Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Curious if anyone has ever had to send a Zeiss Terra in?

This could be interesting. I have a couple questions regarding the Zeiss Terra rifle scopes.

1. Wondering how many of you have ever had any issues with them? I've owned quite a few of them and they have performed very well. My favorite is the 3-9x42 with the RZ6 reticle.

2. If you have had to send one in for repair and they can not replace it with the same model, since I believe they are discontinued, will they trade it out for a more expensive V4 of similar power range?

I've noticed the prices on the Terra models have gone up quite a bit on places like ebay and I recently bought one (3-9x42 with RZ6 reticle) for $199. It's the same place that has a Divairi 3-9x36. They said they would let that one go for $250.00. I looked through it and the glass seemed hazy though. That is one I'd definitely send back to the factory and I know Zeiss would send a $700 V4 back. Don't really want to mess with that though. Lets hear your experiences.

I have a 3x9x42 I got that was on a rifle that was part of a trade deal. To be honest with you, I didn't think much about it until I looked through it, started comparing it to others, and realized that this scope is great value for money and I have decided to keep it. I have it on a backup rifle and it has done well on the one deer shot with it, dead right there. I wouldn't take one to Africa, but they work well and for someone looking for value in a scope, this would be one to look at in the lower budget range scopes.

Aren't the newer ones made in china?

NO. Zeiss scopes have never been made in China.

Are you sure about that? I vaguely remember a thread where even Doug @ CameraLand even said they were now Chinese.

Doug never mentioned that Zeiss Terra scopes were made in China. Some Terra binos were but never scopes.

And I can assure you that no current Zeiss scopes (V4, V6, etc) are, either.

Found the thread....

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/15654908/3

Well, if you read the thread, you saw that Doug was corrected. Terra scopes were made in Japan.

But since you don't seem to believe what you've been told, you can call Zeiss CS Tuesday to verify.

If it helps any, right on the scope, it says "designed by Zeiss JAPAN". I am down to 2 of these scopes now, after buying the most recent one, both having the RZ6 reticle. I like them enough that I am going to hang on to them. Like I said in the OP, it seems weird that prices have skyrocketed on these things. Unless it's because they are no longer made and Zeiss has to warrant them like they do any other Zeiss product. With most discontinued products, they just upgrade to the next best thing. That probably being the V4 3-12x44.. Just as they would exchange the Divarai 3-9x36 for a V4 3-12x44. That is a $700.00 scope.

I never saw where Doug posted anything to the contrary, and simply one person (you) posting a picture of scope box doesn't really prove anything. Besides, I never stated the older ones were made in China, I simply asked if the newer ones were Chinese. Its hard not to trust the comments of a guy who does nothing but sell optics. Seriously, is it that much of a stretch to think since their Terra binos are Chinese that China wouldn't also have a hand in the scopes? Not trying to be argumentative, I'm genuinely curious.


"Designed" isn't the same as "manufactured in"...why wouldn't they simply mark the scope just "Japan" or "Manufactured in Japan"? Once again, I'm genuinely curious.

The "newer ones" are not made in China, either. I've had several of the V4s and still run a V6 and can assure you that I can still see the print well enough to know where they were made.

Bottom line: Zeiss scopes are not made in China, not even the "newer ones" you seem to believe are.

"newer ones"






And the V6:

Going off topic a bit here...

The Zeiss v4 line has been some of the best scopes I have used for price you pay. I have 2 4-16x50's and a 4-16x44. All three have performed flawlessly from dialing, tracking, hard use, and they offer amazingly bright optics and great eye relief. All three of my scopes are made in Japan along with all other V4 scopes. Great optics that perform above their price point.

I agree completely.

Not first hand experience, but…..

I loaded some ammo for a friend’s Tikka 25-06 several years ago. He decided to swap scopes on it to a Zeiss Terra 4 - 12. When he went to zero the Terra, it was all over the place. Put old scope on and it shot like most Tikkas do. Contacted Zeiss. I don’t recall for certain if they repaired or replaced it. Whichever it was when he received the repairs/replacement scope, he put it back on the same Tikka. Same scatter effect. He contacted Zeiss and told the he didn’t want another Terra scope. They offered to replace with a higher end scope, I believe it was an HD5. He wasn’t very keen on any Zeiss scope at that point, so they gave him a pair of binoculars that were definitely higher value than the Terra. They pretty much told him on the phone that Thur experience with the Terra was an ongoing problem for them.

Optically, they were very impressive for their price point.

I was only referring to the Terra line of scopes.

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Terra (Discontinued)
Launched in 2015, the Zeiss Terra series was targeted at customers who were looking for an entry-level series of riflescopes and greater value for money. The solution was to design the riflescope in Germany and outsource its manufacturing to Japan, which proved to be effective. Terra riflescopes were fitted with a series of outstanding features despite a lower price point, such as 3X optical zoom, compact 1-inch main tube, multi-coated optics, capped turrets, parallax fixed at 91 meters, second focal plane reticle, 90 mm eye relief, 100% repeatability, lightweight Aluminum construction, and Nitrogen-filled waterproofing. Reticle options include Z- Plex Reticle 20, RZ 6, and RZ 8. As of 2021, the Terra series is no longer offered by Zeiss.

Is that actually something off the actual Zeiss website or just something you pulled off an OpticsTrade blog?

Terra was a terrible disservice to the Carl Zeiss brand.

My sentiments exactly...I've seen Tascos that were better.