This lens is really good. All you need to do is play with ISO and shutter speed. Once you get the good settings then pictures will speak for themselves.

Pro: Great image quality, especially for available light portraits shot at f2.8 where you want a pleasingly blurred background. The IS is good but see note below.Con: Weight if you plan on carrying it around all day on a pro camera body.This is a great lens and if I didn't also own the 70-200mm f4.0L IS Canon lens I would have rated it 5 stars. IMHO the f4 is a better all around carry lens if you don't absolutely have to have the f2.8 aperture. The IS in the f4 is Canon's latest and is usable up to 4 stops slower shutter speed than you'd normally need at less than half the weight. The 2.8 version uses the very good, but older, 3 stop IS. On the surface you would think that the f2.8 aperture being one stop faster would place them on even ground where IS is concerned but it does not. the newer IS on the f4 version is INCREDIBLE in operation! To be fair to the 2.8 lens, given the same lighting conditions, it gives you one full shutter speed faster that may make a difference if stopping motion is needed in the shot. My best advice is to not end up with both lenses becuase it is so hard to decide which one to take along!

Great product. Just went to take some pictures and I was able to dial the shutter speed appropriately. A+

This is a MANUAL LENS...and to me...that means I have to set the ISO, the F-Stop, and the Shutter Speed. I purchased this to take pictures of bald eagles that have decided to build a nest behind my house. Put your camera on "M" for manual...set the ISO to 800...F-stop to F-8...and the shutter speed to 1/500 and you check your image. You may have to adjust one of the three variables to get a picture with a better contrast. Once you get it zeroed in...you will like this lens. You would have to pay around $1500 to $2500 for an F500mm Lens...and this was does the job. But it has its manuals limitations...but you can learn...it is not hard. And your pictures will look great! So it is not a bad deal if you are on a budget.

What a beautiful lens at a fantastic price. I’m using it in conjunction with an ef-m adapter and speed booster which opens it up to F1.2 which is insane for the price. Love it! It’s truly the nifty-fifty!

I've found this lens to be fast focusing and razor sharp, even wide open. It's my favorite lens for photographing wading and diving birds.I often work from a moving boat so I usually bump the shutter speed up to a 1000th of a second. On my Canon 7d set to shutter priority, that means that in the shadows the lens is often wide open at f2.8. Even so, I've been thrilled with the sharpness and bokeh.I'm working on a chest pod arrangement to steady the image and maybe pick up a stop on the shutter speed. Years ago I had a Leitz tabletop tripod, but so far haven't been able to locate anything that works as well.

I like the camera, however, the shutter speed is slow.

Paired with Bluetooth shutter and iPad adapter, it’s great to use as a “photo booth”!