The vast majority of individuals who examine this lens consider it to be a staff lens, frequently using it as a substitute for a whale. Furthermore, these individuals believe that if they purchase the most affordable lens that contains the letter L, they will be able to acquire an excellent universal lens; as a result, a number of erroneous expectations are generated. I must inform you, gents, that this lens is NOT TYPICAL. This is an excellent example of a highly skilled and specialized LANDSCAPE. It is optimized for shooting landscapes when the light is favorable, or taking long exposures while mounted on a tripod. Skip the 17-40L and go straight for the 24-70L or the Sigma 28-70 instead if you want a lens that can handle the majority of shooting situations. It is an excellent specialized lens, which, in addition, opens up much better at full frame due to the angle of view. The same lens is designed for shooting landscapes at f/7.1 and above, partially architectural shooting, as well as perversions with distortion. The poor Japanese people are kept awake at night because they are able to see how this glass is used for reportage or pictures; thus, have some compassion for them and refrain from doing it =) For those who are aware of this and are interested in making a comparison with the 16-35L, I have the following to say: the 16-35, in contrast to the subject of the review, is fantastic for reporting and is extensively utilized by the same wedding photographers. If you require such an application, you should consider purchasing 16-35. If you are interested in wide-angle or landscape photography, the quality difference between the two types of shots will be negligible, and the additional cost will not be justified by the results. Dixi.