Want to try a zeiss manual focus again

Some time back, i tried going for a zeiss manual focus lens, but reviews about the sharpness of the zeiss 50 makro swayed me to it over the 50 1.4.

Unfortunately, i did not realize that the focus ring is mostly around the macro distances.
Its very hard for me to fine tune focus on a farther subject.

So i went to the store to look at the very affordable zeiss 50 1.4

Then i discovered fhat there's a new milvus line.

So, here are my options, please help me narrow it down by bouncing ideas.

Classic 50 1.4
- cheap to try again

Milvus 35 2
- i have a canon 35 already, but its a nice focal range

Milvus 50 1.4
- all around focal length

Milvus 85 1.4
- should be an awesome portrait lens, but seems to be heavy
- i dont have an 85 anything now

Or i could just buy myself a nice watch

In the Milvus line, only the 50/1.4 and 85/1.4 are new optical designs.

I have used the 35/2 and I really love the rendering, with the famous Zeiss "3D pop". I have other 35s, otherwise I'd buy one.

I don't like the classic 50/1.4 Planar rendering, it just lacks the special pop and colors other Zeiss lenses have.
My manual 50 lens is a Zeiss 50/1.7 in C/Y mount that I got used for almost nothing, and it's a gem.
If you need a modern 50/1.4, it's the Milvus.

Haven't tried the Milvus 85 yet. I have used the classic 85/1.4 (different optical design) and didn't like it.

Finally, I can tell you that watches don't take very good photos

The Milvus line is just re-packaging of the previous classic Zeiss lenses. The exception is the 85 Milvus and the 50. Purists like the focus ring of the classic Zeiss over the rubber focus ring of the Milvus line. There seems to be more focus throw on the classic focus ring.

The 85 Milvus is similar to the Otus but not as sharp. The Milvus 50 is an improvement over the classic. My recommendation would be the classic 21/2.8, classic 135/2 or the Milvus 85. The classic 100/2 makro is a great lens as well if you shoot macros and don't mind 2:1.

Depending on how much money you have, any Breitling watch is nice. If you have lots of cash, the Rolex GMT II is fine as well.

Good luck deciding.

Forget the watch!
The "old" ZE / ZF 50/1.4 is an old lens design. So not very sharp. I am not sure if it has the same rendering as the Zeiss Contax 50mm/1.4, which is quite good for some images.
The Milvus one should be much better in terms of MTF (image sharpness & contrast).

The ZE/ZF 35mm/2 is great, don´t see the Milvus quality yet. Likely the same or better.