Full frame vs. DX

[cwcaesar]

I am looking to get either the D600 or D800, a 70-200 2.8, a 50mm 1.4, and either the 17-55 2.8 or the 24-70 2.8 as well. That should be a pretty good setup.

17-55 is a DX lens - the rough equivalent of the 24-70mm on af FX frame. That must be some bonus you are expecting to drop $8,000 right off the bat. I am only a little jeolous...okay, maybe a lot jeolous.

'Pretty good setup'? That should be freaking awesome!

 

[OregonT3i]

Oh that's right, forgot the 17-55 was a dx lens. Well, scratch that one. Yeah, the bonus will be a large chunk of change, but it will happen in a year or two once my work site is completely dismantled. I am involved in chemical weapon demilitarization for the government, and there is a bonus for completing operations before a treaty date, which we did.
That being said, I've got plenty of time to research and shop around.

 

[djacobox372]

Actually, the larger the image sensor the greater the demand on your optics.

Large image sensors often out resolve even the best, pro grade expensive lenses.

Because far fewer FF image sensors can be made on a single silicon wafer, FF will continue to cost considerably more to make than smaller image sensors.
Also, manufacturing cost reductions apply more to the smaller image sensors than they do the FF sensors, again because so may more small sensors can be made on a single silicon wafer.

FF image sensors are 2x bigger than APS-C sensors, but FF sensors cost 4x more to make.

Digital Camera Sensor Sizes: How it Influences Your Photography

Don't confuse sensor size and resolution. At the same resolution a larger sensor requires less resolution from the lens to achieve the same results. This is why large format film images from 100 years ago look so great even with the limited optics.