I am interested to getting some insight(s) from direct comparison between the otus 100mm and MP100 lens in terms of image quality.
some background: I have and extensively use APO 135mm, otus 55mm and several other lens from classic & CY lines, I am familiar with otus sharpness/resolution advantage edge-to-edge right from wide-open aperture while maintaining smoother bokeh, lack of purple fringing, slight loss of 3D popiness, and yet the images are still dimensional & very pleasing.
beside the MP100 (CY P100), I am also interested in finding how much difference there is between the otus & the APO 135mm lens.
I own the APO-Sonnar 135, have owned a couple copies of the Otus 55 and one copy of the MP100, and, while I've never used the Otus 100, at work, I've tested the Zeiss Supreme 100 T1.5, which was the origin of the Otus design.
The MP is a solid all-arounder that isn't at it's best wide open from an aberration perspective (it's a bit of a CA machine, SA is undercorrected, and there's some focus-distance dependent astigmatism present in the outer-third of the frame). It's at its best close-focused, though lenses like Canon's EF 100/2.8L and Sigma's 105/2.8 for mirrorless, are significantly better for that purpose. It can take a beautiful portrait (head shot to full-body) but there's more structure in the bokeh and harsher focus transitions than you get out of Minolta's AF or Canon's EF 100/2s. Stopped down to f/5.6, it's a nicely strong landscaper, but no stronger than the average modern 70-200/2.8 @100/5.6. Basically, there are lenses that do everything it does a little better, but the MP can make a very pleasing one-lens solution.
The Supreme/Otus isn't flawless, but those flaws are so inconsequential, they're meaningless. It's flat-fielded with beautifully strong resolution across the frame and low and easily corrected distortion. It's as well corrected as the 55 and maintains that overall performance regardless of focus distance. You only have to stop it down if you need the depth. It has the 55's slow focus roll off and the bokeh is creamier for like framing thanks to the focal length. Like the other Supreme teles, it is an optical engineering marvel.
The APO-Sonnar 135 sits comfortably between the two in both resolution and overall correction. It's not as consistent across the focus range as the Supreme/Otus, but it focuses a lot closer and it plays really well with either a 72mm Canon 500D or Kenko Pro AC No 3 to help make up the difference between it and the MP. It's significantly better corrected than the MP, but still has some spherochromatism impacting the OOF areas that you don't see with the Supreme/Otus. It's a wonderful lens, though, objectively, you can pick up almost any of the mirrorless 135/1.8s today and get a stronger performer. It remains my personal fav because no other lens can match its draw. The old Zony A-mount 135/1.8 comes closest, but it's not as well corrected.
