Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Zeiss Terra Riflescopes are now In Stock

I find it odd too. I guess Leupold gets a pass for using Asian lenses in their scopes, but Zeiss isn't afforded the same luxury.

I've been pointing out for years that not all "European" optics are totally made by the same company, in the same country--and many haven't been made in Europe for quite a while. That's called capitalism--Adam Smith's "invisible hand of the marketplace."

These days, usually the engineering/design is done by the parent company, and the parts or complete optics have to meet those design standards.

Zeiss is being very up-front about where the Terras are being made, unlike some other European companies. I am due to get some to review soon, and will be giving them the usual rigorous tests.

Of course, if some people have a problem with buying optics made by certain countries, then that's their option. Personally, I don't care nearly as much, since capitalism is a persuasive system. It ain't perfect, but as Winston Churchill (a devout conservative) put it: "The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries."

China is becoming more and more capitalist, and quite deliberately. They aren't Red China anymore.

Funny [bleep]. If the Chicoms had their stuff together and transportation etc was better 120 years ago, you don't think that Ford wouldn't have been made there?

People seem to think it's the people TODAY that are the problem, 100 years ago they would have never made a product in China.

That's like saying Winchester would never have made an AR15 in 1873.

People are [bleep] idiots.

Steely. gotta ask how many Chinese made optics you have??

Hoping Bass Pro has some in and I have enough time to stop on sunday.


looking for a 2-7(ish) for the 280 and was set on Leupold but maybe get a chance to look at Zeiss & Vortex again too.


won't be back till end of next week but if I stop I will try and remember to post my opinion on the zeiss terra... granted it won't be up to some people's standards since I think t he only difference I saw between a VX2 & VX3 was $100 and reticle. But i'll throw in my 2 cents.

if it's clear and has a good company backing it, it's good by me within reason

I'll be interested in hearing your results!

Just talked to Zeiss today and there should be a 3-9x42 scope and 10x42 binocular showing up by the end of the week.

Please post us a link to your review when it's finished.

So if a Euro comes clean about manufacturing, it's still a great product. Why? Cheap labor is cheap labor right? Does cheap labor assemble quality materials into a good product? mtmuley

I think we sometimes associate cheap labor with low quality labor. Cheap is relative to where one lives and the economy. In some places $2 and hour might be equivalent to $20 an hour in others.

The question becomes, how well is the labor trained and what are the QC control measures. I trust that Zeiss does not want to be associated with an inferior product and am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

Beyond labor costs, taxation on corporate revenue can also be a factor.

I am not sure about China and Japan, but it wouldn't surprise me to find out that corporate tax rates are much lower than Germany.

The company I work for realizes an automatic 30% "profit margin" by manufacturing some products in Singapore.

And, I don't blame Singapore (or my company) for that

I would be guessing Zeiss didn't go with US labor because too many unions in the US

One thing that was pointed out to me as a problem with foreign labor is you have more employee roll over in some countries so it actually costs more once you factor in training time

Re: Terra mfg in Japan, I have used many quality optics - scopes, binos, and cameras made in Japan. No issue personally. Now If a scope is Chinese mfg I am probably going to pass. Just me.

No doubt 'Globalization' has changed the landscape of all businesses, good bad like it or not.

Doug, I think Zeiss got 3 winners there, the 2-7s should sell well, 3-9s well that's what most know, and the 3-12 sounds very interesting. Look forward to reports, expect good reviews.

For any who are confused, MOST Glass is made in Asia to my from what I have been told by a very few companies that mfg to their clients specs. Leupold would be one IIRC.

didn't spend enough time with the Zeiss Tera on sunday to give a good review.

the salesman at bass pro handed me one that was WAY out of focus, the place was too busy (I can handle a busy cabelas....but bass pro stuck me more on the same level as a Gander Mountain but more expensive) and I was late so I just mainly looked at the Leupolds I was interested in and even then felt rushed by the guy

what do you mean out of focus? Don't they have a fast focus eye piece? Wouldn't a quick turn of that eye piece take care of focus?

like i said....didn't spend enough time with it to give it a review...really just wanted to look at the leupolds and get out of the store.


yes as I was handing it back to the salesman i noticed the quick focus eye piece.... but must say that was the first salesman to EVER hand me a way out of focus rifle scope. every other one looks at the scope then hands it to me. only reason I posted that I even looked at it is because I said I was going to, so I guess all in all more a review for bass pro than the scope. sorry I can't be of any help

That's cool Tim. I need to get one in hand anyway.

Well, any reviews? Anyone buy one yet and gave a try?
How does it compare to the Conquest?