Why choose D60 and not D30

[Wai]

For those existing D30 owner, what's is your main reason for upgrade to D60? are there any serious bug in D30 which is solved in D60 or siginifant improvement over certain features?

i know there are reviews out there to read...but i hope to hear some reason from you guys who have been using D30 for so long.

Why upgrade? is the extra $$ that u put in worth it?

the MAIN different i can find b/w D60 and D30 is the MP (6 vs 3)

also, faster AF & improved buffering memory & faster noise removal in D60

and personally i found that the backlid is useful too, since i like to take night shot


i read from dpreview that it is possible to take 4.30" exposure shot with D60, i tot the max is only 30"?? any longer will need to use bulb mode and remote is it?? what is the maximum xposure that D60 and D30 can take with bulb mode? will it spoil the CMOS??

how abt noise reduction, when will noise reduction activate or is it automatic one??

exactly how soft and how slow is D30 AF compare with D60? probably i need some hands on to experience it already...

 

[ckiang]

Originally posted by kamwai
For those existing D30 owner, what's is your main reason for upgrade to D60? are there any serious bug in D30 which is solved in D60 or siginifant improvement over certain features?

i know there are reviews out there to read...but i hope to hear some reason from you guys who have been using D30 for so long.

Why upgrade? is the extra $$ that u put in worth it?

the MAIN different i can find b/w D60 and D30 is the MP (6 vs 3)

also, faster AF & improved buffering memory & faster noise removal in D60

and personally i found that the backlid is useful too, since i like to take night shot


i read from dpreview that it is possible to take 4.30" exposure shot with D60, i tot the max is only 30"?? any longer will need to use bulb mode and remote is it?? what is the maximum xposure that D60 and D30 can take with bulb mode? will it spoil the CMOS??

how abt noise reduction, when will noise reduction activate or is it automatic one??

exactly how soft and how slow is D30 AF compare with D60? probably i need some hands on to experience it already...

Using Bulb Mode will not spoilt the CMOS, CCD, or film. A 4' 30" shot obviously is taken using bulb mode and a cable release. I suppose it can last as long as the battery if noise is not a concern. From what I understand the D30/60 has noise reduction which can be turned on or off.

Also, from what I understand, the D60's AF is not much improved from the D30. The addition of the lit focussing points is a good one though.

Well, as to why people upgrade, it's a natural thing, whether you need it or not. Do you need a 2+ MHz Pentium IV? Or 1GB of RAM? Or 80GB harddisk? Not really right? Most people just want to get the latest and greatest. Helps to boost the economy.

For me, I've got out of this upgrade cycle. Intermediate upgrades are not justifiable for me. I still have my 2 year plus old Coolpix 950. That's at least 3 generations old. Still take great pictures. And the later generations did not offer a hell lot of improvement except for increased resolution.

For the D60, I guess if one needs the extra megapixels, then go for it. Otherwise, not worth the trouble. There's really nothing much wrong with the D30 otherwise. But given the influx of used D30 sales, it gives others an opportunity to buy a reasonably good D-SLR for cheap.

Regards
CK

 

[Kit]

If the D60 is based on say....the EOS 3 body, then I understand the reason behind the upgrade. But as in the case now, I think most upgraders(not all, but most) are just into the latest and greatest stuff. Didn't we see great images from the D30 too?

 

[ckiang]

Originally posted by Kit
If the D60 is based on say....the EOS 3 body, then I understand the reason behind the upgrade. But as in the case now, I think most upgraders(not all, but most) are just into the latest and greatest stuff. Didn't we see great images from the D30 too?

Right. Most people are just equipment freaks who wants the latest and greatest. Whether they really need or not is another issue altogether.

If the D60 is based on the EOS 3, then the price would have been muc higher.

Regards
CK

 

[Adam Goi]

Originally posted by kamwai
For those existing D30 owner, what's is your main reason for upgrade to D60? are there any serious bug in D30 which is solved in D60 or siginifant improvement over certain features?

the MAIN different i can find b/w D60 and D30 is the MP (6 vs 3)

Don't forget the latter allows you to shoot up to iso 3200 which is not available in the D60. The former only allows you to shoot up to iso 1000!

 

[ckiang]

Originally posted by AdamGoi


Don't forget the latter allows you to shoot up to iso 3200 which is not available in the D60. The former only allows you to shoot up to iso 1000!

Eh, D30 goes up to 1600 only. ;p

Regards
CK

 

[Bluestrike]

Originally posted by ckiang


Eh, D30 goes up to 1600 only. ;p

Regards
CK

There is a custom function that allow up to ISO3200... hhehehe
Ask Simon if you don't believe....

Anyway, you Nikonians better stay clear of here.....
hhehhehehhee;p

 

[StreetShooter]

I think you are referring to the EOS 1D, which has the custom function to allow ISO 100 and 3200.

DPReview

 

[Wai]

Originally posted by ckiang


Using Bulb Mode will not spoilt the CMOS, CCD, or film. A 4' 30" shot obviously is taken using bulb mode and a cable release. I suppose it can last as long as the battery if noise is not a concern. From what I understand the D30/60 has noise reduction which can be turned on or off.

expsoure so long, won't spoil the CMOS/CCD due to heat produce by the current passing thru the transistor meh? (i dun mean pointing the camera at the sun)

Also, from what I understand, the D60's AF is not much improved from the D30. The addition of the lit focussing points is a good one though.

for that i have to try it myself already, dpreview says that D30 AF is slow, and the pic is too soft

For the D60, I guess if one needs the extra megapixels, then go for it. Otherwise, not worth the trouble. There's really nothing much wrong with the D30 otherwise. But given the influx of used D30 sales, it gives others an opportunity to buy a reasonably good D-SLR for cheap.

yes..great to see someone selling D30 at $2600 (neg. somemore) it is just 3 days after D60 arrived, i wonder how the price will like when Nikon/Fuji DSLR are out.....so what u will expect the price for D30 will drop until??

