Carl Zeiss stops scope and binoc production 2026

[Muskox]

It has definitely happened. High condition vintage guns especially double shotguns are still in demand by serious collectors. But I’ve seen the “shooter” quality guns stagnate in price. Essentially they are the same price they were 15 years ago which means they are cheaper due to inflation.

Yes, there are mountains of Merkel, Kreighoff, Heym and a 100 small time company shotguns for sale in old gunshops all over Germany for $500. Fully engraved, some of them side locks. None are 100%, most are 50-70% fully usable.

 

[mdwest]

Hello, the article states that they will stop the production in Wetzlar Germany, but does not say they will stop all binoculars and riflescope production.
Hopefully it is only about stopping production in that specific high cost location.

Wetzlar is the location where Zeiss sporting optics are made..

their other major manufacturing location is Oberkocken.. but it is focused on medical tools, and other equipment..

the only other facility where Zeiss manufactures sporting optics is in Mátészalka, Hungary, but that facility mostly makes eyeglass lenses.. it is doubtful they will continue to make bino or scope lenses there since the factory where the housings are made in Wetzlar is closing..

the article clearly states that sports optics is not a good field for them...

I wouldn't count on any new Zeiss scopes, binos, or spotting scopes to be made after 2026..

My question is more about warranties.. Zeiss offers a limited lifetime warranty on all sports optics that's fully transferrable (you can buy a used 30 year old scope online and if it fails, they will repair or replace it)..

If they are no longer manufacturing sports optics.. how do they intend on honoring the warranty on all of the sports optics that are already out in the market?

 

[Raven]

It is sad. Old firms are leaving the market. There will always be a replacement, but will it be of equal value?

When Nikon stopped producing its sights, some people said that nothing terrible had happened. But I don't see a worthy replacement for that price-performance scopes. There are sights on the market of the same class and reliability as Nikon produced, but they are more expensive.

Who would have thought that Zeiss would stop producing binoculars and scopes? And even if this is not true, there are still many examples of other companies that have stopped producing excellent products. We live in a strange time.

 

[grand veneur]

It's about the Wetzlar location of Zeiss.

 

[375Fox]

The discussion about a generational shift is true, but I think the discussion about optics quality is equally relevant. Low end scopes like Vortex have improved significantly. High end scopes have little room left to improve. Both scopes stay at the same price point while one improves measurably and the other doesn’t. If the glass is clear and a scope reliably holds zero that will fit what most hunters and shooters are looking for. Spending an extra $1000 for 5 minutes at last light after legal shooting hours ends is a tough sell compared to a $200 scope with a no questions asked warranty. I hate seeing Zeiss go and hope Leupold and Swarovski don’t end up in the same situation, but I think quality improvements of low end scopes have driven a lot of this too.

 

[mdwest]

The discussion about a generational shift is true, but I think the discussion about optics quality is equally relevant. Low end scopes like Vortex have improved significantly. High end scopes have little room left to improve. Both scopes stay at the same price point while one improves measurably and the other doesn’t. If the glass is clear and a scope reliably holds zero that will fit what most hunters and shooters are looking for. Spending an extra $1000 for 5 minutes at last light after legal shooting hours ends is a tough sell compared to a $200 scope with a no questions asked warranty. I hate seeing Zeiss go and hope Leupold and Swarovski don’t end up in the same situation, but I think quality improvements of low end scopes have driven a lot of this too.

Lots of truth in your post... especially when applied to younger generations that arent nearly as material as older generations..

there's not a whole lot that a rigby highland stalker topped with a swaro Z8 can do, that cant also be accomplished with a ruger american topped with a vortex crossfire II at about 1/20th of the price...

sure the Z8 buys you a few extra minutes in the early morning and the late afternoon.. and might give you a bit more distance due to clarity... and the rigby is a beautiful work of art that happens to also go bang while the american is about as pedestrian as it gets..

but in the mind of a 25 year old that's just getting into the sport... even if he has all the discretionary income in the world, why would he pay 20x more for what in his mind is essentially the same tool?

combine that with how much better "low end" products have gotten in the last 20 years vs the performance increases of the "high end" products over the same time period.. and it becomes a very difficult sell..

most young people arent going to care if a product was made in the Philippines, China, Japan, the USA, Germany, or Austria.. as long as they can get the performance they desire at a price they can afford..

And love them or hate them, its pretty hard to beat the Vortex warranty, Athalon Warranty, Maven Warranty, etc (pretty much unconditional lifetime warranties).. the best a swaro, zeiss, etc can do is match them and try to sell the idea that you're less likely to use the warranty with their products..


the older I get the more resistant I am to change and trying new things... Ive shot leupold and zeiss most of my life... I don't think I have an optic in the safe other than a few swaros that arent either leupold or zeiss anymore.. so I really hate seeing one of my old standby brands going away..

but if I were 25 again, Im pretty sure I'd be thinking similarly to the Gen Z types.. and likely not be brand loyal at all.. I'd just be shopping for the lowest cost option that meets all of my requirements.. and wouldn't care what brand name is on the side of the scope..

