I came very close to buying the D30 this month . . . even got the money out to
send for it, and purchased a laptop computer to download images in the field,
but then decided against it. Here's why.
My use is for birds, pretty much exclusively, using both the EF300/2.8L IS and
EF600/4L IS lenses. I use three 550ex lights and the ST-E2 for hummingbirds, so
flash performance is critical. I am also routinely faced with the need to fire
repeatedly in short succession. This is a little different than needing a high
frame-per-second rate. I don't require that, just the need to fire a second or
third shot immediately when the bird has just ruined my shot by dipping or
turning its head at the wrong instant . . . happens all the time.
I keep hearing great things about the D30 as far as image quality is concerned.
However I also keep hearing that is has poor auto focus performance. I don't
quite understand that as the motors are in the lenses. Why would the D30 be
slower than any other EOS body to AF?
I also hear that the D30 exhibits a noticeable shutter lag . . . very bad for
my purposes. That would be a major frustration for my type of use.
People have also remarked that the D30 is erratic or undependable with flash? I
do not understand that either.
In any event, despite itching to go digital, I have decided against it at this
time. I know additional digital EOS bodies are expected later in the year.
Perhaps one of them will rectify the deficiencies that concern me. Of course, I
appreciate they might well not be affordable either! In fact, the expected 6MP
pro digital EOS will almost certainly be well out of the price range I am
willing to pay at the moment.
So, bizarrely enough, I ordered a Rebel as a second EOS body in the interim
instead of the D30! Ridiculous I know. I still wish I had been able to actually
try a D30 to see how limiting my concerns about its performance actually are.
Perhaps they would not have been so serious as I fear.
--
Terence A. Danks
Nova Scotia, Canada
Wildlife and Nature Photography
http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/danksta/home.htm
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