The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Carl Zeiss Tele-Tessar 4/85 ZM and the Carl Zeiss Sonnar T2/85 ZM for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Carl Zeiss Sonnar T2/85 ZM is the longer of the two lenses at 100mm. The Carl Zeiss Tele-Tessar 4/85 ZM with a length of 95mm, is 5mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Carl Zeiss Sonnar T2/85 ZM also has a larger diameter of 70mm compared to the Carl Zeiss Tele-Tessar 4/85 ZM's 54mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Carl Zeiss Tele-Tessar 4/85 ZM weighs 310g, which means it is 190g (38%) lighter than the Carl Zeiss Sonnar T2/85 ZM which has a weight of 500g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Prime Lenses in Leica M Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Lenses in Leica M Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Carl Zeiss Tele-Tessar 4/85 ZM has a filter size of 43mm whereas the Carl Zeiss Sonnar T2/85 ZM has a 58mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 43mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Carl Zeiss Tele-Tessar 4/85 ZM:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Carl Zeiss Sonnar T2/85 ZM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Carl Zeiss Tele-Tessar 4/85 ZM and the Carl Zeiss Sonnar T2/85 ZM has the same Leica M lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Leica M lenses are Leica M11 Monochrome, Leica M11 and Leica M10.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of
85mm but while Carl Zeiss Tele-Tessar 4/85 ZM has the fastest aperture of
F4.0, the Carl Zeiss Sonnar T2/85 ZM's widest aperture value is
F2.0.