Thanx guys, the 180L really seems to be one very capable general telephoto lens in addition to probably being the best macro Canon makes. Which does not mean at all that the 100 f/2.8 and 60 f/2.8 are not good...on the contrary, those two lenses are better than good.
MEBailey, I agree that the 85 L focuses quite a bit slower than the 180L. However, my experience is that even the 85L can be deployed for faster action if one is keen on it, but with some zonal prefocusing. For example I'd shoot flying ducks and seagulls with the 85L but would not have the patience to try to get pigeons/doves nor anything faster/smaller than that.
Lastly, I think that much of our photography inhibitions (and lens expenses)come from lens compartmentalizing......the traditional wisdom, so to speak. For example, unless one has a 400mm f/2.8, one can not shoot sports. If you wanna low available light photography, you must have an f/1.2 or f/1.0 lens, etc. The EF-S 60 Macro lens has probably opened my eyes that way a bit.....when I realized that was the best walk around lensI had at the time.
