These are the best Zeiss prime lenses when you want exquisite micro-contrast, disciplined CA control, gorgeous sunstars, and rock-solid mechanics for portraits, travel, street, editorial, product, astro, and hybrid video—and here’s what to look for as you buy: choose by family for the rendering and ergonomics you want—Otus for uncompromised optical perfection, Milvus for modern coatings and rugged manual-focus builds, Batis for lightweight AF with OSS on select focal lengths, Loxia for compact MF with de-clickable apertures, and ZM for tiny rangefinder-style character that adapts beautifully; favor APO or near-APO designs to tame LoCA on speculars, long silky throws with hard stops (MF lines), minimal focus breathing if you film, close-focus options for detail B-roll, and consistent front diameters so one slim VND (plus a mild 1/8 diffusion) covers the set. Full-frame “reference” heroes: Otus 55mm ƒ1.4 and Otus 85mm ƒ1.4 (clinical yet elegant wide open), Otus 100mm ƒ1.4 (astonishing skin/texture control), and Otus 28mm ƒ1.4 (night city/astro sharpness with beautiful coma control); Milvus standouts: 21mm ƒ2.8 (rectilinear legend), 25mm ƒ1.4 (speed + discipline for blue hour), 35mm ƒ1.4 (creamy prime with bite), 50mm ƒ1.4 and 50mm ƒ2 Macro (1:2), 85mm ƒ1.4 (classic Zeiss portrait glow), 100mm ƒ2 Macro (1:2 beauty/product staple), and 135mm ƒ2 APO-Sonnar (compression with reference CA control). Mirrorless AF primes (light, color-true): Batis 18mm ƒ2.8 (crisp UWA), 25mm ƒ2 (blue-hour storyteller), 40mm ƒ2 CF (close-focus hybrid champ), 85mm ƒ1.8 (wedding/portrait workhorse with OSS), and 135mm ƒ2.8 (stabilized tele with lovely micro-contrast). Compact MF for cine/hybrid: Loxia 21mm ƒ2.8, 25mm ƒ2.4, 35mm ƒ2, 40mm ƒ2, 50mm ƒ2, and 85mm ƒ2.4—de-clickable, long-throw, low-breathing primes that grade consistently and balance fast on gimbals. Rangefinder-style ZM gems (adapt to mirrorless): Biogon 28mm ƒ2.8 and 35mm ƒ2 (disciplined geometry in tiny barrels), Distagon 35mm ƒ1.4 (speed + Zeiss pop), Planar 50mm ƒ2 (neutral, razor micro-contrast), Sonnar 50mm ƒ1.5 (vintage-modern character), and Tele-Tessar 85mm ƒ4 (featherweight tele for travel). Practical buyer tips: pick a two- or three-prime spine that maps to your “wide → normal → tele” beats—“APO/clinical”: Milvus 21/2.8 + Otus 55/1.4 + Milvus 135/2; “Light AF”: Batis 18/2.8 + 40/2 CF + 85/1.8; “MF cine”: Loxia 21/2.8 + 35/2 + 85/2.4—and add Milvus 100/2 Macro for beauty/product; standardize to 77/82/95 mm with step-ups so one VND/diffusion fits all, test flare on city lights/sunlines, enable breathing compensation where supported, and use rigid adapters (ZE/ZF/ZM→E/Z/RF) with zero play. Prime-shooting tips: run Aperture Priority near wide open and stop 1/3–2/3 stop for eyelash-sharp faces with smooth falloff, manage background distance (1–3 m) for clean bokeh, level horizons and shade the front element for cleaner sunstars, and for macro/beauty lean on the Milvus 50/2 or 100/2 with cross-polarization; for astro start at ƒ1.4–ƒ2.8, ISO 3200–6400, focus via magnification on a bright star; for video lock a 180° shutter with a quality VND, de-click where possible, add 0.8 focus gears to MF lines, and avoid stacking filters that invite ghosts; whether you’re crafting editorial character studies, blue-hour city stories, meticulous product sets, or handheld travel diaries, the best Zeiss prime choices—Otus/Milvus for reference, Batis for AF ease, Loxia for cine-friendly MF, and ZM for tiny classic builds—deliver that unmistakable Zeiss micro-contrast, disciplined color, and tactile control so your images look intentional and refined straight off the card.