I'm a professional photographer and typically purchase Canon lenses, but this lens fills a gap in the Canon line-up that I couldn't otherwise fill. Canon does not offer (at the time of writing this review) a macro lens of this focal length that has image stabilization. I consider image stabilization essential for telephoto lenses when shooting hand-held. This lens does not disappoint. The stabilization system works as promised for telephoto shots.
I only own fast lenses (f/2.8 or wider) and this lens is a fast telephoto. Wide open at f/2.8, it is a bit soft at the edges, but needle sharp in the center. This is to be expected from this kind of lens. Stopped down to f/8 the sharpness extends to the full frame. Bokeh is creamy smooth.
I recommend turning off the image stabilization when shooting macro with this lens, and using a tripod. Macro focus is too critical at this focal length to do close-up shots hand-held. Wide open, the depth of field is razor thin. Even stopped down to f/16, there isn't much room for error.
This lens is in my bag whenever I want the versatility of a telephoto and a macro in one lens. It does both jobs competently. This is a pro-quality lens that I highly recommend.
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