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 Tele-Tessar 4/85 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 Tele-Tessar 4/85 ZM is the longer of the two lenses at 95mm. The Leica Thambar-M 90mm F2.2 with a length of 90mm, is 5mm shorter. On the other hand, the Leica Thambar-M 90mm F2.2 has a larger diameter of 57mm 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, 38% (190g) lighter than the Leica Thambar-M 90mm F2.2's 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 Leica Thambar-M 90mm F2.2 has a filter size of 49mm whereas the Carl Zeiss Tele-Tessar 4/85 ZM has a 43mm 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 43mm filters that we recommend for the Carl Zeiss Tele-Tessar 4/85 ZM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Leica Thambar-M 90mm F2.2 and the Carl Zeiss Tele-Tessar 4/85 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 Tele-Tessar 4/85 ZM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 85mm.