When Canon released the 300D / Digital Rebel and this lens the photographic world was stunned. At a stroke they halved the entry price into the Digital SLR market. The lens part of that package was the EFS 18- 55 f 3.5 - 5.6. This test is on the mk2 version of the lens. Canon made some interesting decisions when they designed this lens. It had to be cheap to make - it adds only $ 80 / £ 50 to the cost of the body - so it’s very light, very plastic - including the mount - and doesn’t come with the vital lenshood. That’s an optional extra. So it was built to a price - and feels like it - If you look at the rear of the lens and zoom it out you can see right inside the lens barrel. Most lenses are more or less sealed at the rear to prevent dust getting inside. Obviously Canon doesn’t expect this lens to leave the camera very often.