I was eager to try this lens out when it arrived and I took a bunch of test shots right away. Image quality at maximum zoom is nice and crisp, the AF is pretty good, no complaints. I did some side by side shots switching out my Canon 55-250mm lens to check out the difference and this lens for sure gets tighter to the focus point. I'll have to play some more to check out the image quality comparison. The lack of image stabilization is a downside, my cam will be on a tripod with this lens or set to a shutter speed that minimizes shake. Overall, it's good value for the price in my opinion.