 

[Azklmsr]

The economics are just a hard sell overall. I have a zeiss or 2 sitting around the place, but everything I hunt with wears a Leupold. In fairness, Nikon and Pentax are every bit as good and usually much more affordable.

We don't like to admit it out loud, but hunting and shooting in general is a price sensitive activity. My DG rifle is a Model 70 375. Why? Because it will do the job and I'd rather spend the dollars for an alternative on something else. It's not unique to our sport area.

I free dive. Folks love Omer Carbon fins. The blades go for $500 to$1000. I have Leaders at $150. They work great and sitting at 100 feet holding my breath, I chuckle at the guy beside me in the ones that are 6 times the cost. Euro vs Asian sourcing.

In the end state, a very few will pay significant extra dollars for a perceived quality, nostalgia, beauty etc difference. Most will buy what serves the needs and use the remaining funds to pay the rent.

1 guys opinion anyway

 

[meigsbucks]

How unfortunate. I just picked up a Zeiss scope over the winter and have a couple of others. My first pair of good binos were Zeiss (I still use them).
The proliferation of budget or modestly priced rifles such as the Ruger American, Tikka, Bergara, Savage and others is indicative of where the hunters are putting their money. I believe the same holds true of scopes. At the range, Vortex outnumbers all others combined. Ten years ago, that was Leupold.
It amazes me the number of higher end chassis rifles that show up, topped with a Vortex. However, it is rare to see a Tasco or low end Bushnell anymore.

 

[MontanaGrant]

Just going to add in.

Optics companies like vortex, Athlon and Arken that have no questions Asked lifetime warranty look pretty good when you compare to some of the older companies.

I know guys who have bought vortex’s knowing they were broken for dirt cheap then sent them in to get fixed.

I bought a used Barrett .50 BMG with a Swarovski on it. Scope developed an issue and they didn’t want to warrenty it since I wasn’t the original owner. Ended up trading the scope back to the original owner who sent it in. But even then he had to pay to have it repaired since it had been over 20 years since purchase.

 

[PerH]

https://translate.google.com/?sl=auto&tl=en&text=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mittelhessen.de%2Flokales%2Flahn-dill-kreis%2Fwetzlar%2Fwetzlar-carl-zeiss-sports-optics-will-fertigung-einstellen-4687903%0A&op=translate

 

[PerH]

https://translate.google.com/?sl=auto&tl=en&text=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mittelhessen.de%2Flokales%2Flahn-dill-kreis%2Fwetzlar%2Fwetzlar-carl-zeiss-sports-optics-will-fertigung-einstellen-4687903%0A&op=translate

The translated text to read in English

 

[PerH]

I think there is already a generational shift happening.

Those so collectible 80% pre-War Winchester m70's, 94's, 71's, and 86's sit a long time on dealer shelves before they move. If they move at all.

Here in Europe, there are thousands and thousands of classic built 98's from top house names in Germany and Austria fully engraved for $1500. They don't move.

Damn near new Mauser 66, Sauer 90, 80, and whatever else just sits.

New millennial younger hunters want the cheapest gun they can buy, they prefer if it is a Mauser, Sauer or at least a European company. But they buy the lowest price point optic they can get away with that is still European. They are only buying 1 rifle, probably a 308 or 8x57, rarely a 30-06 it will be supressed.

Everything is now silencer land.

I get it, they want a turn key $2500 out the door optic, rifle silencer combo that they can get ammo for.

No one cares about 6,5x68 or 5,6x57 or the 7x66 Vom Hoff.

It will be a 308.

And with the upcoming EU and Schengen rifle ammo lead ban and the media promoting .308 also so very much , one can see how it turn out .

As a buddy elsewhere said , it’s like we’re back to the 70s regarding ammo choices and now optic also .

 

[Nhoro]

If you look at the market, there are not many hunting scopes left- by that I mean lower mag, light and small optics. Most are long range and fairly high magnification target scopes. Zeiss and swarovski missed the long range boat and trying to catch up is not really working. Swarovski have not captured much of the long range market either. Throw in the rapid rise in price of their top end products, who can blame people for buying the much improved Chinese or Japanese glass products. Add to that some confusion about simple economics and they go under. Is zeiss luxury goods like a Westley Richards double or is it scrapping with vortex. And can a machine made mechanical set of bins really command the value of a hand made Westley Richards double- two different concepts to me. Zeiss and swarovski are really pushing the boundaries when it comes to price but with microscopic advances in image. When your new best binos are an extra 50 % or more for an image that needs machine measuring to tell the difference, you might be in trouble.

