Zeiss Terra 8x25 Chinese production - holding up? (1 Viewer)

[Jaywalk]

I've been reading old posts about the value that the Terra brings to the table. Then around 2020 people grew concerned that the quality would drop with the movement of production to China.

How is the equality holding up now in 2023, nearly 2024?

 

[PatR]

I have no experience of the MIJ one personally but my MIC Terra 8x25 has been perfect. I bought it in January and it has survived all that the Welsh weather can throw at it....and me throwing it in a rucksack.

A friend has the original MIJ one and apart from the country of origin stamp I cannot see any difference whatsoever from a build or optical quality perspective and he is of the same opinion. Many shudder at the thought of a MIC bino, I personally couldn't give a flying whotsit.

It is a cracking little thing. I bought it on a whim as Zeiss were running a trade-in programme but I would buy it again should it go AWOL.

 

[Binocollector]

Aren't they made by Kamakura in their Chinese plant? They do have production facilities in China. And if other companies like Casio are anything to judge by, they will have a "redundancy policy" in place which means that different sites have to deliver the same quality.

 

[Ted Y.]

Aren't they made by Kamakura in their Chinese plant? They do have production facilities in China. And if other companies like Casio are anything to judge by, they will have a "redundancy policy" in place which means that different sites have to deliver the same quality.

Maybe not "same quality", but a minimum established level of quality.


Comparing two sample from the same model (but made in different countries) during a few days, does not guarantee the same performance over the years or/and in difficult conditions.

 

[Binocollector]

Maybe not "same quality", but a minimum established level of quality.

True, QC can still differ and a "lemon" can probably get through since most likey they don't quality test every single one.
But at least in theory, different manufacturing sites should be able to make the same models. In case of Casio I only found that by actually reading company reports. Not sure any other Japanese manufacturers even follow similar guidelines. In the case of Casio it was necessary after the flood in Thailand that destroyed the Casio plant there. So I have handled the same models from Thailand, Japan and China and didn't see much -- if any -- difference.
But of course, without any actual comparison -- of the same model produced in different places (and even then we wouldn't have a large enough sample size) -- it's impossible to tell.
It would also be interesting to see comparisons for other brands -- like Kowa who made the BDII in Japan and later in China.

I mentioned the story elsewhere but a friend of mine works for a company making auto parts, transmissions mainly. And they had this video they showed at a meeting of an assembly line in China were one single person walked up and down the assembly line and did all the steps himself, while there were supposed to be many people working at the assembly line so that they could control each other's work.
In some cases quality was so bad that they had to get parts from elsewhere. So what my friend actually does is travel across the world more or less constantly to ensure the quality of the parts they need here in Germany to assemble their transmissions.

 

[NDhunter]

I have a MIJ Terra 8x25, and they were well known for having a loose hinge. I sent it in, and it was fixed or
replaced, I don't recall. So I think in this case, the MIC thing is not much of an issue. I agree it is a very good
value in the 8x25 size.
Jerry

 

[Bentley03]

I have a MIJ Terra 8x25, and they were well known for having a loose hinge. I sent it in, and it was fixed or
replaced, I don't recall. So I think in this case, the MIC thing is not much of an issue. I agree it is a very good
value in the 8x25 size.
Jerry

Yes, the 8x25 in my household has developed a loose (right) hinge after a couple of years' service. I'll contact Zeiss in the new year to resolve. That minor issue aside, no complaints at all, MIC and the fit, finish, focus movement and optical quality is all spot on. Certainly no complaints here.

 

[ReinierB]

I bought the Terra 8x25 this year. First I was satisfied, but after a while it felt a bit cheap. The optics were good, but the hinges were a bit too loose for my liking and I didn't like the eyecups either. I sold it and replaced it with the Leica Trinovid 8x20. Although not really comfortable because it is so small, the optics are a bit better imo, but overall it felt way more solid/premium/classy and the like.

I don't know how the MIJ were, but if you have the money, go for the VP 8x25 or Swarovski/Leica.

 

[DrewskiMT]

Mine, China 2022 manufacture have been excellent, except for the diopter rubber wheel falling off... Which honestly isn't a dealbreaker for me as it's not hard to put back on with a spot of glue. For the price paid: $350, they are excellent.

 

[UTGrad]

Sold some Swaros for cash and rocking my son’s Terra 10x42s for a few months.

Honestly, not bad. Sharp and fast focus. My only gripe is they didn’t do a great job completely blackening out the eye piece interior. I get a reflective “rim” in my periphery in certain lighting.