Well, I have had to think about this a little. RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L. I can see how this could be a very useful lens for me. At 500mm, f/7.1 @ 100 ft yields a DOF of 5.2 ft. 60' = a DOF of 1.88ft. For a guy who takes a whole lot of photos of his toddler grandson tearing around the park or at the lake, this lens might just be the all around ticket. It may not be the ticket if one is a birder creeping around the forest. I honestly don't understand all the hand wringing and criticism. Birding in the dark forest isn't all that's going on out there. If the shoe don't fit, nobody is forcing you to buy it. There'll be something faster and more expensive you can pick up to fit your needs better. Just slap that cash down on the barrel head. Sigma? Tamron? Yeah, not for me. BTW: Out on the sand in bright sun and front lit: 1/1300 sec, f/7.1, ISO 100. Back lit? 1/325 sec