I have used Tokina lenses for several years and they have always been more than satisfactory. Tokinas are built like tanks, with solid metal alloy bodies that make Canon's top of the line L-series lenses look cheap in comparison. This makes them rather heavy, but I don't find them uncomfortable.
This 100mm f/2.8 macro lens is a great value. The differences between it and the more expensive Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens (non-IS version) are minor at best; most significantly, the Tokina extends when focusing, whereas the Canon does not. At the short distances often involved in macrophotography (focusing on objects only a few inches away), extending the lens can be a minor annoyance, requiring you to pull the camera back a bit to keep the framing consistent, but you get used to it. (Competing lenses from Sigma and Tamron also extend while focusing.)
I have the Tokina mounted on a Canon 5D Mark II at the moment and it's doing a great job. Auto-focus is accurate, if somewhat slow compared to Canon's macro lens, but with the AF limit enabled this disadvantage is mitigated. The images it produces are razor-sharp, with good color and contrast, whether the subject is a bug a few inches away or distant buildings.
All in all, I'm happy with this lens. It's a solid, reliable product from a company with a long track record of producing high-quality lenses, and in value-for-money terms it's the best deal in its class.
Update, February 2010: If you want to use this lens with a Canon MR-14EX Macro Ring Lite or Canon MT-24EX Macro Twin Lite, you will need a step-up ring. These flashes are designed to mount on the end of Canon's original 100mm f/2.8 macro lens, which takes 58mm filters rather than the 55mm filters the Tokina uses. I am using the Kenko 55mm Step-Up Ring to 58mm and I find that the MR-14EX stays in place reliably as long as nothing bumps into it. And if you want to just leave the step-up ring on the lens at all times, then you'll need to replace the Tokina's lens cap with a 58mm one to fit the step-up ring.
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