But how about the 35mm? There is a Zeiss 2.8 and 2.0 lens. They are extremely close in price.
I had a different reply, as I was looking at your question incorrectly. That was my fault.
Now, regarding the two versions of the 35mm lens. If you notice the price, they are separated by just 200 euros. So, the buyer decides, speed or money. The difference in price is worth considering for the would-be buyer.
But with the 85mm lens, the difference in price is about 1,800 euros between the f/2.0 Sonnar and the f/4.0 Tele-Tessar. And again, it's speed vs. money (quite a bit of money).
Sure, Zeiss could design an f/2.8 85mm Sonnar to be made in Japan. And certainly, the cost would probably significantly less than the German-made version. Let's say it costs 1,000 euros.
That would seriously cannibalize the sales of the German Sonnar. Who here would buy the f/2.0 Sonnar when you could buy an f/2.8 version and save yourself 1,600 euros? Very few.
It doesn't make good business sense to do this. It's a simple concept to understand.
An f/4.0 85mm Tele-Tessar does make good business sense. You decide if you want a very fast lens for a premium price or a slower lens with a much smaller price tag.
Now, this doesn't mean that in the future, Zeiss halts production of the German-made Sonnar and creates a less-expensive Japanese-made f/2.8 version. Might happen. Might never happen.
In the meantime, there is now a choice in that focal length. Not a bad thing at all.
