This has to be one of the best 85mm lenses from any brand. It envies nothing to the other 85mm f1.4's; be it Sigma or Sony. Super solid construction, balances great on FF bodies. It will last several lifetimes. I can't understand the reviewers that state that this lens is not sharp at f/1.4.

This is an amazing glass, fast and sharp, don't let the manual focus scare you away. Only hard decision is now to shot a portrait with 135 or 85mm ?

Made in Japan but the German technology is there!This is my first Carl Zeiss lens that i purchased, and i dont regret it.As my late father told me, Carl Zeiss lenses are the best!I used this lens primarily for portraits in schools.

amazing ,sharp, but I need more time to learn up focusing

This is a beautiful lens. Image and color quality excellent. I find that it is betwr to stop down about a half stop to prevent blow out. I am still trying to get the hang of the manual focus. Definitely takes some practice

This lens is well made. The focus is smooth and precise. The color rendition is excellent.

Ok, gotta say this is a whole new experience for me. This is the first lens that I have owned where I felt like I owned some really high-end engineering. The images are very very sharp.

I recently bought a secondhand example of this lens in Pentax mount for my freshly acquired Pentax K-1. Absolutely brilliant. Frighteningly sharp from f2 onwards. It gives really nice colour rendition.

I love this lens. The lens is not perfect when compared to the Otus or Milvus versions in terms of outright optical quality, but at 85mm this is a portrait lens and for portrait work this lens is preferable to the either alternative. It renders in a way that that is perfect for portraiture.

Very good midrange lens