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Carl Zeiss Guide

This guide is in response to the number of fake or non-genuine Carl Zeiss binoculars being sold on Ebay.
It applies mainly to the Zeiss Jenoptem 8x30 or 10x50 binoculars and on rare occasions to the 7x50.
These were sold mainly from mail order catalogues in Britain in the late 70s to early 80s. Wether they
were contracted out by Zeiss to Japanese makers or just fakes is difficult to ascertain today. Main
point is they are very inferior to the German made article and do not survive constant use.
If the bino is a Jenoptem in the above sizes and has a six figure serial number it is not German made.
Equally if it has any letters in the serial number it is a fake. Genuine binos always have a seven figure
serial number. The focusing wheel will be black plastic and has a ring impressed into the front.
Genuine article is metal, smaller and usually has minor paint loss. Smooth paint and a rubbery feel
are on the fakes. German article has dappled paint and a slightly slippery feel. Fakes are always
marked as multicoated. On the real thing the screw on the top plate is right beside the 'D' of
Multicoated, on the fake it is about three-quarters of an inch away. All will have 'DDR' or 'Made in
DDR' somewhere on the genuine binos. That means they were made in the old East Germany. If
there is the legend 8.2 Degrees or similar on the plates of the objective end (lower) and an initial,
often 'K' they are fakes.
Focusing on my Genuine Zeiss binos bought from the late Vic Odden in 1978 for 58 is a dream. On
fakes which I owned by accident until I got to know better focusing was sticky, tightish and certainly
never smooth. What is worse, I have seen two examples where the spiral on which the focusing wheel
turns actually snapped and the bino was useless
There are other differences but there is enough information here for you to identify the fakes. Have
they any good points? Optically they are not bad and they will take a few knocks without going out of
alignment. They are just another Jap bino and they are certainly not worth the money some people
are paying for them. Most have impressed lettering but on a very few it is stencilled.
If you are buying Jenoptems in the above sizes make sure you know the serial number and if it has
'DDR' somewhere on it. Be wary of vague or blatently dishonest sellers. Most know exactly what they
have. Persevere and get the the genuine article. They are the best value binos on E-bay today.

MONDAY, 3 JANUARY 2011

Carl Zeiss Jena DDR Binoculars and How To Date Them.

My link to Carl Zeiss West German Porro Prism


Binoculars and dating them.
http://www.binocularsexplained.com/2012/01/carl-zeiss-west-german-binoculars-and.html

Also more links dating Carl Zeiss 'West German'


Dialyt's at the foot of this page.
Click on any of my photos to enlarge!

Binoculars for Sale.


Incidentally, if anyone wishes to advertise for sale any of their
binoculars on any of my blogs, they have my permission to do so
simply by advertising in the www.Binocularsexplained.com Post a
Comment section below. I will not however accept any liability.

You can date Zeiss Jena Binoculars by their seven digit serial numbers. The preceding year of
serial numbers continue up until the next date. So, if your serial number is higher than the date
opposite, your binocular will be the next date up!

(Date/Year) (Serial Numbers)


(1894) 205.
(1895) 1476.
(1896) 4251.
(1897) 8412.
(1898) 13838.
(1899) 21370.
(1900) 30658.
(1901) 40156.
(1902) 48491.
(1903) 58446.
(1904) 71724.
(1905) 89422.
(1906) 107576.
(1907) 124727.
(1908) 147707.
(1909) 181759.
(1910) 218120.
(1911) 261737.
(1912) 314098.
(1913) 366268.
(1914) 432900.
(1915) 547521.
(1916) 639799.
(1917) 792232.
(1918) 990786.
(1919) 1051870.
(1920) 1089848.
(1921) 1128929.
(1922) 1176911.
(1923) 1209242.

