This lens is cheap, cheaply made (all plastic, mount included), and light. The optical quality, however, is terrific. It's a little soft wide open, but from f/2.8 on it's sharp. I use this lens in low light or for optimal background blur. The autofocus is pretty slow and prone to hunting in low light conditions, such as when I try to get shots of my children using ambient indoor lighting. With a little patience, however, it usually comes through. It is useful for indoor sports and is great for concert photography. I shot an entire concert (Queen and Paul Rogers) with this lens and the results were fantastic. It's unfortunate that Canon sells lenses such as this without hoods. I spent as much on the hood and B&W UV filter as I did on the lens. Overall, however, it's a great lens. Highly recommended.