I think many, when they took their first DSLRs and took their first pictures, thought in bewilderment: "It seems to be better than on a soap dish, but such beauty as in magazines is not even close." 17-55 is my first lens with which such beauty IS. I have almost forgotten what technical post-processing is, and I use Photoshop more and more for artistic purposes. But this is about the quality of shooting. If you calm down, unscrew it from the mount and look not THROUGH it, but AT it, it becomes clear that it is far from perfect. In general, I, yesterday's newcomer, am still delighted, but elite gentlemen will find something to complain about, oh, how they will find it.