thinking of buying a D30 for my girlfriend

Yes. A Drebel will be $300-400 and the 128MB card is worth a couple pennies, and batteries are $10 each.

The d30 is MORE THAN CAPABLE of QUALITY 8x10s @ full frame (I say MORE THAN because I can get 11x14s that look great, and that opinion from a very critical photog with 40 years of pro experience)...I'd recommend it to any beginner...

BUT...

The lens incompatibality issue defeats your idea of sharing...and
the Rebels' size and weight may fit your girlfriend's hands much better than the d30/60/10d etc...

Chris R/T wrote in post #2336334
I guess I'm asking to much for my D30 with grip, 128MB card, and two batterys @ 350?

A little low, the grip will add a fair amount to the end price since it's also used with the 10D/D60 and highly regarded.

As is always the case, you are getting lots of input from people that have never had nor ever used a D30. You can produce 8x10 and larger prints with no problem. If you properly expose your images, the D30 performs quite well at ISO 1600. It is a bit slow on initial start, but that isn't as big a problem as people make it out to be. You just turn the camera on and by the time you are ready to begin shooting...the camera is ready. If you want a piece of plastic with goofy controls...buy a used Rebel...if you want a camera that works into the current line of gear you are using...get the D30...if nothing else...it has a wheel on the back and not a bunch of Mickey Mouse buttons.

I'd give $250 for a D30 with under 10K on it. No matter its limitations. I mean come on people...look at the prices of point and shoots these days! Heck I gave $430 for my 10D.

You only have ONE lens that you can't share and it's the craptasticest you own. People are making it sound like NONE of your lenses can be shared, which is definitely not the case.

thanks for all your input. i've enjoyed reading this thread. i am not worried with the ef-s issue. you can't use that lens in low light anyway. also, i just went to canon less than a year ago, and plan to add many more lenses soon (not to mention the local rental shop). with that said, i am leaning towards the d30 right now. it seems that most people with the camera say go for it; most people with the rebel say not. does the rebel really have that much better of a sensor?? sure it has more MP, but i've read a lot of good stuff about the colors the D30 produces. thanks to all for your input.

thelightofsound wrote in post #2338094
thanks for all your input. i've enjoyed reading this thread. i am not worried with the ef-s issue. you can't use that lens in low light anyway. also, i just went to canon less than a year ago, and plan to add many more lenses soon (not to mention the local rental shop). with that said, i am leaning towards the d30 right now. it seems that most people with the camera say go for it; most people with the rebel say not. does the rebel really have that much better of a sensor?? sure it has more MP, but i've read a lot of good stuff about the colors the D30 produces. thanks to all for your input.

I can't speak for the original rebel owners but I did own the XT. It was a fine camera for what it was, but build was lacking and it NEEDED the grip just to be holdable. It also has an Av button that you press in combination with the front dial to adjust aperture. The D30, D60, 10D, 20D, 30D, and just about every other EOS camera uses a jog dial on the back for that. It's a lot faster with the dial than button + dial. Not only that but the Av button is right above the timer button...I can't tell you the number of times I inadvertently activated the timer when all I wanted to do was adjust my shutter speed.

You get better built quality out of the D30 than the rebel line as well. They were made for heavier use than the casual shooters the rebels are marketed towards would put them through.

As far as the sensor goes, I can't say whether there are significant differences between the original rebel and the D30 or not. Like most of the posters in this thread, I haven't used either. I just know I'd rather have my "old" 10D than the "new" XT/XTi. As a matter of fact I sold my XT and its accessories and purchased a used 10D to replace it. I'm a lot happier. The D30, while not exactly the same technology, is in the same bloodline as the 10D and 30D that I have and use now.

I still own and use my D30 as my only camera and have printed up to 16x20 with little difference from a 5x7. Just a little more grain.

Well, I guess I'll throw in some images done with a D30 and a Rebel XT. I won't tell you which is which, see if you can guess....

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Byte size: ZERO | PHOTOBUCKET ERROR IMAGE

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Byte size: ZERO | PHOTOBUCKET ERROR IMAGE

shrugs* wrote in post #2336551
A little low, the grip will add a fair amount to the end price since it's also used with the 10D/D60 and highly regarded.

Ironicly, I've got a D60 as well, and I like hte D30 better....weird.

I just got the d30 a couple months ago...at a thrift shop no less...
here's a full frame shot...raw iso 200, 1/800 @ F:10 with a bit of USM
http://img221.imagesha​ck.us …2479/crw1961vic​2jsxn1.jpg

Here a blow up of the center portion with a bit more USM = to 16x20
http://img221.imagesha​ck.us …658/crw1961vic2​cjsno2.jpg

Here's a JPEG again iso 200 w/ some USM,
again = to 16 x 20

http://img205.imagesha​ck.us …rw1603rt168x4jc​opycr6.jpg

In the interest of full disclosure...I just pulled the trigger on a 10d for $400...
Is the d30 worth $250?...definitely...a​nd I've seen them being sold on boards for $225 or so...go, be fruitful and multiply...