Sean:
Do not compromise on your lenses, they are what make a quality photo. I've been a Canon user since 1976 and have no regrets, I use all f2.8 glass. Take a look at my website and you'll see a lot of Canon images.
www.adeketchum.com
As for the battery grip for the D30/D60/10D, by all means it is a help, especially if you shoot vertical images because it has a shutter release button on the top of the grip. And, if you're going with a Canon digital SLR, take a long hard look at the new 10D, I've had mine for a week and the images are awesome.
Ade Ketchum