Zeiss Batis 1.8/85

Very sharp form edge to edge. Wide aperture. Dust- and splash-resistant construction

Pricey. Noticeable pincushion distortion

Zeiss makes an 85mm lens that is, for all intents and purposes, as optically perfect as a lens can be. It's the Otus 85/1.4, and it's huge, heavy, manual focus only, and priced at nearly five grand. For the rest of us—at least the rest of us that shoot...

Very sharp form edge to edge. Wide aperture. Dust- and splash-resistant construction.

Pricey. Noticeable pincushion distortion.

Conclusion The Zeiss Batis 1.8/85 is a near-perfect lens, at a price that's well shy of the company's manual focus Otus line. It's tack sharp from corner to corner, even at f/1.8, captures a heck of a lot of light, and draws wonderful portraits with a...