 

[Adam Goi]

Originally posted by Bluestrike

Anyway, you Nikonians better stay clear of here.....
hhehhehehhee;p

:dent:

 

[Adam Goi]

Originally posted by kamwai

for that i have to try it myself already, dpreview says that D30 AF is slow, and the pic is too soft

Soft? Isn't that more of a lens than camera problem?

 

[Wai]

Originally posted by AdamGoi


Soft? Isn't that more of a lens than camera problem?

welll...i dunno...that's what Phil Askley said...

that's why i want to find out from the D30 user as well....may be this problem is not that serious after firmware upgrade or in S'pore version??

what are the problems that have been solved after firmware update?

 

[ckiang]

Originally posted by AdamGoi


Soft? Isn't that more of a lens than camera problem?

The camera is inherently soft. Softer than most digital cameras (particular consumer ones). And it's made worse by crap lenses as well. With L lenses and primes, it's quite sharp. With a bit of USM, it will literally come alive.

Regards
CK

 

[Wai]

Originally posted by ckiang


With L lenses and primes, it's quite sharp. With a bit of USM, it will literally come alive.

err...what do u mean ar? care to elaborate?

thanks!

 

[ckiang]

Originally posted by kamwai


err...what do u mean ar? care to elaborate?

thanks!

I meant images straight out of the D30 using consumer lenses are relatively soft. If you use L lenses, or prime lenses (e.g. 50mm f1.8) it will be quite sharp. If you apply USM (as in UnSharp Mask, not UltraSonic Motor) in Photoshop, it will be as sharp as you want. In fact, most people leave the sharpness setting on their D30 as LOW and sharpen later. Those who shoot RAW export with low sharpness and sharpen later as well. You get more control that way.

Whatever you do, don't use a D30/60 with those 28-200 or 28-300 superzooms. Ultimate in softness. Trust me, I know someone who sold his D30 because of this.

Regards
CK

 

[Wai]

Originally posted by ckiang

Whatever you do, don't use a D30/60 with those 28-200 or 28-300 superzooms. Ultimate in softness. Trust me, I know someone who sold his D30 because of this.

Wonder if i can use these old lenes that i have with my old manual SLR?

Carl Zeiss F2 50mm

F3.8 85-205mm

The mount

Is the adapter hard to get? how much a OEM adapter will cost? i dun mind 2nd hand adapter as long as it can work...

 

[ckiang]

Originally posted by kamwai


Wonder if i can use these old lenes that i have with my old manual SLR?

Carl Zeiss F2 50mm

F3.8 85-205mm

The mount

Is the adapter hard to get? how much a OEM adapter will cost? i dun mind 2nd hand adapter as long as it can work...

Not worth the trouble and money. You not only lose AF, but a whole lot of other things (e.g. Evaluative metering) as well. Save the money and get the original Canon lenses.

Regards
CK

 

[Wai]

Originally posted by ckiang


Not worth the trouble and money. You not only lose AF, but a whole lot of other things (e.g. Evaluative metering) as well. Save the money and get the original Canon lenses.

Regards
CK

may be i will sell away this antique SLR then...any takers?

pic can be found here

ok...now back to topic....

where are the D30 -> D60 user?

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by kamwai
also, faster AF & improved buffering memory & faster noise removal in D60

faster AF? nah..........

I've played with Tomshen's D60. At first, i was surprised to find the D60 focuses so much faster. Everything seems so snappy. Using my test scene, i switched over to my D30 with the same lens and tot to myself "the D30 can never focus this fast".

Surprise surprise, the D30 focuses just as fast in that pretty low light situation - i use ISO 800 for both tests. The focus times for the D30 is exactly that of the D60 - using the same lens, on the same subject.

Why did i get the impression that the D60 AF faster when i first played with it?? Partly i'm sure it was due to the fact that many pple said so, and i haven't had the chance to check out one yet.

The main reasons why i (and i'm sure many other pple) were given the impression of faster AF with the D60:

1) D60's shutter response is faster than the D30's, so everything feels fast and snappy. Everything, it seems, including AF performance. (which is the same as the D30, of course)

2) D60 has a larger buffer and u can take more shots continuously. This lends to the impression of faster operation, and consequently, faster AF.

3) And the number 1 reason why pple think the D60 focuses faster - the VERY bright illuminating focusing point that beeps and blinks with so much intensity upon focus lock that grabs the user's attention immediately. Visual feedback of focus lock was faster than the D30; actual AF performance does not vary at all.

That is, at least my opinion, and that's with thousands of frames with the D30. YMMV.............

 

[Wai]

Originally posted by Red Dawn


faster AF? nah..........

what lens u use for the test?

yeah... real user's experience do differ from review sometimes, cos review was done in a few days, where a end-user will have much longer experience with the camera...

that's why i usually took more than 2 weeks for one review, cos i make sure i have enough experience with the products before i still starts to write about it

i do get a bit worry when i read Phil askey review as he points out the D30 have slow AF and very soft picture

may i know what are the problems that have been solved after firmware update?