# Reach and the inverted bell curve



## jdramirez (Jun 10, 2014)

I was thinking about this the other day and I thought I would go ahead and write it down just in case I feel like referencing it one day. For the purposes of pricing, I'm using figures below retail... maybe there is a sale... maybe a rebate... but I could never image paying full price on anything. Also, I'm not considering the price of the bodies... since there are some cheap crop and full frame options... I'll leave the ratios respective of the lens and the sensor type.

My first set of lenses were the kit, 18-55, and the much maligned (and deservedly so) 75-300mm. On my XS, a crop body, that gave me an effective reach for 480mm give or take. @ the bargain basement price of $100, I got a whole 4.8mm per dollar... oh... and all the blurry photos I wanted. It was a buffet of blur...

Then I elected to give up some reach in favor of the Canon 55-250mm IS. The images were better... variable aperture doesn't really come into play with this discussion, but all in all it was a solid lens. Again, on a crop body, my reach was 400mm give or take. @ the time, the lens cost around $170, so the mm/$ ratio is 2.35mm/$. MM's are starting to get expensive in this game of reach.

Eventually I upgraded my body to another crop body... so it is a push. But then I kept pushing the image quality barrier... and low and behold, a 70-200mm f/4L USM shows up @ my door. Now I'm at 320mm and a ratio of .533mm/$. Outrageous. I then played the game of climb the ladder with the 70-200's and while my reach wasn't changed, my ratio went from .533 to .246 to finally .145mm/$. 

Then I upgrade from crop to full frame bring my reach to a paltry 200mm and a ratio of .0909mm/$. 

Here's where things started to go the other direction... Losing all that reach either compels you to buy a new lens, maybe a fast prime... or in my case I bought a teleconvertor, 1.4x. Now I'm rocking 280mm and a ratio of .107mm/$. The reach is increasing an amazingly so is the ratio. I personally don't have a 2x teleconvertor... but if I did, then we are at 400mm and .154mm/$.

So what's the moral... I think it is simple. Reach is cheap in the beginning... but when you come out the other end you'll have to pay dearly for it.


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## wickidwombat (Jun 10, 2014)

man (this is not a criticism) you take frugality to heights i am incapable of comprehending :-[


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## jdramirez (Jun 10, 2014)

wickidwombat said:


> man (this is not a criticism) you take frugality to heights i am incapable of comprehending :-[



I made a spreadsheet & graphs too.


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## wickidwombat (Jun 10, 2014)

While you're at it how does the tamron 150-600 go on ff and crop


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## zim (Jun 10, 2014)

jdramirez said:


> wickidwombat said:
> 
> 
> > man (this is not a criticism) you take frugality to heights i am incapable of comprehending :-[
> ...



;D ;D ;D now that's funny, you made my day cheers


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## 2n10 (Jun 10, 2014)

LOL, funny and unfortunately true. Someone has too much time on his hands or loves to ponder.


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## neuroanatomist (Jun 10, 2014)

600mm f/4L IS II, $21.67/mm (or 0.046mm/$, if you prefer). Great justification for adding a TC, the 2x drops it to just $11.25/mm.


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## cervantes (Jun 10, 2014)

I suggest you buy a high quality folding rule. The mm/$ ratio is unmatched.


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## Roo (Jun 10, 2014)

wickidwombat said:


> While you're at it how does the tamron 150-600 go on ff and crop



Dammit!!! Why did I fall into the trap of playing this game 0.482mm/$ for me here in Oz but if I add the uv filter and case I bought it drops to 0.418mm/$ on my full frame or 0.669mm/$ on my crop.


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## jdramirez (Jun 10, 2014)

2n10 said:


> LOL, funny and unfortunately true. Someone has too much time on his hands or loves to ponder.



I have a boring job and very few sexy co-workers to otherwise occupy my attention.


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## jdramirez (Jun 10, 2014)

neuroanatomist said:


> 600mm f/4L IS II, $21.67/mm (or 0.046mm/$, if you prefer). Great justification for adding a TC, the 2x drops it to just $11.25/mm.



I think I need to add a variable for aperture in my calculations and another for sharpness.... though I'm not sure I have sufficient mathematical education since I tapped out at calc 3.


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## Random Orbits (Jun 10, 2014)

neuroanatomist said:


> 600mm f/4L IS II, $21.67/mm (or 0.046mm/$, if you prefer). Great justification for adding a TC, the 2x drops it to just $11.25/mm.



The ratios can be even worse at the UWA end: 14L II, TS-E 17, 16-35L II.


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## 2n10 (Jun 10, 2014)

jdramirez said:


> 2n10 said:
> 
> 
> > LOL, funny and unfortunately true. Someone has too much time on his hands or loves to ponder.
> ...



I know what you mean. It would make the job more enjoyable but completion dates would be seriously skewed.


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