I have had my three weeks now and have taken several hundred pictures in various conditions. I read all the comments here and on other sites, though both Canon and Nikon before I made a purchase. I hope to compare my experiences with what I read here and on other review sites. My camera body is a Canon XTi.
I read some reviews that complained about chromatic aberration (CA). Yes, there are some at the edges, at some focal lengths and apertures. If you look at test results ([...]) you will see that the lens performs well in the F-6, 7 to F-8. Almost no CA and excellent sharpness. This lens simply want to run best on F-8. So I have taken to using my camera in AV mode at F-8 when I use this lens. Excellent results with no visible CA.
I read some reviews that complained about the "softness" of the images in certain situations. This is due to two things. One is that if you let the camera program, select an aperture you can get a very high figure. At very high number of openings (f-16 +) lens is limited in focus, no design flaws, but by a fundamental law of physics. It is close to the diffraction limit of the aperture. The second problem is that the long focal length for Adaptive Multi-point autofocus algorithms mess up. If you look closely, they can focus on a bush that is 50 feet away, leaving the landscape as you tried to catch out of focus. Blame the camera and no lens. What I have done is to use instead focus on longer focal lengths. Lock on what is supposed to be in focus and then frame the scene. Do it and run the Off position on the F-8, so you do not get high f-numbers and "soft" will not be a problem.
I have read some complaints about slowness and errors in focus. This seems to come primarily from Nikon owners. For me, it focuses very quickly and calmly under all lighting conditions. No problem at all. I took it out on a dark night and pointed it at a star and had a lock on two seconds. I think the problem is more akin to focus algorithms running in the microprocessor in the camera than the lens itself. With my Canon XTi, I could not ask for better performance.
I have read complaints about the "lens creep". There is a tendency for long focal length to extend their maximum focal length hanging, because of the weight of the front parts of the lens. Mine did not, yet. This can be developed in the future. I do not think there is a problem, however. There is a single tab that can lock the lens at the short focal length for transport. During recording, I tend to carry the weight of the camera and lens with my hand on the lens and use your other hand on the body to work controls and points. So, Lens Creep "would not be a problem.
I have read some complaints about inconsistent effect on the zoom ring is necessary to zoom through the entire area. It's true. It takes a little more power to zoom from 70mm to 120 mm range. It is remarkable and I wish it was not there, but I know why that is. Somewhere around 70mm combs in the zoom mechanism go into an area where large amounts of extension occur with small zoom ring movement. Although not desirable, nor is it a problem.
This lens is heavy, especially if you are familiar with the kit 18-55 lens. You get used to and you will be happy if you are a Canon owners. If you're a Nikon owner you may have trouble focusing in low light.
All in all, I am quite happy with this purchase and I will not hesitate to recommend this lens. But to be really happy with it, you need to understand the compromises that are part of its design and how to solve them.
Edit: Almost a year later.
I have had the lens for just about a year and I have taken thousands of pictures. Almost everything I said initially, I would talk again. Two things I would add:
First barrel distortion is quite noticeable in the short focal length. This may be offensive, if there are things close to the edges of the scene to be straight lines (roof lines, highway overpasses, etc.) that appears curved. This is expected with an objective to "fish eye" wide, and so it is with this lens. I've found that this effect is completely removed in a decent photo editing program Gimp or Photoshop. Look in the menus of the tools for lens distortion effects.
Secondly, it is strange focus behavior through this lens on my Canon XTi when you use a circular polarizing filter. You should never attempt to use a single polarizing filter on a digital SLR camera, as they move up the camera's autofocus. But circular polarizers are designed to operate according to the literature. Yet circular polarizer that I have tried to use the camera seems to cause some focus indecision, especially with long focus. Do not expect to be able to use a circular polarizing filter with this lens if you have a camera similar to mine. Of course Nikon behave differently.
Edit: Almost two years later.
This lens has become my primary lens. It is the lens that stays on my camera bag with other lenses in the pockets. It's just a great general-shooting lens.
I have come to really appreciate the optical image stabilization. It gives me an extra stop or two of the field in low light. I would never have considered using an F3.5-6.3 lens in low light before this. But Tamron stabilization works. If the subject is not moving is slow shutter speed handheld photography possible when it never was before, except at wide apertures. Only two days ago I was in Bonnie Arizona shooting telephoto pix of Javelina in low light, which would have been impossible with a different lens.
After a considerable amount of use the lens has developed a tendency to "lens creep" (see above). It is not a problem but it happens. Use the locking lug.
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