Our melanistic F5 boy and our Snow F4 boy were both within the ranges quoted above, but neither are show or breeder quality based on looks.
D, our F5 boy, has such a long tail that it drags on the ground (if he forgets to hold it up) and he has some patches of chocolate brown and some white hairs in his coat. Our F4 boy Mickey Blue Eyes is not breed standard (snow), and to top it off, the little guy is kind of cross eyed.
They are wonderful boys. D is a certified therapy pet, we call him the happiest cat in the world. Mickey is the most cuddly cat I have ever encountered. He waits until our alarm goes off, and CHARGES at us for a snuggle session 4 mornings out of 5. It makes us late for work ALL THE TIME.
If you are open to a kitten that doesn't look exactly the way the SV breed usually appears, whether it is a tail that is too long, some white (or a whole lot of it) in the coat, or some slightly crossed eyes, there is a great SV kitten in a lower price range in your future.
If I were judged on looks alone, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't measure up to Breeder or Show standards, but I've got some great qualities, and so do my F4 and F5 boys. I'm not exactly proportioned perfectly, and neither is D, and I can't see at all without my glasses, and little Mickey is cross eyed, but boy am I glad Mickey and D are our kitties. I wouldn't trade them for the most perfect looking SV in the world.
Great SVs come in a whole variety of packaging, from perfect spotting patterns to some that are a little less so. The better the packaging, the higher the price in some circumstances.