Don't hear much about Zeiss scopes anymore. Why?

Jetjock

Jetjock

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Several years ago it seemed that Zeiss scopes were quite popular and found on the best rifles. Today, not so much. Has the quality declined - too expensive - or ?
 
I wondered about that as well. It seems that Zeiss has come 'down' market a little with a few of their products and some other firms have gone 'Up' market in price. There was a time when Zeiss only made high end stuff selling to a market where folks were conditioned to pay as much for their scopes and mounts as they paid for their rifles. These prices really werent sustainable in the large US market. So changes were made.
 
Zeiss are excellent scopes. They took a bit of a popularity hit when they discontinued the Conquest line (amazing value scopes), and replaced them with the subpar Terra line. The new Conquest HD scopes are very nice as are the rest of the higher end Zeiss line.

Thanks,
Cal.
 
I have three Zeiss Victory's and they are finely crafted precision instruments. Unfortunately, Zeiss felt they had to secure a share of the commoners' market and with that, the brand fell in stature. The lower-tiered stuff is fine but there are so many options out there now. Having owned a Zeiss Victory, I'll never settle for their lower grade optics.
 
I think that among people who are willing to pay high prices for hunting scopes Zeiss are still popular, although the weak Canadian Dollar has driven the price up a lot compared to when I bought one. Out of curiosity I just checked the current price of the Zeiss Victory HT 3-12x56 illuminated that I use and it is $3500 before tax. Let's just say I'm glad I have one already as I couldn't justify that price.

Also, the Terra line just doesn't meet most people's expectations of the brand. The old Conquest was a great buy, ( I love mine) the Terra not so much. Although the old Conquest was really just a rebranded Meopta, so it's not surprising it was a great scope at a good price, that's what Meopra does best.

Currently for high end hunting scopes my favourites are the Meopta's (I want an R2 1.7-10x42), and the Leupd VX-6 ( I love my 1-6x24 illuminated)
 
More people(more volume) will buy cheap scopes than people will buy higher end scopes(high price low volume). Go ask a sales man what the sell the most of , and it will likely be in that $150.00 -$300.00 range , gotta move product to make money.

As a manufacturer you must diversify , just like an investment portfolio.
 
I bought a Conquest 3-9x40 quite a few years ago before they changed the line and added the Terra line. It is a great scope for my hunting rifle, very clear and great in lowlight. I feel that Zeiss cheapened their brand when they brought out the Terra line to try to compete with some of the lower end optics on the market. I'm sure their high-end stuff is still very good for a hunting rifle but I haven't had any experience behind them.
 
Zeiss hasn't moved forward, they're state of the art 15 years ago, where most other manufacturers have made leaps and bounds more progress.
The glass was decent, but they've got terrible reticles that don't match turret adjustments (mil/mil), lack ffp options, have poor turrets for exposed use, and generally just suck for engaging targets quickly at a previously unknown distance, with accuracy.
They're okay for knocking down a moose at 200 yards. But that coyote at 732 yards that's about to walk into a treeline, with an 8 mph crosswind is not going to happen with any zeiss less than their victory series. And you can get better features, turrets and glass from other manufacturers for the price of a victory.
 
When your competitors have 95% (or better) of the performance for 15% of the price, and you plan to take the thing out hiking in the mountains, racked on the quad or rattling around in the canoe... I mean, I don't wear a tuxedo hunting, right?

You just wind up seeing more discussions about which cheap and cheerful alternative to buy. Just a numbers game.

I've got a VX-6 I have to sell because I've never mounted it. I keep putting on VX-3s for like half the price, with less weight and size.

Heck, I just put a VX-2 on my new Kimber!
 
Rapid Z reticles are there for this reason, and they work amazingly well.If you are wanting tactical type performance you won't get it out of a hunting scope.

Hensoldt is designed for that purpose.

ntm said:
Zeiss hasn't moved forward, they're state of the art 15 years ago, where most other manufacturers have made leaps and bounds more progress.
The glass was decent, but they've got terrible reticles that don't match turret adjustments (mil/mil), lack ffp options, have poor turrets for exposed use, and generally just suck for engaging targets quickly at a previously unknown distance, with accuracy.
They're okay for knocking down a moose at 200 yards. But that coyote at 732 yards that's about to walk into a treeline, with an 8 mph crosswind is not going to happen with any zeiss less than their victory series. And you can get better features, turrets and glass from other manufacturers for the price of a victory.
Click to expand...
 
I actually own two Zeiss scopes, the Victory V8s, in 4.8-35x60. They are amazing and frustrating at the same time.
The scopes have 36mm tubes and need special rings which are not common. I am using ERA-TAC adjustable MOA mounts on mine as the scope have limited elevation on their own, and I need to shoot out past 1km. Also their reticle choices are very weak, although I am quite used to mine now and it doesn't bother me.
Now the good; these have "hands down" the best glass I've ever looked thru. I own an S&B PM2, and the new Nightforce 7-35 ATACR, plus had a Vortex Razor II, and also a Nightforce Competition before, and to my eyes, none compare to the Zeiss glass.
I was so impressed with the glass, I bought another, even with the weak reticle.
The turrets are totally fine and easy to use, locking, and the Zero-Stop is resettable in 30 seconds, super easy to use.
These scopes are big heavy, even more then the Nightforce or S&B, and they were no cheaper either, especially when you factor in a 550$ adjustable scope mount.
So my opinion is that they are a niche scope, which some will love, and most can't live with their weaknesses.
My shooting is long distance, banging steel, where we are looking all day thru the scopes either shooting or spotting and the Zeiss has a crazy big eye box and relief plus great field of view, so they are not fatiguing at al, especially compared to my other scopes, that make you mentally tired by the end of a long shooting day.
Ymmv...
 
I had heard that Zeiss gets their pick of the best German Schott glass during manufacture and their goal is to have the best clarity in the industry.
I get my scope and related stuff from Omer, at Plainsight Solutions, and if you ask him, of all the brands he sells, (including S&B, Swarovski! Nightforce, Leica, etc), he likes the Zeiss glass best as well.
 
redrams9 said:
I had heard that Zeiss gets their pick of the best German Schott glass during manufacture and their goal is to have the best clarity in the industry.
I get my scope and related stuff from Omer, at Plainsight Solutions, and if you ask him, of all the brands he sells, (including S&B, Swarovski! Nightforce, Leica, etc), he likes the Zeiss glass best as well.
Click to expand...

I'll go out on a limb and say that "Glass quality vs Your Particular Eyeball" is very relative. I looked through a $399 Burris Fullfield II and a Trijicon (2.5X the price) scope at the store and the Burris looked better to me in my Right Eye. Once I swapped to my better eye (-4.5), the Trijicon was far better. Unfortunately, I shoot Right Handed and I have -7 high index lenses on the right side.

My point is, everyone's vision is different. I know people who have 20/20 vision and have an astigmatism. I can't buy a Zeiss scope without looking through it as my eyes are supremely f@cked up. There's something about the Burris scopes that work for me on a lower budget and others at a similar price are an absolute failure.
 
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