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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Zeiss Hungary (1 Viewer)

St. Elmo

Well-known member
With Victory HTs made in Germany and Conquest HDs made in Germany right next to them (I can't keep a straight face), and Terras made in China, what's coming out of the Hungary plant?

Just the remaining Conquests?

Rifle scopes?

Just curious.
 
Spectacles, loupes, hand lenses, microscopes, planetarium projectors, etc., excepted.
You are quite correct, I should have refined my query to sport optics.
 
Spectacles, loupes, hand lenses, microscopes, planetarium projectors, etc., excepted.
You are quite correct, I should have refined my query to sport optics.


Not sure I understand the gist of the question? Are they supposed to be making sport optics there?
 
Oddly enough I asked someone at Zeiss about this quite recently, or rather I asked if the Victory Compacts were still made there and the answer was yes.

Zeiss does a lot in the defence arena so I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the Hungary plant is producing components or complete products for these. We know how cost concious these military guys are, thats how the US mil ended up with Berettas instead of the SIG-Sauers the services wanted.

Lee
 
Zeiss isn't the only German sports optics company to manufacture in Hungary.

The German rifle scope manufacturer Schmidt und Bender manufactures both in Germany and in Hungary ; if they started making binos, which they should, they would become a major player very quickly.
 
Zeiss isn't the only German sports optics company to manufacture in Hungary.

The German rifle scope manufacturer Schmidt und Bender manufactures both in Germany and in Hungary ; if they started making binos, which they should, they would become a major player very quickly.

Sam,

Don't see that happen in the near future knowing the development prices or they should take the same route as Conquest en Kahles. Meopta is the only one who can manage both. So in the "high end subs" we would have Conquest/Duralyt; Helia/bins; Meostar R1/Meostar B1 and than also a S& B line?

The profits for S&B (in this small segment) in bins can't justify the R&D costs.

But S&B is really great. That's for sure!

Jan
 
Agreed, Jan. At this time of year one can indulge in a little wishful thinking !

Those of us that shoot as well as go birding have the added interest of pairing scopes and binos for specific purposes.

A brand match together with a match of specifications is often an unachieveable goal but none the less interesting for it.

Best wishes,
 
With Victory HTs made in Germany and Conquest HDs made in Germany right next to them (I can't keep a straight face), and Terras made in China, what's coming out of the Hungary plant?

Just the remaining Conquests?

Rifle scopes?

Just curious.

AFAIK the pocket bins are still in production there. Perhaps also the spotting scopes?

Steve
 
Florian,
Do you refer to the sale of the Optronics division in Hungary or also the one in Wetzlar?
Or do you mean that Zeiss stops optronics production completely?
Gijs
 
Thanks for this Florian.

Looks like Zeiss still own 30% of the shares but this certainly means EADS owns and runs the business.

Lee

To get back to the original question, I still don't know what "Made in Germany" means and this doesn't apply to just binoculars. A great deal is made of this description, but until someone can tell me exactly what it means, I am inclined to view that a substantial portion of any Zeiss binocular is made elsewhere, which may very well be the case.

It doesn't matter a jot to me where a binocular is made, so long as it is worth the money I paid for it.

Stan
 
To get back to the original question, I still don't know what "Made in Germany" means and this doesn't apply to just binoculars. A great deal is made of this description, but until someone can tell me exactly what it means, I am inclined to view that a substantial portion of any Zeiss binocular is made elsewhere, which may very well be the case.

It doesn't matter a jot to me where a binocular is made, so long as it is worth the money I paid for it.

Stan

Yo Stan-Dude

The original question was: what is made at the Hungarian Plant?

But your last statement is spot on.

As to how many components that go into any, repeat any alpha bins are actually manufactured and finished in the alpha company's main factory is a matter for conjecture and speculation.

Lee
 
Yo Stan-Dude

The original question was: what is made at the Hungarian Plant?

But your last statement is spot on.

As to how many components that go into any, repeat any alpha bins are actually manufactured and finished in the alpha company's main factory is a matter for conjecture and speculation.

Lee

Lee,

Perhaps you are right about my interpretation of the question, but it was prefaced with the statement that the HT's and Conquest's are made in Germany. How does St Elmo know that?. And I hope he doesn't say because he was told by Zeiss.

Stan
 
Lee,

Perhaps you are right about my interpretation of the question, but it was prefaced with the statement that the HT's and Conquest's are made in Germany. How does St Elmo know that?. And I hope he doesn't say because he was told by Zeiss.

Stan

Stan

This has been much-debated on BF and Mr Mike Jensen President of Zeiss USA clarified with this statement:

"Made in" discussion. Zeiss has not hidden the fact that our 3 tier strategy uses different global advantages.
Victory: made in house, best that Zeiss can offer.
Conquest: a complex blend between manufacturing and sourcing.
Terra: designed, engineered, QC and warranty by Zeiss, with production out-sourced​

Lee
 
Lee,

Perhaps you are right about my interpretation of the question, but it was prefaced with the statement that the HT's and Conquest's are made in Germany. How does St Elmo know that?. And I hope he doesn't say because he was told by Zeiss.

Stan

At what point does the question of how much content comes from where become nit picking?

Is a BMW built in Spartanburg SC the same as a BMW built in Germany?

Should I demand the one built in Spartanburg cost less or should it cost more?

Is there a difference?

At some point you either have to accept it for what it brings to the table or move to another brand product. If Zeiss says it is made in Germany then I suspect it falls within the letter of the law regarding what is or isnt deemed made in Germany.
 
At what point does the question of how much content comes from where become nit picking?

Is a BMW built in Spartanburg SC the same as a BMW built in Germany?

Should I demand the one built in Spartanburg cost less or should it cost more?

Is there a difference?

At some point you either have to accept it for what it brings to the table or move to another brand product. If Zeiss says it is made in Germany then I suspect it falls within the letter of the law regarding what is or isnt deemed made in Germany.

PT
Absolutely agree, its the only way that makes sense: you know the old saying: 'if it looks like a cow, smells like a cow and acts like a cow, its a cow!'. In your case if it looks like a bmw.............etc. Same with Zeiss.

In a way its odd we should be discussing this type of issue with regard to alphas when Leica has been shipping superbly made bins out of Portugal for decades.

Was/is the Leica factory in Portugal buying components from companies like Meopta or Kamakura? Is Leica Solms doing the same? Does it matter as long as the bins look like Leicas, smell like Leicas etc?

Trouble is folks are suspicous of big business and feel cheated if a German company builds goods anywhere other than Germany.

Lee
 
PT


Trouble is folks are suspicous of big business and feel cheated if a German company builds goods anywhere other than Germany.

Lee

I think you are right Lee, I can understand the gist of the feeling but it seems Zeiss has been pretty above board with it. I dont think anyone could reasonably expect them to divulge exactly which pieces come from where any more than they could expect them to divulge the exact cost of the components.
 
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