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I use this 70-300mm IS USM mainly for outdoor work, and it performs beautifully, but I've also used it for portrait etc and it also produces beautiful work.

However, when I try and use it indoors with the flash the camera just decides its not going to play at all. Is this normal?

I read up on the manual and it says if the camera does that, to put it on manual focus. That makes no difference.

I am planning to rob a bank and get a nice portrait lens at some point, but I just find the kit lens doesnt give me as nice work as the bigger lens does.

Can you please explain what it doesn't work on? Provide a sample pic or two?

Is it that your exposure is not working or just that your camera refuses to take photo?

If it is the latter, it happens with a slow lens like this as camera struggles to get a focus and go snap. Not sure if your camera has overrides which allows photos to be taken before the focus is acquired. Which body are you using it on?

I think you may have just answered my question in it being a slower lens. I have a 400D and the lens works beautifully outdoors on any setting. I have twice tried it indoors and have to be honest I don't pay attention to what settings are flashing on the bottom of the screen, I just know that the shutter button doesn't click etc.

I'll have to pay more attention to which settings it doesnt work on and that might give people more to go on.

Sorry for being a blonde pest.

It may also be that you are trying to focus on something that is closer than the lens can focus on.

Check the "minimum focus distance" for your lens. If you try to focus too close it won't take the shot, but lights up the green circle on the bottom, far right in the viewfinder.

I think its a combination of things, and yes I'll confess its the operator. I spent a day out bush today (literally out in the boondocks) photographing at a pony club and the lens behaved beautifully.

Thank you though for responding to my thread, its much appreciated.