The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Leica Thambar-M 90mm F2.2 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 Leica Thambar-M 90mm F2.2 with a length of 90mm, is 10mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Carl Zeiss Sonnar T2/85 ZM also has a larger diameter of 70mm compared to the Leica Thambar-M 90mm F2.2's 57mm 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.
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 Leica Thambar-M 90mm F2.2 has a filter size of 49mm 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 49mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Leica Thambar-M 90mm F2.2:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Carl Zeiss Sonnar T2/85 ZM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Leica Thambar-M 90mm F2.2 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
Leica Thambar-M 90mm F2.2 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 90mm.
On the other hand, the Carl Zeiss Sonnar T2/85 ZM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 85mm.