Gary,
You just hit the nail on the head. It's the old " wide tie narrow
tie" syndrome. Fad, mystique, desirability all created by savvy
marketing, magazine reviews, discounts and gifts to the writers, etc.
to hype 85 vs 100. Regarding 85 vs 135 there is a somewhat
significant difference in focal length and image scale to explain the
preference here. Also, depending on construction material and f speed
the weight of the 135 can be more difficult to control? In the Topcon
system they produced, in auto diaphram mode, only a 135 f3.5. Their
85 was a f/1.8. Perhaps early patterns were established because
portrait users wanted the extra brightness the 85 offered. I'm not up
on wether the same pattern exists in the introduction of Zuiko lenses
in these focal lengths...i.e. slower 135's vs faster 85's and a
buying/ user pattern determined by the lens speed. I still come back
to fad and marketing leading the buying pack. --greg
> I am still in the dark as to the reason, or common-sense(!) explanation
> for the 85mm lens desirability and/or supremacy. Is it just a fad, esp. in
> the U.S., or is there some very important point that I'm missing? Btw,
>
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