The lens I've been dreaming about for over 30 years.

I started with photography when I was 21, and I bought a Yashica FX2000 so I could mount the Contax Zeiss lens when I had enough money to buy them.
This never happened in the film era, and I never had a single Zeiss lens for my Yashica or for the Contax 139 Quarz I acquired later, because I was young and broke back then. 
But the Contax-Zeiss Planar T* 85mm f1.4 was always on top of my desire list, as it was the most iconic portrait lens for the system.

I'm now 54, I have a regular work, and I also have an extra boost from my Patrons that allow me to improve my gear and make increasingly better pictures.
Instead of buying modern and incredibly sharp but clinical contemporary plastic lenses, I prefer to adapt on my mirrorless cameras the classic lens that still have soul and art build into them.
I've been flirting with numerous Zeiss lenses from the Contax/Yashica era of late, but always avoided the Contax-Zeiss Planar T* 85mm f1.4.
I preferred the cheaper and less luminous Contax-Zeiss Sonnar T* 85mm f2.8 that gave me incredible pictures, sometimes I've been doing entire shootings with just that one lens!
I then landed on the superior quality of the Contax-Zeiss Planar T* 100mm f2, with which I shot some of my favorite photos, making it one of my 2 most regular lenses in the camera bag.
I also bought the Contax-Zeiss Sonnar T* 135mm f2.8, and I'm very happy also with this longer telephoto lens, when I have enough space to make the most out of it.
And still I was hesitating to buy the Contax-Zeiss Planar T* 85mm f1.4.
What finally convinced me was the knowledge most Contax/Zeiss lenses are covering nicely the full width of the Fujifilm GFX medium format sensor, and I pulled the trigger on the Planar T* 85mm f1.4.

The first photo I shot with this lens is the bonus picture of today, the one of the bottles, shot in a restaurant wide open at f1.4.
I nailed the focus in the center of the picture, which is not an easy task with this lens, and you can see the sharpness is pretty good in the centre, but also on the rum bottle on the extreme right of the frame (that happens to be on the same plane of focus).
Vignetting is acceptable on this larger than 35mm sensor, considering there is no crop whatsoever, or any other correction to the file.
Having used extensively the 100mm f2 on full sensor until now, I think it is time to give a chance to shine to this new 85mm f1.4 gem during the 2 shootings coming this week (26th and 29th).

I'm also going to get hold of all the other relevant Contax/Zeiss lenses from this older generation, starting from the 50mm f1.7 that is already on its way, and possibly another very special one, as soon as I can gather enough money...
Under the 50mm focal length, I don't think I will ever venture, because it is not something I'm likely to use for portraits or nudes, TBC.

And just to prove you that I'm a big fan of the Contax line up, today's photo of Martina from September 2020 was shot with the Contax-Zeiss Planar T* 100mm f2.
I don't need to spend many words to convince you about the quality of these Zeiss lenses, because a photo like this one is worth a thousand words!

If you want to learn more about the Bramley Apple Project or Archives, or DA subscriptions, ask me on bramleyapple@yahoo.com