shupe M.J.Shupe Photography Michigan Tech University www.northernlightsgallery.com * **** ******* *********************************************************** * For list instructions, including unsubscribe, see: * http://www.a1.nl/phomepag/markerink/eos_list.htm ***********************************************************
