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I have had this lens since 2006 and I have used it a lot. I find the images with my copy are very sharp for an 11x zoom. While not as sharp as my 70-200L f/2.8 IS, the difference is not significant enough to worry about for those times when you need the flexibility this lens provides, which is [obviously] when you need to switch frequently and/or quickly between wide and telephoto. I only use it on a 5D though, because 28mm on a 1.6x crop is not wide enough for the lens to be used as an all purpose lens.

The two most common complaints about this lens are the push/pull design and the weight. I don't think the push/pull is an issue, because it is something you get used to. Likewise, once you get used to the weight it is not a problem for a couple of hours of shooting. But this lens gets very heavy when you carry and shoot with it all day long, or at least it does to me. Nevertheless, it is still lighter than carrying multiple lenses and/or bodies.