What is it about the Zeiss 24mm that is so captivating?

Jefenator wrote:

Well, I like working with prime lenses and I like wide angle. 24mm (on APS-C) happens to be what I most often prefer when on the prowl.

If there were a really compelling alternative, I'd be very keen to try it. Legacy 24/2s are becoming more scarce & expensive. Not as expensive as the Sony/Zeiss of course, but the Zeiss brings great performance, AF and a certain degree of compactness to the table.

I've tried a couple of legacy 24/2.8s (Nikon AI & Minolta MD). They can be OK at times but I really like the extra speed & performance I've experienced with the Zeiss.

I suppose there's always the Leica Summilux 24/1.4. When the Zeiss fares almost as well (even better in a few areas according to this comparison) for about $5900 less, I start to feel very captivated indeed!