 

[Scott CWO]

“The price and competitive pressure, the clouded consumer climate, the disruptive switch to digital products and the structural cost disadvantage in Germany lead to lasting economic losses in the production of optics for hunting and nature observation in Wetzlar," explains Joachim Kuss from
the corporate communications of Zeiss Photonics & Optics.”

“… the structural cost disadvantage in Germany…”

This is what happens in a liberal society when your labor costs, low productivity, taxation schemes, ridiculous excessive paternity leave for FATHERS, 30-hour work weeks, eight weeks of vacation and “sick leave” that are not for sickness at all, cannot fire/terminate slackers, etc… makes it impossible for a great manufacturer to survive. Business owners actually do want and deserve to make a PROFIT for their investment and RISK, otherwise why do it?? Businesses aren’t supposed to just be an employment agency!

 

[PARA45]

My question is more about warranties.. Zeiss offers a limited lifetime warranty on all sports optics that's fully transferrable (you can buy a used 30 year old scope online and if it fails, they will repair or replace it)..

If they are no longer manufacturing sports optics.. how do they intend on honoring the warranty on all of the sports optics that are already out in the market?

I see this as a huge issue for those of us who own their product and might need (hopefully not) their warranty service. I also assume since the cat is out of the bag, that their sales will suffer, and or maybe we will see some good deals. Time will tell.

 

[wvfred]

I have a few new Zeiss scopes getting ready to mount on rifles including a V6 1x6.I just hope they have a repair department later on in case something happens to any of them.

 

[Kalthoff]

One hobby for life
If hunting is your one hobby for life, then it makes sense to buy the best possible quality.

By focusing on one hobby you will gradually gain the experience needed to appreciate the finer points of truly outstanding optics.

Zeiss has some strong offerings for such a person - at a very "strong price"


The serial hobbyist
If you change hobbies every 3-5 years, selling the gear from the previous hobbies at a loss, in order to fund the most recent hobby, then both your budget and your level of experience will be lower.

Burris, Vortex, Leupold etc. seems a more likely choice for such a person.


How common are the two types?
In my experience the "one hobby for life" type of person is more likely to belong to the older generations, while the "serial hobbyist" are more prevalent amongst the 20-55 year olds.

 

[375Fox]

One hobby for life
If hunting is your one hobby for life, then it makes sense to buy the best possible quality.

By focusing on one hobby you will gradually gain the experience needed to appreciate the finer points of truly outstanding optics.

Zeiss has some strong offerings for such a person - at a very "strong price"


The serial hobbyist
If you change hobbies every 3-5 years, selling the gear from the previous hobbies at a loss, in order to fund the most recent hobby, then both your budget and your level of experience will be lower.

Burris, Vortex, Leupold etc. seems a more likely choice for such a person.


How common are the two types?
In my experience the "one hobby for life" type of person is more likely to belong to the older generations, while the "serial hobbyist" is more prevalent in the 25-55 year segment.

Leupold is to many Americans what zeiss and Swarovski would be to Europeans. It’s a very different class than vortex.

 

[rookhawk]

Wetzlar: Carl Zeiss Sports Optics will Fertigung einstellen

Die Produktion von Optiken für Jagd und Naturbeobachtung in Wetzlar steht absehbar vor dem Aus. Das kündigt die Carl Zeiss Sports Optics GmbH an. Betroffen sind 70 Mitarbeiter.

www.mittelhessen.de

Zeiss will next year stop producing scopes and binocs and similar as the article say .

English translation here

Wetzlar: Carl Zeiss Sports Optics will Fertigung einstellen

Die Produktion von Optiken für Jagd und Naturbeobachtung in Wetzlar steht absehbar vor dem Aus. Das kündigt die Carl Zeiss Sports Optics GmbH an. Betroffen sind 70 Mitarbeiter.

www.mittelhessen.de

Zeiss' real specialty is making glass and machines that make glass. I'm told Zeiss makes most of the optical glass for the world's premier sporting optics. I think S&B and Swaro use Zeiss glass, perhaps so does Leica.

We're going to be "okay" so long as the Germans continue to make glass, we're cooked if they cease raw material manufacture because the manufacturers of optics would be forced to use Japanese glass which has not been able to meet the same quality standards.

 

[mdwest]

I see this as a huge issue for those of us who own their product and might need (hopefully not) their warranty service. I also assume since the cat is out of the bag, that their sales will suffer, and or maybe we will see some good deals. Time will tell.

Since I have never had to send any zeiss product back for warranty work.. I'll be patiently waiting to see what the final "clearance" sales look like


Midway is already moving them out at a serious discount:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1...Nds8eng882qG_Jwdq6AvH8ARfGRdhNdjiz&pid=951572

and they're offering free shipping on orders more than $99 right now...