APO Teleconverter 2x EX DGSigma 120-400mm f/4.5-5.6 AF

Every person that buys an SLR camera invariably ends up with lenses that cover focal lengths of 28mm to 300mm - a 28-90mm and a 70-300mm lens. This one fits the latter requirement. For 170 bucks you get a long 300mm focal length. But that's about it.

The slow autofocus aside, this lens is extremely soft at all focal lengths above 150mm or so. I recently made the biggest mistake of taking this lens to an airshow. I thought the light weight helped me with the maneuverability of the camera but then when I saw the pictures I was terribly disappointed. There can be nothing more disappointing than figuring out that you've done your part well (composition, exposure, etc) and then find that your lens failed miserably. The F-18 jets had soft edges and looked like they were portraits of women. I had to apply unsharp mask filter in photoshop several times to get something that I could put on the web.

IMHO, Canon really failed on this one and I guess it's time they replaced this lens with something better.

For those of you that are reading this review and are looking to purchase a lens in this focal length range (and price range!), I strongly suggest the Sigma. If possible, get one with the APO designation on it. I guess it costs $50 more. But the quality of images it produces is far better than this Canon. As a nice add-on it also offers a macro switch that enables close focusing to achieve a 1:2 magnification.

I know there are brand afficionados out there that will buy nothing other than a Canon - good or bad. If you are looking for quality in a lens of this focal length and price range, avoid this lens. Also don't go to eBay and buy the IS version of this lens - it's got the same bad optics. Canon recently replaced it with a 70-300mm IS. I guess that is very good. Of course, the legendary 100-400mm IS with a price tag of $1400 is stunning.Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Pentax SMC DA* 60-250mm f/4 ED IFNikon 28mm f/2.8D AFTamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II LD Sigma 8mm f/3.5 EX DGNEW~CANON EF-S 18-135MM IS F3.5-5.6 SMC Pentax FA 50mm f/1.4Rokinon 8mm F2.8 Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DCOlympus 35mm f/3.5 1:1Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC Nikon TC-17E II 1.7xNikon 300mm f/4.0DTamron AF 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 LD Olympus M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L ISOlympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm F3.5-6.3 EZRokinon 14mm F2.8  Canon EF 15mm f/2.8

Tamron AF 90mm f/2.8 Di SP A/M 1:1 Canon EF 28mm f/2.8 IS Tamron AF 28-75mm f/2.8 SP XR Di LDSigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 II DC OS Sony 28-75mm f/2.8 Lensbaby Edge 80Rokinon Cine CV35-C 35mm T1.5 Tokina AT-X Pro FX 16-28mm f/2.8Tamron AF 70-200mm f/2.8 Di LD IF Sigma 19mm F2.8 EX DN Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 ISOlympus M.Zuiko 17mm f/2.8 Nikon 70-300mm f/4-5.6G AF Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX DG Canon TS-E 45mm f/2.8 Olympus M.Zuiko 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 ED Sigma 70-300mm F/4-5.6 DG OS Tamron AF 17-50mm F/2.8 XR Opteka 650-1300mm

Rokinon Cine CV24M-C 24mm T1.5 Sony SAL-85F14Z 85mm f1.4 Tamron AF 200-500mm f/5.0-6.3 Di LD SP Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II Nikon 500mm f/4.0G ED VRNikon 24mm f/3.5D EDCanon TS-E 90mm f/2.8Opteka 500-1000mm f/8Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 II DC OS Pentax SMC DA* Series 16-50mm f/2.8 ED AL IF Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G VR II Sony SAL-24F20Z 24mm f/2.0 Sigma 50-500mm f/4.5-6.3Opteka 650-2600mmPENTAX DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL Sony SEL16F28 16mm f/2.8 Sony SAL-1680Z 16-80mm f/3.5-4.5 Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC Sigma APO Teleconverter 2x EX DGSigma 120-400mm f/4.5-5.6 AF

Sony SAL-135F18Z 135mm f/1.8 Voigtlander 25mm f/0.95 Kenko 2.0X Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 AF II DG Tamron AF 60mm f/2.0 SP DI II LD IF 1:1 Sony 100mm f/2.8 Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 Sigma 10mm f/2.8 EX DC Nikon 1 Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 ISTamron AF 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 SP Di II LDOpteka 650-2600mmTamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Canon EOS 5D MARK II Tokina AF 10-17mm f/3.5-4.5 Sigma 50mm f/2.8 EX DGOlympus 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 M. Olympus Zuiko 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0 Olympus Zuiko 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 Rokinon RK8MV-C 8mm T3.8

Lensbaby Composer ProSony 18-135mm F3.5-5.6Canon 85mm f/1.8 Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8-4.5Olympus 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 II AF Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LDTamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 SP Di Lensbaby The Muse Sony SEL30M35 30mm f/3.5 Olympus M.Zuiko 17mm Tamron AF 60mm f/2.0 SP DI II LD IF 1:1 Panasonic 8mm f/3.5 ED Sigma 150mm f/2.8 AFPentax 100mm f/2.8 WR D FA Sony SAL16105 16-105mm f/3.5-5.6 Rokinon 35mm F/1.4 AS Sony Alpha SAL85F28 PENTAX DA 10-17mm f/3.5-4.5 ED IFTokina 12-24MM F/4.0Nikon 600mm f/4.0G ED VR II