I don't know if this is a question as much as a rant, but here goes..
A while ago I bought myself one of those Zeiss 85mm F1.4 for my nikon. The main attraction of that lens over other lenses was that I wanted a manual focus lens, not auto focus. Now this is just my situation and needs, your mileage may and will vary. I was going to say I love the German glass I use for my 4x5, but of course these Zeiss lenses are all made in Japan. ( That's almost as bad as having the Martin Luther King monument made in China....oh - wait.
)
What gets me though is how many people in their reviews - sometimes magazines - sometimes just blogs or messages on a forum similar to this - put "manual focus" as a detriment or a negative, when for me it was the primary draw. However in terms of full disclosure, none of my local dealers had the ap-s nikkor 85mm in F1.4, only F1.8, and the F1.4 was a "special order" and a lot more expensive than the Zeiss too. Then the real weirdness was the Zeiss was in stock at one local dealer I often buy from anyhow. Still I would of stuck with the Zeiss.
Before digital my main Nikons were the FM and FM2, and then my MF camera was a Mamiya C330 and I also shoot 4x5, so to me manual focus on a DSLR is simple and easy. Sometimes too I find auto focus can get in the way. Yes, you can turn it off - at least I can on the AF lenses I use - but for me, how my mind works, I find when I have a MF lens on to begin with, my mindset, the way I work, it's better for me. Slowing down to focus manually makes me stop and think more about my shot. Again, YMMV, and there are times and situations that auto-focus is just perfect, a real life saver. But not always.
Also along those lines I have one of those Korean 8mm fisheye lenses that sell under a zillion different brand names all for around $300 ish. For what it is and the price, I love it. However - again I will often read a review or comment or blog and the fact that it is manual focus is usually listed as a negative or a "warning". Have you ever tried NOT to focus an 8mm fisheye lens?
Not saying it cannot be done, but it's pretty darned hard, and personally i haven't had shot out of focus yet with that lens.
So my point or question is this: First, I guess my "issue" with listing manual focus as a "negative" in reviews anymore is are we all becoming too spoiled, to entitled, or what? Secondly I sometimes I wonder out there on the internet if people who review or comment about these lenses actually ever use them.
thanks much for the rant space, love reading this forum
joe