(1924) 1236681.
(1925) 1294010.
(1926) 1334471.
(1927) 1380999.
(1928) 1442819.
(1929) 1493979.
(1930) 1543439.
(1931) 1579184.
(1932) 1607007.
(1933) 1628868.
(1934) 1660396.
(1935) 1705441.
(1936) 1751204.
(1937) 1801967.
(1938) 1865276.
(1939) 1935538.
(1940) 2017171.
(1941) 2105419.
(1942) 2167993.
(1943) 2228256.
(1944) 2293770.
(1945) 2348412.
(1946) 2398397.
(1947) 2408116.
(1948) 2408116.
Post WWII
Carl Zeiss Jena binocular production had moved from Jena to Eisfeld by 1956.
My links to daing Carl Zeiss "West German" Binoculars at the bottom of this page.
(Year) (Serial numbers)
(1949) 2424280.
Up until following year:
(1950) 2447960.
(1951) 2486465.
(1952) 2539205.
(1953) 2630255.

(1954) 2707680.
(1955) 2772726.
(1956) 2830702.
(1957) 2914031.
(1958) 2977102.
(1959) 3033101.
(1960) 3090501.
(1961) 3149501.
(1962) 3246001.
(1963) 3314001.
(1964) 3400001.
(1965) 3417501.
(1966) 3474501.
(1967) 3481101.
(1968) 3541701.
(1969) 3640111.
(1970) 3794411.
(1971) 3882562.
(1972) 3976162.
(1973) 4046362.
(1974) 4211322.
(1975) 4339912.
(1976) 4489512.
(1977) 4667512.
(1978) Multi-coatings introduced. 4820812.
(1979) 4985612.
(1980) 5456932.
(1981) 5661332.
(1982) 5672732.
(1983) 6046032.

(1984) 6068032.
(1985) 6289001.
(1986) 6447042.
(1987) 6637173.
(1988) 6897473.
(1989) 7053473.
(1990) 7241173.
(1991) 7246633.
End of production.
Link to my article on Zeiss Jena Jenoptems, also an early Zeiss copy!
To date, I have only ever found 8x30 and 10x50 Zeiss Jena copies
and all had only six digit Serial numbers!
Both Multi-coated lenses and without.
http://www.binocularsexplained.com/2010/12/carl-zeiss-8x30w-jena-jenoptem.html
I know the Zeiss Jena's prior to 1919 above have less than seven digit serial numbers but, I'm only
refering to the ones made after the War.

Carl Zeiss Jena

Binoculars for Sale.


Incidentally, if anyone wishes to advertise for sale any of their
binoculars on any of my blogs, they have my permission to do so
simply by advertising in the www.Binocularsexplained.com Post a
Comment section below. I will not however accept any liability.
Binoculars Explained first page link:
http://www.binocularsexplained.com/2010/12/welcome-to-binoculars-explained.html

Link to my more recent 2012 Carl Zeiss ''West

German'' Porro Prism Binoculars and dating them.


http://www.binocularsexplained.com/2012/01/carl-zeiss-west-german-binoculars-and.html

Link to my more recent 2012 Zeiss West German


Dialyt 10x40 Binoculars and dating them.
http://www.binocularsexplained.com/2012/01/carl-zeiss-10-x-40-dialyt-and-how-to.html

Link to my more recent 2012 Zeiss West German


Dialyt 8x30 Binoculars and dating them.
http://www.binocularsexplained.com/2012/01/carl-zeiss-8x30-dialyt-and-how-to-date.html

Link to my more recent 2012 Zeiss West German


Dialyt 7x42 Binoculars and dating them.
http://www.binocularsexplained.com/2012/01/zeiss-7x42-b-dialyt-and-how-to-date.html

Link to my more recent 2012 Zeiss West German


Dialyt 8x56 Binoculars and dating them.
http://www.binocularsexplained.com/2012/01/zeiss-8x56-b-dialyt-and-how-to-date.html
I intend to add more to these lists in the near future.
I hope they will help you!
Old Zeiss binoculars are like Volkswagen's, they hold their money!
A Great investment for the future.

Binoculars for Sale.


Advertise your Binoculars for sale in the www.Binocularsexplained.com
Post a Comment section below. I will not however accept any liability.

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