makes for great perspective shots and closeups

I love the different shots I am able to get with just one lens!

I have been on a trip to Puerto Rico USA visiting my parents and this lens gave me the opportunity to snap some great shots

I bought this lens with a specific usage in mind: I wanted a lens which would allow me flexibility in my small studio to take wide shots without my back pinned to the wall to get the whole subject in the picture.

And not only will you get some great wide shots (even with a Rebel Xti, as I do) but you can get some good close ups of objects as well

I use it on full-frame film and digital SLRs, and love getting ultrawide shots.

The artistic nature of it for scenic shots are excellent

* good close up lens for indoor photos if you have good light* enough angle to photo someone from close up* light and feels balancedcons:* it's an f/4 at best, so without a flash, it's hard to get good shots in low light

I did buy a 30D at the same time, and it's a fantastic purchase, also, but my old 300D takes great shots with the "L" lens.

the design is very sturdy, and it does take some great shots

That said, f4 is not a show stopper and will degrade only a few shots

Also it gives a nice grip when held from the lens and this results in steady shots at high ISO settings

Some reviewers had said that with the max of f4, the lens wouldn't get good shots in low to dim light

The outdoor scenic shots are breathtaking

I have used it under all kinds of lighting conditions, and no matter what the conditions, most shots are soft

The colors are great, and stopped down to f/11-13 it can make some fantastic shots, but the lack of IS makes it hard to shoot at those settings when light is limited

It is a nice build and produces great shots for me

Yet this lens had no problem focusing or getting good shots in those conditions with my 430EX flash what so ever

By doing this you can get even sharper shots!

Under darker conditions, the focus seems a little slower than my other faster lens, but even at f4, it takes crisp shots

Leaving those areas aside when used as intended the lens is very capable of delivering excellent shots, the lack of stabilisation isn't likely to be a big disadvantage for most considering the wide focal length and it keeps the size and weight down a bit